Opening the Gates of Hell

Opening the Gates of Hell The Untold Story of Herbert Kenny, the Man Who Discovered Belsen

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Paperback (01 Aug 2024)

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Publisher's Synopsis

Herbert Kenny, an army dispatch rider, was the first ally to push open the gates at Belsen Concentration Camp, in April 1945.


He kept his story from the world until a chance correspondence with a trainee journalist brought it to light. Now, forty years on, that reporter is ready to share Herbert's incredible tale with the world.


With unprecedented access to Herbert's diaries, letters and interviews, Mark Hodkinson brings to life the harrowing conditions of Bergen-Belsen and its eventual liberation. From the events leading up to its gruesome discovery, to the trauma Herbert faced and his abandonment in the aftermath, this is a testament to the power of one person in the face of unimaginable darkness.


This is the tale of an ordinary man thrown into an extraordinary, life-changing situation. How can a person cope when they come face-to-face with history's darkest moment? Herbert Kenny was that man. This is his story.

Book information

ISBN: 9781788404853
Publisher: Octopus
Imprint: Cassell
Pub date:
Edition: Export ed
DEWEY: 940.531853593
DEWEY edition: 23
Language: English
Number of pages: 320
Weight: -1g
Height: 234mm
Width: 153mm