The Mascot (book)

Not to be confused with Mascot (book).

The Mascot is a 2007 memoir by Mark Kurzem about his father Alex Kurzem, a Belorussian Holocaust survivor. It was published by Penguin Books.

## Overview

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The book covers Alex and Mark Kurzem's findings about his past. Alex Kurzem had fled his town during a Nazi perpetrated massacre of Jews in 1942. He was discovered by a Latvian police Schutzmannschaft battalion and adopted as their child mascot under an assumed identity.[1]

## Reception and controversy

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The book received positive reviews at the time of its publication.[1][2][3] Kurzem's claims were viewed with skepticism by some until a 2021 DNA test confirmed his origin.[4]

## References

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1. ^ a b Burke, Kelly (2024-02-03). "The Jewish boy who became a Nazi mascot: the extraordinary story of Alex Kurzem". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
2. ^ "The Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood | Jewish Book Council". www.jewishbookcouncil.org. 2007. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
3. ^ Smith, Dinitia (2007-11-30). "How the Littlest Nazi Turned Out to Be a Jew". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
4. ^ Goldberg, Dan (2024-01-31). "Did a Jewish orphan really become Hitler's youngest recruit?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-05-10.