Helga Deen. The Last Night. app review: a graphic novel that brings a diary of the Holocaust to your iPad

Introduction

Helga Deen. The Last Night. is an iPad ebook that has been filled with historical facts about Helga Deen’s life during her stay in the concentration camp at Vught. There are 32 pages in this graphic novel including comic book style bubbles, and tappable fact buttons.

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A Historical Graphic Novel

Helga Deen. The Last Night. is a graphic novel full of historical content. Helga Deen was a Dutch girl who was sent to Vught on April 1, 1943. She was held there until her death at Sobibor concentration camp on July 16, 1943. Her story was held by her beloved, mentioned several times in the story, until his death in 2004 at which time the diary was found and published in 2007.

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What I like about this rendition in graphic novel form, is that it is made readily available for the public. It is free, and the 32 high-definition animate pages include 99 stunning artworks. The pages literally come alive. The rain falls, the thunder sounds, and the boots slosh. You feel like you are in the environment while learning of the horrors of the last night of her life.

An Important Book

Helga Deen. The Last Night. is an important book because it brings a serious topic to the accessible iPad. Kids aren’t likely to pick up the actual diary of Helga Deen. Let’s face it, kids very rarely have diaries these days. It’s a sad fact, but when you bring print to the iPad, and even more so turn it into a graphic novel, kids will read and study it. The Holocaust cannot be forgotten. It’s less than 100 years ago, yet it’s remembered like it is ancient history. I hope that educators will latch on to this to share with their students.

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The pages are fully animated in Retina display with the ultra-high definition of living comic system animated pages. This brings the images to life, and when you touch any vignette you can activate the living comic system. The sound effects deepen the atmosphere as well, and if you prefer, you can turn on the auto-play and just enjoy the story without having to tap through.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free
• Accessible history in graphic novel presentation
• Outstanding graphics
• Living comic system brings the pages to life

Cons

• None found

Final Thoughts

Helga Deen. The Last Night. is an iPad ebook that tells the tale of Helga Deen’s time in the concentration camp Vught. She wrote a diary, and it has now been added to the historical collections at the Humane Society’s Heritage. This book brings history to the tips of the fingers, and makes Holocaust history accessible for all. I appreciate this wonderful graphic novel and recommend it for education or continuing education.