Publication of holocaust survivor Herman Rosenblat's memoir Angel at the Fence was canceled by publisher Berkley Books in December 2008, after Rosenblat admitted lying about certain aspects of the story "to bring happiness to people." In the memoir, the 79-year-old Rosenblat claimed he met his wife of more than 50 years, Roma Radzicki Rosenblat, while in a German concentration camp. Rosenblat twice appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to tell his story. CBS News: Touching Holocaust Story A Hoax The New York Times: False Memoir of Holocaust Is Canceled Daily News: Hoaxed publisher wants cash back
Excerpt from Angel at the Fence
"I saw a little girl on the other side of the barbed wire. She took out an apple out of her jacket and she threw it over the fence. I grabbed the apple and I ran."CBS News: Touching Holocaust Story A Hoax
Herman Rosenblat Statement
"I wanted to bring happiness to people, to remind them not to hate, but to love and tolerate all people. I brought good feelings to a lot of people and I brought hope to many. My motivation was to make good in this world. In my dreams, Roma will always throw me an apple, but I now know it is only a dream."The New York Times: False Memoir of Holocaust Is Canceled