Opening The Gates of Hell

The untold story of Herbert Kenny, the man who discovered Belsen

By Mark Hodkinson

Published by Cassell; Dist. by Hachette Aust.
RRP $34.99 in paperback | ISBN 9781788404853 

The story of how Mark Hodkinson became aware of the story of Herbert Kenny, the army dispatch rider who was the first person to push open the gates of Belsen Concentration Camp in April 1945 is itself fascinating, recalling an earlier time when suburban and community newspapers flourished.

Having first written about Herbert Kenny and his remarkable story as part of 40^th anniversary commemorations to mark VE Day, the story stayed with Hodkinson, even as he moved on to bigger and better things.

Nearly forty years on from his first interview with Herbert Kenny, Hodkinson has finally pieced together the story of Kenny’s life and the impact on his life of the gruesome discoveries he made on first entering Belsen.

During the period July 1944 to April 1945, the number at Belsen expanded from 7,300 to almost 90,000. It had become a dumping ground of the sick and malnourished.

For Herbert Kenny, it was a life changing experience, one he struggled to cope with over the years that followed. He developed coping strategies but still, at times, these weren’t always enough, and his family suffered as a result.

In bringing his story to the page, Hodkinson has honoured the legacy of a man whose role in history had otherwise been forgotten.