ABOUT THE BOOK

In the Vortex of Fate is the true and harrowing account of Janez Hribar, a Slovenian conscript in the German army during World War II who was captured in Ukraine and imprisoned in Russian labor camps.
Through his eyes, the reader experiences the depths of human suffering — and the enduring strength of the human soul. From the trenches of Zhytomyr to the death valleys of Babyn Yar and the frozen barracks of Syrets, the story reveals not only the cruelty of war, but also moments of compassion, faith, and humanity that survived amid horror.
Drawing from original letters, archives, and testimonies, the book preserves a voice that might otherwise have been lost to time. It carries a timeless message: freedom has a price, and forgetting history ensures that it will be paid again.
This is not just a soldier’s story. It is a warning from history — a plea for empathy, understanding, and peace in a world once again standing on the edge of the same abyss.