Herman Rosenblat Admits 'Angel at the Fence' a Fabrication

Herman and Roma Rosenblat pose after writing a book about the beginning of their relationship during the Holocaust. (AP Images)"]

Oprah Winfrey has been fooled again. After the great James Frey Million Little Pieces fiasco, you'd think she'd have a team of people making sure that her book club picks under the memoir genre would be authentic. However, her latest pick, Angel at the Fence, which chronicles the account of how Holocaust survivor Herman Rosenblat was given food by a young girl outside the wire who he later married, was fabricated. On Saturday evening his publisher canceled the release of the book, which was slated for a February launch. The publisher demanded Rosenblat return his advance.

Rosenblat claimed he met his wife Roma, who disguised herself as a Christian farm girl, while he was a prisoner in a concentration camp. She tossed apples over the camp’s fence to him. He said they met again on a blind date 12 years after the war ended and married and the couple celebrated their 50th anniversary this year.

Oprah had Rosenblat and his wife on her show twice, and called their romance “the single greatest love story” she had ever known.

Rosenblat confessed that the story was fabricated after scholars and family members disputed his claims. A film is currently in production based on Rosenblat's story. A children's book based on the story has also been released.

In a statement, Rosenblat said, “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.”