Salaam Aruch – Greek Jew. Worked as a stevedore. Passionately fond of Boxing. In 1941, at the age of 17, became the champion of the Balkans in the Middleweight. In 1943, his parents, three younger sisters and brother, together with other Jews from Thessaloniki were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp (from 47 000 of those arrested by Greek Jews will survive only 2 000). His mother and sisters immediately killed in the gas chambers.

One of the officers for their entertainment were recruited from newly arrived prisoners who can participate in Boxing matches, and Aruch became one of them. The choice before him was simple and terrible: if you win, you get a loaf of bread and another few days to support their lives and the lives of their family, but if you lose, you will be killed in the gas chamber. Him as a boxer, not directed at the physical work – he was an accountant. After a while in the gas chamber died of his weakened father. His brother refused to pull out the gold teeth of dead and was shot.

During fights the guards of the camp were arranged by a tote. Salaam has won over 200 fights. All the losers were killed in gas chambers. Knowing this, the boxers fought hard. In 1989, this story was filmed "Triumph of the spirit".