It’s been a long time since World War II; so long that most who were alive during this critical time in our world’s history have long since passed. And meeting Jews who survived the Holocaust is also becoming more and more difficult. Soon, there will be no one left to talk to who knew what it was like firsthand.
We need to remember these events and never forget why they happened, or we will be doomed to repeat history. That’s one of the reasons why Gerda Klein, a survivor of the Holocaust, visited New Way Academy in Scottsdale on Oct. 29. She was there to tell her story, as well as the stories of others who perished during World War II. It’s not a tale that’s easy to listen to, but it’s important all the same.
These students were studying World War II in their social studies class, and there’s no better way to bring history to life than to meet someone who was there. World War II is a difficult period of time to understand when you’re in middle school, and Klein helped put a face on that tough situation.
Gerda Klein has done a lot in her years. The day she was liberated from the camps she met her husband. Her story became a documentary — One Survivor Remembers — and it won both an Academy Award and an Emmy for its message. The speech she gave at the 1995 Academy Awards ceremony is regarded as one of the best in Oscar history. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010. Today, she continues to spend her days making sure we remember what happened, and that we never forget.
