Rescuers

The movie, “The Zookeeper’s Wife” has finally been released in theaters. I am ecstatic! I have been waiting at least two years for this movie to debut. It is the story of Antonina and Jan Zabinski who managed the Warsaw Zoo and during WWII, they saved approximately 300 Jews from genocide. They were later honored by the Yad Vashem and considered the Righteous Among the Nations.

 Those who rescued Jews were an interesting breed of people. No two were exactly alike; their motives for risking their lives and the lives of their families varied. 

Some were like Corrie ten Boom and believed that the Jewish were God’s chosen people and had to be spared.

Others were like Oskar Schindler, who never set out to save Jews, yet he fell in love with his Jewish workers. "I knew the people who worked for me. When you know people, you have to behave towards them like human beings." Schindler said, when asked why he did what he did. Though not a “good” man by the standards of most, when others looked away, Schindler helped.

Leopold Socha, a former thief turned sewer worker, stumbled upon several Jewish people hiding in the sewers of Lvov. He promised to help them for a price, and then influenced by his Catholic faith and the friendship that developed, he continued to hide them when they could no longer afford to pay him. After the war, he died saving his own daughter’s life and the ones he hid returned to honor his memory.

Miep Gies knew the Frank and van Pels families and Fritz Pfeffer personally and insisted that she never did anything heroic. She simply did what many other Dutch countrymen and women did. That she saved Anne Frank’s diary was by sheer happenstance. 

Stefania Podgorska also knew two of the thirteen people she rescued, and after the war she married one of them.

Irena Sendler’s father had been a physician and died treating poor Jewish people who had typhus. He had always taught her that, “If you see a man drowning, you must jump in and save him, even if you cannot swim.” That belief led her to become a social worker and then become involved with Zegota; in turn she and numerous others saved 2500 lives.

The rescuers were simply ordinary people who were given the chance to do the right thing. That was the one thing they all had in common.

I’m going to end this post with one of my favorite prayers: “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.”

Fun Facts

Below are a number of fun facts about my new WIP that takes place in Poland during and after WWII.

One of the main characters is named Lidia. She was named after the tour guide of the group I was in. This woman was extraordinary; she was a walking encyclopedia.

Another character is named Ewa. She was named after Eva Mozes Kor; she was a Mengele Twin, she survived the war and started the C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Museum. Eva is a remarkable woman, who has publically forgiven the Nazis and encourages others to forgive, as a way of sowing seeds of peace.

The C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Museum hosts an annual tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau and Krakow. I went on their 2015 tour, because it had been a dream of mine and I was doing research for my WIP.

Image made by my sister, Seanna Acey

The WIP is tentatively titled, “The Judgement of Solomon.” It was inspired by the passage in the Bible: 1 Kings 3:16-28. Two women approach King Solomon, each claiming that a boy as their own. King Solomon offers to cut the child into two that way they will each have him. The real mother backs off, hoping that the boy will be spared. This is a running theme in my story.

My WIP primarily takes place in Krakow. Although they are not featured in my story, historical people such as Oskar Schindler, Amon Goethe, Dr. Mengele, Cardinal Hlond, Hans Frank are mentioned.

Some of the places shown in the story are St. Mary’s Basilica, Main Market Square, Podgorze Ghetto, Wawel Castle, Gestapo Headquarters, Kazimierz District, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. 

The story spans from 1941 to 1946.

The first draft took nearly four months to write. And then when I revised it, I had to rewrite a lot of Part Three.

WIP #2

One of the many, many lessons I have learned in my years of writing is never to put all your hopes into one story. As great and wonderful as a novel can be, to not have a second story waiting is naïve. Trust me, know from personal experience. For years I placed all of my hopes into one Epic Novel that was to be my “be all and end all” in my literary career. Needless to say that story was never picked up. So as much faith as I have in my Great Depression novel, it would be foolish of me not to have another WIP. After all, something had to keep me occupied in 2016 while I fretted away on my various submissions.

Some of you may know that I was very blessed a year and a half ago to go to Poland with the CANDLES Museum and tour Krakow and Auschwitz- Birkenau. It really was a life changing experience that I will never forget for as long as I live. Though I have been interested in the Holocaust since I was twelve, dreamt of visiting Auschwitz, and wanted to learn from Eva Mozes Kor – I must admit that I had ulterior motives in going. I was there partly to do research for a prospective story.

The novel is based in Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau; it spans most of the war and some of 1946. And it is told from two perspectives: a Catholic woman and a Jewish man. Unbeknownst to them they are connected and must come to terms with their prejudices to find a way to co-exist. It is almost finished and I hope to speak more about it in the coming months, especially now that the movie “The Zookeeper’s Wife” is to be released, which is based in Nazi Occupied Poland.

Until next time.

An Agoraphobic in Europe!

Hey All,

My article entitled, "An Agoraphobic in Europe" is up on GoWorldTravel.com! So psyched about it. Please go check it out and let me know what you think!

Click the following link to read it:  http://www.goworldtravel.com/travel-in-poland/

Auschwitz Trip Reunion

A few weeks back, some of us who have accompanied Eva Mozes Kor and the CANDLES Museum to Poland had a little reunion. Eva and the museum has been making annual trips to Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau since the mid-2000s. So a hundred some men and women spent Saturday at the CANDLES Museum and the United Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. (There were other events that weekend, but I only took part in the gathering at the museum and the synagogue.)

I spent part of the morning touring the museum, observing their latest exhibits, which included a prisoner’s uniform from a concentration camp (may have very well been Auschwitz) and letters Dr. Joseph Mengele had written to his wife while he was working at Auschwitz.

The other part was spent talking with two Holocaust survivors, Agnes Schwartz and Ida Kersz. 

Agnes was from Hungary and was in hiding for the duration of the war, living as a Catholic. She has written a book entitled, “A Roll of the Dice: A Memoir of a Hungarian Survivor.” Ida lived in Poland and had been raised believing she was Catholic, and had some prejudices against Jews. She later learned that she was Jewish. Her essay was included in the book, “Out of Chaos: Hidden Children Remember the Holocaust,” by Elaine Saphier Fox. Both Agnes and Ida hope to return later this fall to the CANDLES Museum, to speak more on their experiences.

The third Holocaust survivor who attended the reunion, was Stan Kalmanovitz. As a young man, Stan was taken his home country of France and sent to Auschwitz. He joined the CANDLES Museum at the 70^th anniversary of Auschwitz-Birkenau and has become very involved. Last, but not least, Eva Mozes Kor was there. The four were able to reminisce in a way that the rest of us could not comprehend.

Near noon, we headed over to the United Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. 

Having been in more than my share of churches, this was the first time I had ever been in a synagogue. We had lunch and then were free to explore the building. The sanctuary (forgive me if that is not the proper word) was like a work of art: stained glass windows, marble pillars, finely crafted wood. The room off the sanctuary was a library, devoted to hundreds of books on Jewish history, literature, fiction, etc. I was in my glory.

That day was a memory to last a lifetime. I hope that those of us who’ve been to Auschwitz continue to meet like this.

If you want to see more of my photos from that weekend, please look me up on facebook. 

The Zookeeper's Wife

http://www.stack.com/2015/10/31/jessica-chastain-and-daniel-bruhl-star-in-war-movie-the-zookeepers-wife/

I am so flipping excited! Jessica Chastain is finally in the midst of filming “The Zookeeper’s Wife!” The movie is inspired by the book by Diane Ackerman and the true life story of Antonia and Jan Zabinski. The couple managed the Warsaw Zoo during WWII and hid hundreds of Jews from the Nazis. I have been hearing rumors about this movie for a couple years now and am ecstatic that it is officially in production!!!

I don’t usually watch movies at the theater; too pricey, but I may make an exception for this one!!!



Got a feeling of what my next WIP will be on…

A Day in Auschwitz

In June of 2015, I joined Eva Mozes Kor’s tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau and Krakow in Poland. This was a big step for someone who suffers from severe anxiety attacks. Somehow with much prayer and by only God’s Hand, I was able to board the plane and fly to Eastern Europe. The first full day in Krakow was spent exploring the old city. That night, I was afraid and couldn’t sleep. The following day we were to tour Auschwitz, more specifically Birkenau. In my mind that had to be the darkest, most evil place on the face of the earth. I confided to my sister and mother that I was scared to death. They assured me that they would be in prayer for me and that it might not be as bad as what I imagined.

            

I don’t want to be the one cowering in the corner, sobbing hysterically. I told God.

            

I wanted to be brave.

            

When we reached the camp, and on walking through its entrance, the fear melted away. The clouds had pushed the sun aside and a cold rain fell. My hat did little to keep me dry and I was shivering until one of the directors felt sorry for me and lent me their jacket.

           

I waited and the impact of standing in a former death camp never did hit me. Truth be told, I felt numb. For me going to Auschwitz was like going to a very large museum or memorial. Or maybe a graveyard is a better description.

            

Off and on, Eva, a rabbi and a minister prayed that the weather would improve and that God would send us a little sun. I was a little surprised since rumor had it that she had been an atheist.

This inspired me to ask, “What are your thoughts on God?”

            

“Well,” Eva said. “I don’t believe that God was there in Auschwitz with us. With all that happened, I can’t believe it.” She turned to the rabbi and the minister for their thoughts and of course they gave the usual explanations.

            

I didn’t mind what she said; she had a right to her beliefs and I would have rather heard more of her opinions than theirs. Still it felt a little ironic that Eva continued to ask God for better weather and speak to Him off and on.

            

As the day wore on, Eva’s prayers were answered and the weather did improve. The clouds parted and the sun began to shine.

            

I don’t know what the others on the tour felt, but for me that was a sign from God, that in the midst of the darkness of that place, He was there watching over us. And that no matter what, with Him there was hope. 

"Women Heroes of World War II," by Kathryn J. Atwood Book Review

"All evil needs to triumph is for good men [and women] to sit and do nothing."- Sir Edmund Burke. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Noor Inayat Khan was the first female radio operator sent into occupied France and transferred crucial messages. Johtje Vos, a Dutch housewife, hid Jews in her home and repeatedly outsmarted the Gestapo. Law student Hannie Schaft became involved in the most dangerous resistance work--sabotage, weapons transference, and assassinations. In these pages, young readers will meet these and many other similarly courageous women and girls who risked their lives to help defeat the Nazis. Twenty-six engaging and suspense-filled stories unfold from across Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, and the United States, providing an inspiring reminder of women and girls’ refusal to sit on the sidelines around the world and throughout history. An overview of World War II and summaries of each country’s entrance and involvement in the war provide a framework for better understanding each woman’s unique circumstances, and resources for further learning follow each profile. Women Heroes of World War II is an invaluable addition to any student’s or history buff’s bookshelf.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn J. Atwood is the author of “Women Heroes of World War II,” “Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics,” and the editor of “Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent.” She has contributed to War, Literature, and the Arts, PopMatters.com, Midwest Book Review, and Women’s Independent Press. To learn more about her and her other books, check out her website at http://kathrynatwood.com.


MY DESCRIPTION:
“Women Heroes of WWII,” is a collection of 26 stories, each containing a tale of an inspiring woman or girl who lived and breathed during WWII. From the four corners of the world, you learn about strong individuals who did what they could to make a difference in the dark world they were living in. Some rescued Jews, others wrote illegal pamphlets, some were spies, some lived to tell their stories and some died for what they believed in. From all walks of life, from various backgrounds, different religions, and separate social classes, these ladies left the mark on the world and are excellent role models for today’s youth. Though these ladies would never think of calling themselves heroes, read their stories and discover what true heroism is.

MY THOUGHTS:
I actually borrowed and read this book a few years ago as research for a WIP of mine and loved it. A couple weeks ago I saw that they were giving it away on Goodreads and signed up for a chance to win. Imagine my surprise when I received a message from the author herself asking if I would be interested in a free copy in exchange for a book review. Not only that, she also sent me her latest book “Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics,” to review as well. I give “Women Heroes of WWII” five stars, not only because of the stories of the ladies featured in this book, but because I love the writing itself. The style is easy to read, smooth but very detailed. I learned about different countries and cultures that I knew very little of, and how those places responded to the Nazis and the Holocaust.

I was thrilled to find many of my own personal heroines featured in there: Sophie Scholl, Irena Sendler and Sophia Podgorska. I was also introduced to many others that I was not too familiar with: Noor Inayat Khan (fun fact, there is a PBS documentary out about her called, “Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story”), Josephine Baker (had heard of her, of course, but had not realized all that she had done) and Martha Gellhorn (one of the greatest war correspondents of the 20th century).
I hope to lend this book to my sister that way she can write a review too. She was particularly excited to hear that Noor Inayat Khan was included, since that is a heroine of hers. But I’m selfish and plan to keep it for myself for future reference and enjoyment. Thank you, Kathryn Atwood for sending this to me.

Passport to Poland

Okay, so I’ve talked a little about it and hinted around here and there. But I’ve postponed making any official declarations until it was 100% certain. Here it is:

I am going to Poland.

I received my passport a few weeks ago and the money has been put down.

I am to join Eva Mozes Kor and the C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Museum on their tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the city of Krakow. Eva Mozes Kor and her sister Miriam were Mengele twins, meaning Dr. Joseph Mengele ran experiments on them as little girls. The C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Museum is the only Holocaust museum worldwide that advocates forgiveness against the Nazis and every other perpetrator of genocide. As a Christian I believe in forgiving my enemies, but what Eva and the museum practices is beyond my comprehension. Such love and forgiveness can only come from God. 

Not only is this a dream come true for me, visiting the country I am writing about (WIP “Hidden Places”), I am taking a big step. As a former (or continual, depends on what’s going on in my life) agoraphobic, it is an extraordinary thing for me to go out on my own in an unfamiliar place. Maybe on this trip, I can learn from Eva and the other Holocaust survivors. Not only is this an adventure for me, I am viewing this as a spiritual journey. I think I’ll come back a different person, a better person.

It is barely three months until I head off. At times I can hardly believe it, but then I feel something that helps me admit that this is reality.

Until next time…

Still Around…

Gosh, I should really do something with this blog. Just too darn lazy, I guess. Okay, here are the list of updates of my life.

 We had to say good-bye to two of our little darling furbabies: Bingley and Darcy. They were two grey-striped tabby cats, ten years old. Each were failing and suffering. It dawned on us a few days before Christmas how unfair we were being to them and had them put to sleep. Strange as it may seem, for them both to go together was right. They came into this world together, came to our house together, lived and loved only each other, and now went to heaven together. Yes, I believe animals go to heaven. I mean, why not? Animals are far more innocent than mankind. The house seems empty without Bing and Darcy, even though we still have four other furbabies.

 

I had a birthday. Not saying which though. I generally dread birthdays and look upon them as yet another reminder that I have accomplished absolutely nothing. But that was an especially good day. I think I wore a smile for most of it. 

In June of 2015, I am going along with the C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Museum on their tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau and of the city of Krakow. Holocaust survivor and Mengele twin Eva Mozes-Kor will lead us. Her tour groups are the only ones with access to the infamous Block 10, where Mengele and the other Nazi doctors conducted their experiments. OH. MY. GOSH. So psyched. Words cannot do justice to my enthusiasm. I applied for my passport and have made a couple of down payments. Cannot believe a dream of mine is finally coming true. A part of me fears that I’ll wake up and it will fall through or something bad will happen.

Don’t forget, the 27^th of January is the 70^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. No doubt there will be numerous documentaries and interviews on TV, but keep your eye out for Wolf Blitzer’s special interview with Eva Mozes-Kor.

That’s all for now. But I am sure I’ll be back with more information on the trip to Poland in the coming weeks. All for now!

My Writing Process

Okay, I stole this from Rachel Pudelek, young adult fantasy author, and adapted this Q & A for my blog. The rest of you may steal this just as I did. :~)

1. What are you working on?
I am currently laboring on a YA Historical novel called, “Hidden Places,” which is set in Poland during WWII.

2. How does your work differ from others in your genre?
Well, much of the young adult fiction out there on the Holocaust is told from a Jewish perspective. For the longest time I thought it might be interesting to tell a story from the POV of a Catholic Polish girl and how she copes with the Nazi occupation.

3. Why do you write what you write?
I don’t know. Most likely out of compulsion. Ever since I read Anne Frank’s diary, I have been obsessed with the Holocaust. I have been writing since I was a kid so it was only natural that I would eventually write about the Holocaust.

4. How does your writing process work?
Uhh, there is a process? I know there is much hair pulling and chocolate nibbling, but a process? Just kiddng.
Usually I read a book or watch a movie and am drawn to a certain person/character. I create a story for this character, secondary characters, situations and scenes. Then comes the research, which includes reading hundreds of books and articles, watching documentaries and movies. Next, I write a freakishly bad first draft. After that there is a two week rest period and then months and months of revision. Then I get it into my head that my WIP is ready and send off a barrage of queries to literary agents. Following hundreds of rejections and two years of addictive labor, I must come to terms with the fact no one wants it, go into a period of intense mourning, set it up on the proverbial shelf and then start all over again with a new project.

Small Updates

Haven’t updated this blog in months. It has just become a place for me to dump my thoughts and progress (or lack thereof) on writing. There is no theme to it, nothing special to attract a real audience. I’m too busy to revamp it or invest any real time in it. I don’t want get rid of it and may come here from time to time to update, but it’s a little sad, because I had originally envisioned something else for it. Oh well.

I did start a second blog, one dedicated to the YA WIP that I am working on. It is centered on the Holocaust, Poland and WWII. It’s what I know, so maybe I will garner an audience through that. It isn’t ready to show off yet; maybe in another month.

I’ve been working on another WIP, hopefully for the Christian market. It is small, simple and sweet- a nice break from the Holocaust. Whenever I need to get away from WWII and that dark period, I drop into another, quiet world based in Indiana in the 19^th century. It’s small enough that I can just submit it straight to the publishing company. No agents required. Just hope that this one will get picked up.

Hit the 200lb mark a couple weeks back. That was a wakeup call for me. So I have gotten serious about diet and exercise. Have already lost a teensy bit and am glad to be on the right track.

Winter is driving us all crazy. It warms up for a few days, then the temperatures drop and another snow storm hits and we get at least five inches- if not more. The weather service is predicting an ice storm/blizzard this Sunday. 

Celebrating a Milestone of a Lifetime

http://www.tribstar.com/news/x1782768252/Celebrating-a-milestone-of-a-lifetime

Holocaust survivor, CANDLES founder Eva Kor turns 80

Dianne Frances D. PowellThe Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Eva Mozes Kor was a 10-year-old prisoner in Auschwitz in 1944 when she was told by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele that she had only two weeks to live.

On Friday, she turned 80.

Guests at her birthday party Saturday evening ate, sang and danced in celebration of the woman whose message of forgiveness has resonated across Terre Haute and the world.

More than 200 people attended Eva Kor’s 80th birthday celebration and CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center Annual Gala in O’Shaughnessy Hall at St. Mary-of-the-Woods.

The grand birthday party was complete with a multi-tier cake, a toast, music and videos paying tribute to the Holocaust survivor. One much-anticipated part of the event was dancing the hora, a Jewish folk dance of celebration.

Kor, who wore a blue and sparkling gold dress, looked happy.

“I am absolutely delighted to turn 80. I am proud that I reached that age,” Kor said before the event.

But she plans to live for many years to come.

“I look forward to turning 90, 100,” she said. “My goal is to live to be 111.”

A very specific age for a very specific reason.

Her goal is to be in Auschwitz for the centennial anniversary of the camp’s liberation.

“In order to be there at the 100th anniversary, I have to turn 111,” Kor said.

“I’m taking it one year at a time but I’m getting closer to my goal.”

The last 80 years of Kor’s life are a story of overcoming adversity.

Born “in a tiny little village” in Romania, “I was born in the wrong place, wrong time, wrong religion and wrong sex,” Kor said, because being born Jewish in Europe at that time was going to “get you in trouble.”

The youngest child, Eva Mozes’ father, was a farmer and landowner who wanted a son but got four daughters instead.

“He told me that I should have been a boy,” she said adding that for the first few years of her life, “he set me up for failure everyday” and punished her by putting her in a dark room with mice.

At 5 years old, she apparently “snapped back” at her father, “I don’t see how it’s my fault.”

And defying her father for the next 41⁄2 years was “practice” for Auschwitz.

Being strong-willed and outsmarting authority “helped me survive” at the Nazi camp.

At 10 years-old, Kor and her twin sister, Miriam Mozes Zieger were among 3,000 children imprisoned in Auschwitz and were among about 200 liberated from the camp by the Soviet Army in 1945.

 She lived in Israel for some time and came to the U.S. in June 1960. She married Michael “Mickey” Kor, another Nazi concentration camp survivor, and raised two kids.

One of her children, Alex, attended the event.

From her, Alex said, he found an example of perseverance over unbelievable odds, maintaining a positive attitude, and as he personally learned from a challenging experience, “there’s a lot of good that can come out [of] something so bad.”

He also admired his mother’s sense of humor.

His wish for his mother “is to… have the health, strength, ability to continue to tell her story.”

And this story is told to many who hear Kor speak and those who visit CANDLES, the museum she founded.

She spreads the message of forgiveness.

“Forgiveness is available to every victim on the face of this earth. It can heal, liberate and empower,” Kor said.

CANDLES Executive Director Kiel Majewski also learned many things from Kor.

“The things that inspire me about her are the little things: She never quits, she always comes through, she tells it like it is, and she expects the best out of people,” Majewski, whose first day of work at the museum was on Kor’s birthday in 2007, said. He has known her for eight years.

“In Auschwitz, Eva dreamed an impossible dream just to survive. The odds were always against her, but she has shown us that the odds don’t matter if you believe in yourself and don’t give up on your dreams. Her example has inspired entire generations of people.”

And Kor did not want any gifts, she said. Instead, she hopes people will support CANDLES.








“I don’t need anything. I have everything. I probably am the luckiest person in the face of this earth,” she said, because at 80, “people still want my company” and “hear my thoughts.”

“What else can I ask for?” she said.

The gala also included a silent auction, dinner, raffle and the recognition of Eternal Light Award recipient, Peggy Tierney. The award is given by CANDLES annually to a person who demonstrates service to the museum’s mission.

Also at the event, special guest Carl Wilkens — the only American who stayed in Rwanda throughout the 1994 genocide — spoke of healing and forgiveness. He is the former head of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International in Rwanda and now director of World Outside My Shoes, an educational nonprofit.

Aided by pictures and video clips, Wilkens not only shared his stories from the genocide but also spoke of the importance of relationships and allies during times of crisis. He also talked about Rwanda’s recovery process and keys to healing.

“The way to healing and forgiveness is focusing on what remains,” not what was lost or taken because those can bring about bitterness, Wilkens told the Tribune-Star.

“Looking for the good in situations is key to putting one foot in front of the other.”

A New Miniseries About Anne Frank

German filmmakers are turning the story Anne Frank's life into a miniseries, due in 2015—the 70th anniversary of her death. The two-part miniseries will have a "more modern approach" to the story. Not sure what that means, but you probably still won't be able to watch without sobbing inconsolably.

The Hollywood Reporter gives a little more background on the project, which'll be a joint effort form German production group Constantin Film and the public broadcaster ZDF:

The series will trace the lives of Frank, her family and friends starting three years before they were forced into hiding by the Nazis. The focus in part will be the transformation of the young Frank from an extroverted young girl before her time in hiding to the increasingly introverted and reflective teenager seen in her diaries.
Nor is it the only project in the works. Deadline says the director of Waltz with Bashir, Ari Folman, is making an animated film. He's been given unprecedented access to the archives of the Anne Frank Fonds Basel, which was founded by Otto Frank.




Blogger's Note: This is possibly the same project that Fred Breinersdorfer is working on. He was the writer for the movie "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days."

Teen star appeals for more Holocaust movies

http://www.starpulse.com/news/Dave_Simpson/2013/11/11/teen_star_appeals_for_more_holocaust_m

Child star Sophie Nelisse has urged Hollywood's studio bosses to keep making films about the Holocaust, because she is part of a generation who aren't taught about the horrors of the second world war.

The 13 year old admits she knew nothing about the Nazi atrocities before she started researching her role in The Book Thief, in which her character befriends a Jewish man hiding from German troops, and she thinks youngsters should be aware of what happened.

Speaking at a recent screening of the film in Los Angeles, Nelisse said, "We don't learn about the Holocaust in my school, so when I did the movie I had to do a lot of research.

"Kids my age - our generation - don't know enough about what happened. Some people think it's annoying that we keep on making these (Holocaust) movies, but I don't think so because all of the (concentration) camp survivors are gonna die at some point... and I just hope that in 100 years, people remember what happened, first of all to not let it happen again and sort of for a way to remember the people that died and to remember the people that fought for them (sic). I just think it's really important that we keep on making these movies."

Her thoughts were echoed by her co-star Emily Watson, who recently told WENN, "We filmed in Berlin, which is a city that is very, very honest and it wears it's history on it's sleeve, and it's very brutal with itself what has happened there. It was pretty relentless because you're filming all day and then you'd go off on a sightseeing tour and everywhere you go there is an exhibit about what happened. It's gutting.

"But it's fascinating to me that Sophie has friends who don't know about the Holocaust. You sit in a room with seasoned hacks (journalists) and they've all seen Schindler's List and The Pianist and The Reader and they ask, 'Do we need another Holocaust movie?'

"Yeah, we b**ody well do. (Co-star) Geoffrey (Rush) was talking about a survey that was carried out in the United States, where teenagers were asked, 'Was Adolf Hitler a dictator or was he a football coach?' Most of them thought he was a football coach! So it's a story you have to keep telling."

An Afternoon at the CANDLES Museum

(A little side note: I wrote an entry about the C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Museum back in April when Gov. Mike Pence honored Eva Mozes-Kor and Chaim Weizmann with the Sagamore of the Wabash Award. You can read about it by clicking here.)

On Friday, October 4, my sister, mother and I visited the C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Museum. It was a visit long overdue, especially for me since I am interested in and writing about the Holocaust. We went a long time ago, before the fire, when they had the old building. A couple of members at the Messianic Synagogue we are attending had introduced us to one of the men who lectures at the Museum. 

His name is Walter Sommers. He is a ninety-three year old Jewish survivor of the Nazis and a WWII veteran. He was born in turbulent post-war Germany and witnessed the rise of National Socialism. Thanks to a warning from a German friend and with the help of a cousin, Walter and his family managed to escape in January 1939 and immigrated to America. He fought in the Pacific Theater during WWII and has spent the rest of his seventy years living in Indiana.

Walter is a small man, no more than 5”5; he is a snappy dresser and relies on a cane to get around. His mind is sharp and for over two hours he talked not only about his life, but the Holocaust, the Nazis, the history of anti-Semitism and he also touched on a few current issues that our country is facing. I had the privilege of asking him a few questions that pertained to my YA WIP and one that was out of sheer curiosity.

Walter said, “Over time, we as human beings have become more tolerant, merciful and loving. Compared to the Middle Ages or even a couple hundred years ago, we are far kinder.”

 “Do you feel that we human beings are better now than we were back in WWII?” I asked.

There was a pause and he cracked a smile. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”

Our visit soon came to a close. We took some pictures with Walter and purchased souvenir necklaces from the gift shop. Mine reads: Tikkun Olam. It means “Repair the World.”

I don’t know if the world can ever really be repaired, but I think Walter Sommers and Eva Mozes-Kor have made a good start.

The rest of the photographs taken are up on facebook.com, but here are a few for you to enjoy.

For a little background information: Eva Mozes-Kor started the C.A.N.D.L.E.S.Museum, not only to educate about the Holocaust, but to bring awareness to the overlooked fact that twins were selected by the infamous Dr. Mengele for experimentation. Eva and her twin Miriam were survivors of the experimentations,  Auschwitz and the holocaust. She has made it her life’s mission to not only share her story, but emphasize on the fact that she publicly and personally forgave Mengele and the Nazis.