Klaus Stern passes away at 92

  

Dear Friends,

It is with great sadness that I inform you that Klaus Stern passed away yesterday evening. He was one of the founders of our Holocaust Center, a speaker in our Speakers Bureau, a long time Board member, a strong advocate for Holocaust education and for many of us, a dear friend. He will be missed.

We send peace to his family in their time of sorrow and to all who mourn.

Tributes can be made to the Klaus Stern Holocaust Education Fund by going to www.wsherc.org or by mail to 2031 Third Avenue, Seattle WA 98121. The fund will support speaker outreach throughout the Pacific Northwest. 

Please call the Center if you have any questions (206) 774-2201.

Dee Simon

__________________________________

Klaus and Paula Stern established their permanent home here in Seattle in 1946. At a time when people where discouraged from talking about the Holocaust, Klaus spoke out, telling his personal story to others. For over 40 years Klaus has informed and educated local, national and international students and communities.

A longtime member of the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center's Speakers Bureau and one of the Center's founders, Klaus served the Center's mission to inspire teaching and learning for humanity in the schools and communities of this region through study of the Holocaust. Klaus educated students and the community about his experiences during the Holocaust, encouraging generations of young people to speak out for what is right, to respect others, and about the tragic consequences of intolerance. He travelled throughout the Pacific Northwest to tell his story, and was hosted by the German government to share his experiences. He was a member of the Jewish Club of Washington, and of Emmanuel Congregation in Seattle.

Born in 1921 in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland), Klaus grew up in Berlin. He and Paula were married in 1942 in the midst of Nazi deportations. Fearing for their future, the couple agreed that if they were separated, they would meet in Paula's hometown, Ahrnstadt, after the war. They were both deported to Auschwitz nine months after their wedding and were separated for 25 months, never knowing if the other was alive.

Klaus survived Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, Flossenburg, Leonberg, Mühldorf, and the death marches. Liberated in May of 1945 by American troops, Klaus wrote a note to Paula and sent it with several soldiers heading in the direction of Paula's hometown. After three months in an Allied hospital Klaus regained his strength and traveled for three weeks through war-ravaged Europe to joyfully reunite with Paula in her home town of Ahrnstadt. They immigrated to the United States the next year and became the first Holocaust survivor family to settle in Seattle. Klaus worked for Langendorf Bakeries in Seattle for 36 years, while Paula raised their two children, Marion and Marvin. They were married for 71 years.

Always sources of strength to each other, both Klaus and Paula said that it was their love for each other and the hope of being together again that kept them going in horrible circumstances.

Survived by his beloved wife Paula, his two children, and four grandchildren, Klaus passed away due to complications from pneumonia.

View a brief biography and timeline of Klaus' life, and view three short video clips here.

Thank you Key Bank!

Thank you Key Bank for supporting the Holocaust Center!

"Change Begins with Me" Display

We love the display created by 5^th graders in Ms. Poole’s class at Schmitz Park Elementary, in West Seattle!  Students hosted a survivor and used one of the Holocaust Center’s teaching trunks.  Great job Schmitz Park!

New Books in the Library!

We are happy to announce the inclusion of four new books and a DVD to our library collection!  These items are part of The Azrieli Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs.

The new books include:

Gatehouse to Hell by Felix Opatowski, recipient of the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Award



Tenuous Threads/One of the Lucky Ones by Judy Abrams/Eva Felsenburg Marx
 

Little Girl Lost by Betty Rich


If Home is Not Here by Max Bornstein


The DVD is a collection of short films based on each of the books.

The Azrieli Series of Holocaust Survivor Memoirs was "established to preserve and share the written memoirs of those who survived the twentieth-century Nazi genocide of the Jews of Europe and later made their way to Canada."  For more information about The Azrieli Foundation and their series, please visit http://www.azrielifoundation.org/memoirs/

Yom Hashoah: Holocaust Remembrance Day

Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom Hashoah, will be on Monday, April 8th this year.  To remember those whose lives were lost and in an effort to never forget the tragic events that took place, many temples, schools, and organizations will be holding Holocaust Remembrance Day programs that are open to the community.  Please see below for a list of programs in the area.

The list will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.  If you have an event that you would like added to this list, please let us know!  Email ilanak@wsherc.org.

Teaching materials for Holocaust Remembrance Day - click here

"In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer"
Jeannie Smith, daughter of Irene Gut Opdyke, Holocaust Rescuer and author of In My Hands:Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

Jeannie Smith will be speaking at both:

• Congregation Kol Shalom, 9810 Miller Road NE, Bainbridge Island (April 4, 7:30pm) and
• Congregation Kol Ami, 16530 Avondale Rd Ne, Woodinville (April 5, 7:30pm)

Co-sponsored by the Holocaust Center.  Jeannie Smith is the daughter of Irene Gut Opdyke, Holocaust rescuer and author of In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer.  During World War II, Ms. Opdyke rescued Jewish families in Holland, risking the lives of herself and her family in the process.  Later recognized by the State of Israel, the US Holocaust Commission, and others, Ms. Opdyke died in 2003.  During her sessions at Congregation Kol Ami (Woodinville) and Congregation Kol Shalom (Bainbridge Island), Ms. Smtih will share the story of her mother's remarkable life.  For more information, contact Janice Hill (Kol Shalom): (206) 842-9010 or Sherri Feldman (Kol Ami): (425) 844-1604.

Kol HaNeshamah, Seattle
April 6, 9:30am
The KHN community will come together for a special educational program, created by member Rachel Smith-Mosel.  Pre-K to 2nd graders will experience Tot Shabbat followed by hands-on activities focusing on mitzvot and kindness.  3rd-7th graders and adults will study together, beginning with a video and discussion entitled, "What Would You Do?," and continuing with hands-on activities.  We will conclude the day with an abbreviated Shabbat morning service, followed by Kiddush and Motzi.

Temple Beth Or, Everett
April 7, 7:30pm
"Yom HaShoah Reader's Theater Commemoration." Join us for a special Reader's Theater as we share the stories of Jewish Partisans and the armed Jewish resistance.  A discussion will follow as well as prayers and poetry as we remember all those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Led by Rabbi Jessica Marshall.  For more information, contact Rabbi Jessica Marshall: rabbimarshall@gmail.com

Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, Bainbridge Island
April 8, 3-5pm 
"Holocaust Remembrance Day."  Our reflections will include song and sharing of stories. Address: 105 Winslow Way (in the parking lot). For more information, contact Lorna Jean Giger: ljgiger@mindspring.com

Olympic College, Bremerton, BSC Building
April 8, 11:30am - 1pm
Screening of "With My Own Eyes: Holocaust. Genocide. Today." Produced by the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center, followed by a presentation from a Holocaust Surivor.  For more information, please email Charlyn Garcia: cgarcia@olympic.edu

Seattle University
April 9, 7:00pm.
Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle University campus.  For more information, contact Jan Cherry: (206) 296-2383

Bet Chaverim and Saltwater Unitarian Universalist congregations, Des Moines
April 21, 10:30 am
The program will be led by Rabbi Rick Harkavy, and Rev. Dr. James Kubal-Komoto. Address: 24701 14th Pl S, Des Moines. For more information, contact Nancy Blase: nblase@comcast.net or (206) 577-0403

South Seattle Community College, OLYMPIC Building Theater, Room 120
April 24, 11:00-1:00 pm
Co-sponsored by the Holocaust Center. Screening of "The Last Survivor" followed by a Q&A.
For more information, contact the Cultural Center: (206) 934-7950 or Office of Diversity and Retention: (206) 924-6455

PARIS: France to return 7 paintings looted during WWII

PARIS: France to return 7 paintings looted during WWII - People Wires - MiamiHerald.com

Many of the 100,000 possessions looted, stolen or appropriated between 1940-44 in France have been returned to Jewish families, but Saunier said the country has increased its efforts in the past five years to locate the rightful owners of what the French government says are some 2,000 artworks still in state institutions.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/14/3234228/france-to-return-7-looted-holocaust.html#storylink=cpy

Thank you Ben Bridge!

Thank you to our 2013 partner Ben Bridge for supporting Holocaust education!

The Bombing of Auschwitz: Teacher Responses

After the lecture last Thursday on "The Bombing of Auschwitz," we asked to teachers to tell us what stood out to them most and they gained from the lecture.  Below are a few excerpts from their responses:

"The great numbers of Jewish people put to death so needlessly and callously was impacting.  The presentation helped in seeing them as individuals rather than a mass number... The comments were impacting, such as one man’s mother who was a prisoner at Auschwitz wanting the bombing, even at the cost of her life, so that the Nazi idea that they were untouchable could be destroyed.  The personal comments struck home.

My father was shot down while on a bombing mission, and served in a German POW camp.  The specifics of what he saw and faced, both in his bombing missions and in the camps as they tried to get information from him as the navigator; the 2 escapes he made and the miracle of his survival upon recapture when others were immediately executed; the liberation of the prisoners at the end of the war, which affected both his POW camp and the concentration camp across the city – these and so many more specifics brought home how these events, their significance, the PTSD so many faced, and how their lives from that time forward were impacted..  I can better understand why some choose not to talk about the details, as the reality is in front of them again."

- Sharon Cordova, Puyallup

"I appreciated the breadth, depth, and detailed content of the lecture. Although I teach what I consider to be a lengthy and hopefully thorough unit on the Holocaust, I generally brush over this topic and cover it superficially.   Many of the facts jumped out at me. The broken down statistics on Auschwitz where 12,000 victims were put to death a day and that 2,000 were killed every 30 minutes. While I knew about Jan Karski and a few others who revealed what was happening in the death camps of Poland, I appreciated the expanded list of not only people, but organizations such as the BBC and the N.Y. Times who both revealed their awareness in 1944. I was reminded of the impact of the World War I anti-German propaganda and the detrimental effect on the believability factor when people were told of what was occurring in Poland during WWII. One point that really struck me was the comment made by a leading Jewish organization that the Allies should not be allowed to bomb where there were Jews because the argument was put forth that the Germans would use this as a pretext to assert that the Jewish victims were indeed killed by the Allies. I really appreciated the references to primary sources such as the Executive Order 100 signed by Abraham Lincoln which stated something to the effect that “Once a war begins, the best and most humane thing is to carry it out as intensely as possible so as to be through with it as soon as possible.” Although I was aware that Buna had been bombed once I did not know that it had been bombed four times. My other revelatory moment was when Mr. Herschkowitz began talking about the different bombing strategies and I began to relate technology, strategy, and opportunity all into the equation. There’s a whole new perspective given when you consider that during the time frame of WWII only 20% of bombs aimed at a precise target fell within the target range. During the hours I spent at the presentation I gained a lot of new information, was challenged to add to my existing knowledge, and began to look at the issue of whether to bomb Auschwitz or not with new eyes.

I loved the way his lecture started with a couple of guided questions and then systematically looked at the issues of awareness of what was happening, who was aware and at what point in time, technology issues, emotional responses from both sides, etc.  It’s an excellent issue for getting students to research, present, and debate and provides ample opportunity to bring in some primary documents, historical maps, and primary photos. I feel a lot more comfortable now leading or prompting a discussion about whether or not  Auschwitz should have been bombed. Teachers teach what they know, are comfortable with, and what they feel will be of importance to their students.   My entire way of addressing this issue will be revamped into a more interactive classroom experience and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more."

- Rosemary Conroy, Shoreline

"I think that it is hard for us to truly evaluate this question ["Should the Allies have bombed Auschwitz?"] as it so hard for us to separate what we know now about bombing in the 20^th and 21^st Centuries, compared with the reality of how unreliable a method this was during the war. When we discovered that less than 7% of bombs during the war actually hit the intended target, it is hard to imagine the unintended potential for more loss of life.

One of the most powerful lessons for me from the Holocaust is the resiliency of the human spirit. I cannot imagine the suffering, pain, and loss, these people endured. But I can stand as a witness to the resiliency of their spirit as I see survivors at events like tonight’s. When I hear children speak of what their parents endured; and yet these people did not give up on life. They had families, they moved forward as best they could. They celebrated the fact that they were alive, blessed by God, holy. Should we have bombed? What if these survivor’s would have been killed? I can’t even pretend to know the answer to that question. It was a very though provoking lecture.

I teach Literature and Religion and my partner teacher Rosemary Conroy teaches Social studies. We work hard to integrate this subject through all we teach. Any chance I get to become more informed helps me to be better at my job. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to hear such a great speaker."

- Tracey Rathke, Shoreline 

Lecture and Teacher Seminar at the Museum of Flight

Last week, the Museum of Flight hosted a public lecture and a teacher seminar on teaching about the Holocaust.  Thank you to everyone who was able to attend!

The lecture, by Bob Herschkowitz, discussed the question of why the Allies didn't bomb Auschwitz.  The lecture was given as an International Holocaust Remembrance Day Program.  This day, January 27th, was designated by the United Nations and marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945.

The teacher seminar included topics such as: "Rise of the Nazi Party and the National Socialist Government," "Photo Analysis: Looking at Victims, Perpetrators, Bystanders, and Collaborators," "Rescue and Resistance," and "An Introduction to Genocide."  These discussions were led by Stephen Pagaard, Branda Anderson, Josephine Cripps, and Nick Coddington.

For more pictures, check out our facebook page!

Thank you for sponsoring Thursday night's program!

The Bombing of Auschwitz
with Robert Herschkowitz

January 17, 2013

At the Museum of Flight
6:30pm - 8:30pm

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Shemanski Foundations

Thank you to our new sponsor!

Thank you Mills Meyers Swartling Attorneys for sponsoring the Holocaust Center's community program and teacher training on January 17th and 18th at the Museum of Flight!

International Holocaust Remembrance Day Program*
The Bombing of Auschwitz
January 17, 2013  |  6:30pm - 8:30pm  |  Museum of Flight, Seattle
Free and open to the public.  RSVP

Why didn't the Allies bomb Auschwitz? Robert Herschkowitz, historian, Boeing engineer, retired Naval Commander, and Holocaust survivor, will discuss one of the most debated questions of World War II.  Sponsored by the Holocaust Center and the Museum of Flight. RSVP

*In 2005, the United Nations designated January 27th - the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945 - as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In the spring the world also commemorates the Holocaust with Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom Hashoah in Hebrew. This year Holocaust Remembrance Day falls on April 8, 2013.

 

Creating Change: Teaching about the Holocaust & Genocide
January 18, 2013  |  8:00am - 4:00pm  |  Museum of Flight, Seattle

Sessions include: an overview of the Holocaust;  analyzing photographs: perpetrators, bystanders, victims, and upstanders;  rescue and resistance; an introduction to genocide.  Participants will also have the opportunity to take a docent-led tour of the Museum of Flight's Personal Courage wing (which highlights World War II).   $20 Registration fee - lunch and clock hours included. Presented in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in partnership with the Museum of Flight.  

Register Now  |  Flyer

Your support makes a difference

Thank you Commerce Bank and Lakeside Advisors, Inc. for supporting the Holocaust Center!

Teacher Response

We always love to hear feedback from teachers and students who use the teaching trunks and hear from members of our Speakers Bureau!  Today we heard this from one of our  teachers:

"I just wanted to share how thankful we, at West Valley Junior High, are that we were honored to have Peter as our speaker this morning.  Countless students have shared how powerful his words were today, and that it easily has been the most powerful day of education that they have ever had.  I can easily share their viewpoints.  To connect this day with their reading and study of this time period, has made it come alive in a hugely personal way for my students.

Thank you so very much for providing the education trunk that we have been using in our classes, and for providing these services for teachers.  It has been a very special day here at West Valley Junior High."

- Darcie Jamieson
8th grade Language Arts
West Valley Junior High

New Curriculum!

NEW! 
Curriculum now available for the film

With My Own Eyes: Holocaust. Genocide. Today.

A comprehensive curriculum for the film with maps, transcripts, background information and lessons contributed by three master teachers: 

• Photo Anaylsis - By Branda Anderson, Kamiak High School, Mukilteo
• Genocide Studies Handbook: A Resource Tool for Students - By Lindsey Mutschler, Lake Washington Girls Middle School, Seattle
• Lessons from the Holocaust on the Dangers of Scapegoating - Using "With My Own Eyes": A lesson for Jewish schools - By Nance Adler, The Jewish Day School, Bellevue

Special thanks to 4Culture for supporting this project! 

TDHS Visits the Holocaust Center!

On Sunday, students (and their parents) from the 6th grade class at Temple De Hirsch Sinai visited the Holocaust Center!  During their time at the center, they had the chance to interact with Steve Alder, a child survivor of the Holocaust and member of our Speakers Bureau, and to examine our collection of artifacts with the help of our artifacts intern, Mark Mulder.  Personal and hands-on learning about the Holocaust at its finest!  See more photos!