Spring 2013
Understanding
Learning About the Holocaust by Interviewing Survivors
A Service Learning Collaboration of the
Department of Academic Literacy
and the
Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center
;
Spring
2013Dolor
Service Learning Project with
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Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center
Spring 2016
Dr. Julia Carroll and Professor Susan Hock
As Professors in the Academic Literacy Department at Queensborough
Community College, we teach academic reading and writing to an
immensely diverse student population. Our students speak a variety of
languages and come to Queens from countries all over the world. We
feel passionate about integrating reading and writing with thematic
content, and we want our students to be able to identify with what they
are reading as well as to use the content to become critical thinkers in
the future. We also believe that a lot of what we learn and remember
takes place outside of the traditional classroom setting, which is why
we are firm believers in service learning. Service Learning is a type of
pedagogy that combines what takes place in the classroom, such as teaching traditional academic
lessons (i.e. in reading or writing), with having students provide and receive a real service to a particular
center, such as the Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center. This book provides the reader with an
illustration of what Professor Carroll’s BE226 D24A (An Advanced Reading and Study Skills Course for
Non-Native Speakers) along with Professor Hock’s [CLASS NUMBER] (Development of Composition
Skills for Native Speakers) did as part of their service-learning project.
In Professor Carroll’s reading class, many of her students knew very little about the Holocaust or World
War II. In order to prepare them for our project, she had them read a book named Parallel Journeys by
Eleanor Ayer, which tells the story of two teenagers, Helen Waterford, a Holocaust Survivor, and the
other a Nazi youth leader named Alfons Heck. This book tells the story from each of their perspectives.
Professor Carroll developed a detailed curriculum, which focused on the subject matter of the book as
well as the academic reading skills the students were required to acquire. Her class had lively and
thought-provoking discussions about the nature of the Holocaust as well as the lives of the two
teenagers they were reading about. In addition, they also read many articles about contemporary hate
crimes that have been widely reported on in the media today.
Professor Hock’s writing class had the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Resource Center for an
overview and tour. Once her students began to understand and learn about the Nazis’ hatred, they
analyzed and responded in writing to a few recent articles pertaining to bullying and cyber bullying in
today’s society. Students discussed the legal ramifications of bullying and wrote essays summarizing the
articles and linking significant ideas from the articles to their own lives. Another requirement of the
course was to read Parallel Journeys and again write a written response summarizing the novel and
focusing on one idea in the novel that captured the students’ attention. The classroom discourse
concerning The Holocaust and bullying in conjunction with their insightful writing provided students
with opportunities to expand their critical thinking and writing skills. Most importantly, they
demonstrated great empathy when learning about World War II and its atrocities.
After finishing all of this reading, writing, and discussion regarding the history of the Holocaust and
current hate crimes of today, our classes came together to interview a very special group of Holocaust
Survivors who will be featured in this booklet. After having completed their interviews, the students
were asked to contribute to this booklet by selecting a meaningful direct quotation, describing its
significance, and then relating it to their lives. We believe what our students learned from talking to
actual survivors will make what they read and wrote about in class much more meaningful.
We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our students’ diligence toward their work. They
worked hard to apply what they learned in the classroom to develop meaningful interview questions. We
are struck by the deep sense of caring they developed toward the survivors throughout the interview
process. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the survivors who were such a crucial part
of this project. Finally, we thank Dr. Flug and Ms. Berman for their constant feedback and support to
make this experience so successful.
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Spring 2016
The Mission of the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource
Center & Archives is to use the lessons of the Holocaust to educate current
and future generations about the ramifications of unbridled prejudice,
racism, and stereotyping.
We are grateful to all of our Survivors who volunteer their time to help us
share the story of the Holocaust with new generations.
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Hannah
Deutch
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Disha Patel
Quote: “ I was 9 years old when all of this happened so I
was shocked and I did not know anything. I was very lonely
and scared.”
Significance of quote: I think this was significant
because she was just a kid when all of these things happened
to her. She was not able to understand what was happening
to her. Even though it was difficult for her, she is amazing
and was able to handle everything. She is a strong person.
Student: Xiao dan Wang
Quote: “ I had a big family before WWII.”
Escaped Nazi
Germany on the
Kindertransport to
England when she
was 9 years old.
She later became a
nurse in the
Canadian Army.
Significance of quote: She explained that she lost close
family members from the war because some had been killed
and others had gone to other countries.
Student: Farah St. Germain
Quote: “I‘ll never see them again.”
Significance of Quote: The importance of this quote goes
back to a letter that Hannah’s mother received in January of
1939. The letter said that the government would separate
her (Hannah’s mother) from her (Hannah) and that they
were to put Hannah on the Kinder transport to England.
Hannah felt very sad saying goodbye to her mother. I think
Hannah’s mother was very courageous to want a better life
for her child.
Student: Jeong (Andy) Cheolhui
Quote: “I think I am a cat that has nine lives and it is my
seventh life.”
Significance of Quote: The way I interpret this
quotation is that she overcame a lot of obstacles in her life
and was very close to dying. However, she is very strong
and she still has two more lives. These words make me
realize that I cannot just give up when life gets tough. I
need to face my difficult obstacles.
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Hannah
Deutch
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Jason Jones
Quote & Interpretation: I couldn’t believe your parents
sent you off to England at the age of 16. This reminds me of
what Helen herself experienced in Parallel Journeys. Even
though you didn’t quote this you reminded me of the quote:
“Parents would do anything to protect their children.” In
other words, parents are willing to give up their lives to
make sure that their children can live on. A bond parents
and children share is something that can never break,
especially when parents resolve to be so strong that they can
and will sacrifice everything to make sure their children live.
Student: Stephan Brown
Quote & Interpretation: You said: “God blessed you,”
and I believe he surely did. Ms. Deutch, you still became a
nurse, but not only that, you were the first refugee nurse in
the army. Escaping multiple, dangerous situations and still
coming out strong, shows me how courageous you are. You
are truly a cat with nine lives.
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Gabor
Gross
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Partha Sharma
Quote: “They took us away by train. Actually, it was much
longer in distance than any of us had expected. It took three
days for us to reach the camp because the train stopped so
much. In the train, the number of rooms was very small.
You couldn’t lay down. Lots of people were standing. They
weren’t given any food. You could only eat what you had
taken from home and it was eaten in two days.”
Significance of Quote: This quote is significant because
it shows us how the Jewish people were taken to
concentration camps, how they were treated in trains, and
most importantly what the condition of train was like at that
time. No human being should have been treated like that!
Student: Morin Estefanie
His country of
Hungry was
invaded in 1944
when he was only
9 years old. He
was captured and
sent to Auschwitz.
Quote: “Life is tough. Nice but really tough.”
Significance of Quote: Gabor used this quote when he
was referring to his mother and how she tried so hard to take
care of him when they were in the camp. She always kept
some bread in case they were hungry and got no food. This
was really touching to me. When he started to cry a little bit,
I felt sad too. I love when he was explaining about his
mother because mothers always love and care about their
children. I agree that life is good but at the same time it is
tough too.
Student: Jingjing Chen
Quote & Interpretation: While you told us about your
story, you said: “We wouldn’t make it without my mother
and my mother wouldn’t make it without us, because
family stays together.” I certainly felt so connected with you
because I truly understand and agree with that. To me,
family is everything, and I wouldn’t know what to do
without them. I would do everything and anything for my
family just like how you have for yours. You are such a
strong man even though you have been through all of this.
Most importantly, you still remind us to love others
because everyone is equal.
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Gabor
Gross
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Edis Radoncic
Quote & Interpretation: What I have learned from you
is to be a lot stronger in life and not let anything get the best
of you. I remember you explained how you found out your
aunt passed away when you came back to her. It was very
sad especially since you were a child. And no child should
experience something as tragic as this. And it was
unfortunate that it happened to you. Also, the fact that you
were getting emotional, it made me feel like an emotional
wreck inside. And I can’t imagine losing my aunt. Also,
everything you said about your mother, how she helped you
and your brother along the way reminds me of my mother.
Even now, I am twenty years old and she still treats me like a
ten year old. Even though I hate it, I know my mother would
do the same thing to help her children to survive like yours
did.
Student: Kai Chen
Quote: “ We didn’t complain because at least we had
bread.”
Significance of Quote: I think this quote is significant
because it tells us that even though the survivor was hungry,
he was grateful for what he had. I think we could all learn
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Hanne
Liebmann
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Jeff Mirvil
Quote: “ Hate is the ugliest thing in the world. Don’t ever
hate.”
Significance of Quote: This quote refers to the intolerance
of society. Imagine living in a society where your religious
beliefs aren’t tolerated. You are persecuted, tortured, and
murdered just because of the very life you lead. For Jews
living in Nazi Germany, this nightmare was their reality for
almost a decade. That is why what Hanne was describing was
so horrifying to me. It is hard to imagine that kind of hatred.
Student: Ai Xun (Ruby) Jin
Quote: “ Learning the language is the most important thing
to do.”
Born in Germany,
she was 17 years old
when she was sent
to a prison camp in
France. She was
later rescued by
French Huguenots
and escaped to
Switzerland.
Significance of Quote: I really related to this quote as an
ESL student struggling to improve my English. Hanne used
this quote to refer to the time when she moved to France for
the first time. It was difficult for her because she didn’t know
any French, so she couldn’t do anything. She tried to learn
French and she liked France. Thus, she told us how important
it is to learn the language. I definitely agree with that. If I
didn’t know English, I would not be able to do anything here
in the United States. I want to learn the language well too.
Student: Jing Chen
Quote: “I had a very difficult time in Germany and my
mother’s business had to close. Eventually, I had to leave my
country and move to a small village in France. At the
beginning, I couldn’t speak or understand any French. It was
through a great effort that I began to learn the language. “
Significance of Quote: “ As an ESL student trying to learn
the language, I can also learn and realize the importance of
needing to know the language. This is especially true when
you live in a new environment. I can relate to Hanne’s
experience in France because I have often felt the same way
learning English.
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Hanne
Liebmann
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Christel Divers
Quote: “ The Holocaust was a rude awakening.”
Significance of Quote: This quote is significant because
it describes all of the pain that they went through.
Everything that happened to them happened so quickly.
They weren’t expecting it.
MD (Bobby) Islam:
Quote: “When people used to ask me whether I was born
in Germany, I was too ashamed to admit it.”
Significance of Quote: What this quote means is that
Hanne was really hurt and it was difficult for her to say
that she was from Germany because of what Hitler and the
Nazis did during WWII. I can remember times when I did
not want to admit to my classmates that I was born in
China when I had first moved to the United States.
Student: Marquis Myers
Quote & Interpretation: “Hate…hate is the ugliest
thing in the world.” These words from the interview
opened my eyes. Your words were honestly and completely
true. In this world, hate is expressed in many different
ways, and it is unfortunate. Listening to your words of
wisdom showed me how horrible a trait hate is.
Student: Michelle Molina
Quote & Interpretation: You said something that caught
my attention. It was, “ Never hate anyone, but you may
dislike him/her.” This quote tells me that even though you
had a difficult life, you gave me a lesson that you may
dislike the person but never hate the person. I can see you
are a strong woman and even though you had difficulties in
your life, you kept your head up and continued on.
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Manfred
Kormen
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Yin fun (Doris) Chan
Quote: “After we came to America in 1946, we made
Today be Today. We decided to move forward and never
look backward.”
Significance of the Quote: I found this to be the most
impressive quote of the entire interview. It shows that
Manny is a positive person just like the rest of his family. I
can’t imagine if I were the interviewer what I would be like
today if I had gone through the same experience. I admire
him a lot because he brings out an important message- Look
Forward.
Student: Kamaljit Kaur
Quote: “ Never give up in life.”
A Kindertransport
survivor, he later
became a principal
in a NYC school.
Significance of Quote: This quote is important because
it teaches you the lesson to never give up in your life no
matter how hard the challenges are and try to observe the
world in a healthy and positive way.
Student: Boris Sachakov
Quote & Interpretation: You said, “My outlook on life
did not change.” Even though you went through so much
negativity, suffering, and humiliation, you remained a
positive and optimistic person. If more people had your
attitude towards life, the world would be a very different
place. You taught me that life can bring us down, but we
have the choice whether or not to get back up.
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Manfred
Cormen
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Kimberly Wilkinson
Quote & Interpretation: Mr. Korman had been through
so much. Most people would look at life way differently
from how he looks at life: “What people get mad over today
is nothing to me.” At first, I had to think about what he was
trying to say, but when I got home, I realized what he was
saying. That quote stood out to me the most because I used
to get mad when I didn’t receive something I really wanted.
Mr. Korman taught me that I could have a worse life, but I
don’t. I need to be thankful for what I have because many
people wish they had what I have and can’t receive it. I
always put my shoes in his life before I get upset.
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Lena
Goren
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Shubhadeep (Sam) Baral
Quote: “If you cry, the world won’t cry with you, but if you
laugh, the world will laugh with you.”
Significance of Quote: This significant idea was told after
Goren had expressed a lot of her painful experiences and
then contrasted those experiences with her life after the war
when she became successful and got married. In my
opinion, I do agree with her because people are not
interested in sorrow only happiness wherever they can find
it. They do not to hear about your bad times only your happy
moments.
Student: Xian Chen
Quote: “Before the war, life was fantastic and peaceful.”
Was 10 years old
when her country of
Greece was invaded.
Lived in hiding for 5
years with her
family.
Significance of Quote: This quote is important because
it illustrates that Lena and her family had a normal life that
was enjoyable like any other young person. However, after
the war, her hometown was destroyed, peace was ruined,
and many families lost their loved ones.
Student: Yong Huang
Quote: “My family had to hide in a big room, but there
wasn’t any bathroom, food, or heating.”
Significance of Quote: This quote shows how difficult
living conditions were at that time for Lena and her family.
Student: Gloria Hernandez
Quote & Interpretation: I was lucky enough to be given
the opportunity to interview a Holocaust survivor but even
more lucky that you were the survivor I got to interview.
Something really inspiring you said that stood out to me was:
“The will to live is stronger than anything else in life.”
Without life there is nothing. Nothing in life is perfect but
life itself; this is why we want to live. What was so “organic”
about your statement was the fact that you got to experience
it firsthand. No one should ever have to fight for their life but
you did and you were able to overcome all obstacles and
make life worth living. There are a lot of things I thought I
could not achieve in life but your story showed me otherwise.
Thank you.
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Lena
Goren
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Tenzin Lhazom
Quote & Interpretation: Thank you so much for taking
time to interview with us. When I interviewed you, the
most touching moment was when we asked you: “What
would you do if you met Hitler?” and your answer was: “If
I ever meet Hitler I would choke him slowly, so that he
could feel the pain that I went through.” I completely
understand why you said that. Because you never when to
school, you stayed in one bedroom sharing with other
people, no food and people were getting ill. Moreover, you
went through all of this just because of Hitler. The three
words that you lived your life for were: courage,
willingness, and determination. Those three words also
inspired me, and I will also try to follow your footsteps.
Student: Patrick Mulombo
Quote & Interpretation: It was humbling meeting you
on Tuesday, and it was gracious of you to take time to
share with us, the story of your experiences during the
Holocaust in Greece. Something that really touched me
deeply about you was that “You never lost your faith in
God,” throughout your experiences in life. Never losing
your faith in God has taught me to never lose hope and
that is something, I will always share the rest of my life.
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Anita
Weissbord
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Jiarui (Kayla) Zhang
Quote: “When my daughter became 15, I looked at her and
said, “How lucky you are to be living in this country.””
Significance of Quote: The significance of this quote is
that Anita Weissbord left Vienna, Austria at age 15 because
of WWII to live in a totally new country in England where
she had to speak a new language and be around different
people. It was an emotionally difficult experience for her.
She wanted her daughter to understand how fortunate she
was to be living in freedom in the United States at the same
age 15.
Student: Yin Feng Huang
Born in Austria,
and at 15 was sent
to England by her
mother on the
Kindertransport.
Quote: “There were 10,000 children who were saved who
were 2-3 years old. 90% of them never saw their parents
again.”
Significance of Quote: In this quote, Anita was referring
to all of the children who had been saved by the
Kindertransport and other people. She wanted to express
how sad it was for these little children to never ever see their
own parents again.
Student: MD Amad Uddin
Quote & Interpretation: I just want to share one of my
feelings when you asked us: “How would you feel when you
had to leave the country you live in, you didn’t know where
you were going, you didn’t know the language and you
didn’t know who was going to take care of you? Most
importantly, you didn’t know if ever you were going to see
your family again.” I was speechless. I just can’t imagine a
circumstance that you have been through at the age of
fifteen.
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Anita
Weissbord
Spring 2016
Student Reactions to Interview
Student: Ruposri Bhowmic
Quote: “1.5 million children died during the war I was only
15 years old when I went to England and I didn’t see my
parents again for another 7 years.
Significance of Quote: Anita used this quote to refer to
all the children that had to leave their homeland to be able
to survive and how difficult it was for her not to be able to
see her parents for such a long time. Anita believes that she
was so lucky to have been able to see her parents again
compared to all of the children who lost their parents in
WWII. I can also relate to this. I had to come to the U.S.
without my parents for the first five years. That was very
hard. I missed them a lot. However, I can’t imagine how
difficult it must have been for all of those children whose
parents died and they never saw them again in their whole
lives. How sad…..how painful!
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222-05 56th Avenue
Bayside, NY 11364
www.qcc.cuny.edu/khrca
Museum Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Friday: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday
718-281-5770
Arthur Flug, Ed.D
Executive Director
Marisa L. Berman
Assistant Director
Patricia Thomas
Administrative Assistant
AFlug@qcc.cuny.edu
MLBerman@qcc.cuny.edu
PThomas@qcc.cuny.edu