The One With the Holocaust Survivor

The Holocaust is an event that had such a profound effect on history. It is also an event that is quickly fading from the radar of our society. There are very few people left who lived through WWII. There are even fewer people left who lived through the Holocaust.

Last night, we were privileged to hear Murray Brandys speak. Murray is a Holocaust survivor. He was 12 when the Nazis invaded his homeland of Poland. He was 14 when he was snatched from the streets of his neighborhood and thrown into a truck with dozens of other men and boys. When the truck reached its destination, they were separated into two groups: Jews and Aryans. The Aryans were told they could leave. The Jews were loaded into train cars for transportation to camps.

Mr. Brandys' voice filled with emotion as he described how most of his family was murdered in these camps. Seven decades have failed to quell the tears that threaten when Mr. Brandys speaks of his experiences.

Mr. Brandys titled his lecture "My Name Was No. 133909 .....and I Sang". Austin and Noah were amazed at the horrific experiences that faced this young man. They have both read books about the Holocaust in school, but hearing someone speak about their first hand experiences was riveting.

We purchased Mr. Bradys book with the same title. After autographing it for us, he posed for a picture with Austin and Noah. The evening was one the boys will remember always.