Last week’s IJN included a really special supplement: 13 local Holocaust survivors, who over the years have spoken with students in local schools and colleges, chose to share some letters they’ve received from students. As Chris Leppek wrote: “As the ranks of survivors thin…their urgency to tell their stories grows. It is, for the most part, an urgency driven not by ego or a need for attention of even self-healing, but a pressing desire to convey the message that the Holocaust — and its profound lessons — must not be forgotten.”
We’ve decided to share one of the letters sent to survivors Fred Marcus (pictured above), a native of Berlin who spent most of the war years in Shanghai, China. An annual Holocaust lecture is hosted in his name by the Denver Center for Judaic Studies. (Note: the spelling mistakes aren’t ours. This letter comes from a younger student.)
Dear Mr. Marcus,
Thank you very much for coming yesterday. I am sure that you affect many. I am not Jewish, but it meant a lot to me that you came and shared your expirences with us. I will not forget when at the beginning of your speech you said “I am not trying to say that I have more pain then you.” But, the fact is that you have had more pain then me individually. I have not had any racial discriminations against me and have not lost any of my parents.
I felt really blessed after you left that I have all of the things that I have today. I am really lucky to have all of this stuff in my childhood when you did not.
I am really sorry that you had to go through all of that. My heart will always be with you, and I hope that you will have the best of your life. You diserve it! Good luck.
-lots of love and heart from
Amber F.
PS. on a lighter note, did you learn to write any chinese in China. I am thinking about taking chinese in high school – write me some chinese letters.
Special thanks goes to Denver survivor Osi Sladek for coming up with the idea.
