Friday, April 24, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Holocaust evils still haunt Schindler Jew
By Sara Anderson
By Sarah Anderson
sanderson@kansan.com
Kanson staff writer
Kansan staff writer
Alexander Rosner fought spirits from the past as he recalled his Holocaust experiences to about 800 people last night.
Rosner spoke in the Ballroom of the Kansas Union as part of Holocaust Remembrance Day. The presentation, "A Schindler Jew," was followed by a question-and-answer session. The Hiliel Foundation sponsored the event.
"Remembering the past is when I remember the forces present then, and they come into the present," Rosner said. "It's getting increasingly easy to do this, but it does have an effect, and it grabs me by the throat."
Ellen Block, Houston senior, said Rosner's speech was impressive.
"It was amazing," she said. "It was interesting to hear a first-hand experience because when you get details that allow you to picture it, it gives you so much more than the textbooks ever could."
Rosner, born in Warsaw, Poland, recreated the scenes and feelings of the survivors and victims of the Holocaust. Separated form his mother, Rosner relocated to several concentration camps
with his father, a violinist. He said he survived because of his father's talents.
"At the concentration camps, they found out my father was a musician and wanted him to play." he said. "My father said should I be removed from him, he wouldn't play any more."
Rosner said after he was liberated by American forces, he did not speak about the Holocaust for about 50 years. He said after several personal hardships, the healing process began.
Rosner said being contacted by Steven Spielberg to participate in the film Schindler's List helped him come to terms with the experience.
"It was very scary because I didn't want to remember," he said. "Not forgetting is one thing, but remembering is another."
Rosner said through his experiences, he learned differences were obsolete.
"Deep inside, humans are the same," he said. "If we don't take this to heart, there will be more Holocausts, so those who didn't learn will be forced to learn again."
When an audience member asked why Schindler helped the Jews during the Holocaust, Rosner said he asked Schindler that same question.
Schindler told Rosner it was because he couldn't stand the inhumanity surrounding him.
Alex Rosen, a Holocaust survivor, speaks about his experiences in Nazi concentration camps. Rosen was at the Kansas Union last night to help celebrate Holocaust Remembrance Day. By corpie Waters/KANSAN
"My father said that Schindler was an angel," Rosner said. "And I think that my father was closer to the truth than Schindler was."
Lidia Favernman, Overland Park junior, reads Holocaust victims' names. The smaller candles represent 1 million people while the larger candle is for the 6 million Jews slaughtered. Photo by Roger Noman/KANSAN
Victims' names powerful reminder of human tragedy
By Sara Anderson sanderson@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
"Abram Metrikin, age 4, murdered. Sara Rifaff Mermelstein, age 10, murdered. Szmul Laks, age 14, murdered." The normally festive Wescoe Beach echoed with remembrance yesterday.
Students, faculty and members of campus organizations read the names and ages of Holocaust victims in memory of the victims. "Unto every person there is a name," lasted from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. yesterday in front of Wescoe Hall as part of Holocaust Remembrance Day. The reading was part of a nationwide event.
"This has been incredible," said Ayelet Goldberg, Hiliel Foundation program director. "Wescoe has been quieter than it's ever been. It's amazing to see the contrast of when students come out of class happy and lively and then stop and quiet down. It's such a wonderful sign of respect."
Lindsay Keller, Dayton, Ohio, freshman, said she didn't realize all the children who had been killed during the holocaust.
"It's so sad, and I didn't know they were all so young," she said. "It's important for people to
Goldberg said there were two lists to read from, one dedicated to children and the other made up of complete families who died.
know about."
Renee Greenberg, Northbrook, Ill., senior, read. She said reading the names was both emotional and upsetting.
“It’s such a positive thing because we should never forget what happened,” she said. “I don’t think we have the right to deny people were murdered, and by not reading the names, we forget they were individuals. Without the names, they were just a number.”
Goldberg said this was the first time the University had participated in the name reading.She said one of the day's most dramatic moments came when a former Neo-Nazi asked if he could read from the list.
"He said, I hated people like you. I wanted to kill people like you." And then he said he wanted to read some names if we'd let him," she said.
Nicole Newland, Kansas City, Mo. freshman, said the event brought more reality to the Holocaust.
"I've seen how it has affected everyone," she said. "People don't realize what happened. It brings it home."
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