Fred Kurz, after enduring the Holocaust, needed fifty years to find the courage to share his harrowing experiences.
He expressed that he didn’t consider his story to be significant and found it distressing to recount it. Even with his sister, Doriane, who passed away in 2005, he couldn’t openly discuss the hardships they both faced during World War II. Their bond was so strong that they were practically inseparable, often understanding each other with just a shared look or nod.
“It was extremely challenging,” he exclaimed. “The mere thought of it was horrifying. We made every effort to push it out of our minds.”
Back in 1993, when his Southern New Jersey synagogue organized a Holocaust remembrance event, Kurz was approached by a rabbi. The rabbi, who had never really heard Kurz’s story before, asked him to share it. Kurz agreed and proceeded to recount his experiences to the rabbi.
After finishing his speech, the rabbi was amazed and told Kurz, “You have a story that absolutely must be shared.” With some hesitation, Kurz began recounting his past experiences to various audiences, including synagogues, schools, churches, and other organizations. Since then, he has continued to share his story with great passion and dedication.
Kurz, along with other Holocaust survivors, is now sharing their stories through short videos as part of a global initiative to combat Holocaust denial and hate speech. This endeavor coincides with Yom Hashoah, the Holocaust remembrance day that falls on Sunday and Monday in accordance with the Hebrew calendar.
Amidst growing concerns about the increase in antisemitism in the United States and the escalating tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, Kurz emphasizes the importance of his message. He asserts, “I am determined to raise awareness about the striking parallels between our current situation and historical conditions marked by prejudice, and to find ways to prevent history from repeating itself.”
‘The world should never forget’
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According to the now-87-year-old, the focus should not be on her personal story. Instead, it is crucial to remember the conditions that existed and ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again. She emphasizes that the world must not forget what happened to her family and the importance of preventing its recurrence.
Fred and Doriane were under the care of the Dutch Underground after their mother’s arrest, as she tried to ensure their safety. However, they were eventually taken to Bergen-Belsen, another infamous concentration camp, where they faced unimaginable hardships. The siblings were briefly reunited with their mother in the camp, but their liberation was a bitter experience. They had to endure two weeks without food or water, and sadly, their mother fell ill with typhus and passed away.
Kurz and his sister later moved in with their aunt, uncle, and two young cousins in Brooklyn. He pursued his education at Columbia University, which has recently been the scene of clashes between police and pro-Palestinian protesters. Kurz went on to work as an engineer for RCA and General Electric, all while raising his three daughters with his wife, Rachel, in their home in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
When the New York-based nonprofit organization, the Claims Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, approached Kurz to participate in their #CancelHate campaign to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day, he readily accepted.
In his video, Kurz emphasizes that hate speech is a significant contributor to the rise of antisemitism in our American society. He draws attention to the historical example of Hitler using Jews as scapegoats and the horrific persecution they endured, including being rounded up, subjected to brutality, and systematically murdered.
Today, I am addressing a pressing concern: the alarming rise of unchecked hate speech targeting various minority groups in our society, with a particular focus on the Jewish community. This issue has the potential to lead us down a dangerous path, akin to the tragic events that unfolded during Nazi Germany. It is imperative for all those who recognize the peril hate speech poses to our nation to raise their voices and become advocates for reason. By doing so, we can strive to prevent history from repeating itself, as it tragically did decades ago.
Your words carry significance.
‘A tsunami of antisemitism’ makes campaign ‘more timely’
Greg Schneider, the executive vice president of the Claims Conference, emphasized that #CancelHate provides Holocaust survivors with a powerful platform to confront individuals who deny, distort, or minimize their experiences.
Schneider highlighted the alarming rise of antisemitism, Jew hate, and Holocaust denial following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza. He emphasized that this unfortunate situation has made the planned campaign even more pressing, timely, and necessary.
“There are individuals who dare to label these survivors as liars,” he expressed. “It’s as if their loved ones are enduring a second murder. The journey they go through is far from simple, but we have implored them to share their stories as it presents one of our final chances. It holds immense significance for us to preserve their voices while we still have the opportunity.”
According to a survey conducted by the Claims Conference in 2020, there is a concerning lack of basic Holocaust knowledge among millennials and Generation Z. The nonprofit organization highlighted this as a growing problem, especially since the number of Holocaust survivors who can share their firsthand experiences is dwindling. Surprisingly, the survey revealed that 11% of respondents from this generational cohort believed that Jews were responsible for the Holocaust. Additionally, almost half of the respondents (49%) reported encountering Holocaust denial or distortion on social media platforms.
According to Schneider, survivors are requested to undergo this difficult and triggering process of sharing their stories. This often brings back painful memories, as it reminds them of the most traumatic experiences they have endured. Despite this, every survivor approached has willingly agreed to participate. They believe that it is their duty to their deceased family members and future generations. By sharing their stories, they hope to create a better world for their own children and grandchildren, as well as for all children and grandchildren.
Social media, where a significant amount of antisemitism and hate circulates, represents a tool that can be utilized for both positive and negative purposes, according to Schneider. However, it also has the capability to amplify marginalized voices, incite outrage and fury, and transform into an environment that perpetuates harmful and hateful concepts. Schneider emphasizes the need to disrupt this harmful cycle.
‘The obligation to bear witness’
Abe Foxman, renowned for his activism and legal expertise, has a remarkable personal history. His journey commenced with him being hidden away during a tumultuous period in history. Born to Polish Jewish parents who sought refuge in Lithuania, he was entrusted to his nanny, a Catholic, as a baby to safeguard him from the Nazis’ reign. In an effort to shield his true identity, the nanny had him baptized and raised him in seclusion, away from other children.
As part of the #CancelHate campaign, Foxman, one of the survivors, was able to reunite with his parents, who miraculously survived, four years after the Holocaust. Unfortunately, he lost his grandparents and 13 aunts and uncles during that horrific time. Despite the hardships, Foxman has fond memories of his nanny, who acted as his protector and savior. However, it took a custody battle for his parents to regain custody of him.
Survivors were initially hesitant to share their stories, not only because it brought back painful memories but also because they wanted to shield their children from the depths of their suffering. However, as time passed, they came to recognize the significance of speaking out, preserving their narratives, and preventing the repetition of such a horrific chapter in history.
According to Foxman, the discourse surrounding the Holocaust has shifted in recent years. Instead of focusing solely on the perpetrators, there is now an increased emphasis on honoring and remembering those who perished. This new perspective recognizes the importance of understanding the lives, art, and identities of the victims, rather than solely fixating on the destruction caused by those who sought to eradicate their culture.
According to the 84-year-old survivor, denialism hits close to home, feeling like a personal attack on one’s identity. It wasn’t until he reached college and researched the ghetto where his parents were confined that he truly grasped the magnitude of his own story. Recognizing the importance of words, he emphasizes the power of bearing witness to eradicate hatred.
According to Rabbi David Wolpe, words hold immense significance in Jewish tradition. He emphasizes that “words have the power of life and death.” This belief was particularly prominent during the Holocaust, where Jews valued words so much that they would trade their scarce food for paper to document their experiences in diaries. Their fear was that without these written accounts, their lives and deaths would go unnoticed.
Survivors, especially those participating in the #CancelHate campaign, often emphasize the subtle and pervasive nature of hatred within a society.
“It didn’t happen all at once,” Kurz reflected, emphasizing that the erosion occurred gradually, through a series of increasingly degrading and violent actions, both spoken and unspoken. “The mobs were driven by falsehoods, and it all started with mere words.”