Melba Pattillo Beals
A Member of the Little Rock Nine tells her story
Historical Context
The Jim Crow South
MelbawasborninDecemberof 1941inLittleRockArkansasTheJimCrowSouth.Thisperiod inAmericanhistorywasmarked bylegalizedracialsegregation, and‘BlackCodes.’Thesecodes, whichwerestrikinglysimilarto theNaziNuremberglaws, soughttoisolatepeopleofcolor fromthepublic,prohibiting themfromcertainpublicspaces, education,transportation, economicrights,votingrights, andmore.
Desegragation Rulings in the 50s
Followingthe1954Supremecourt caseBrownv.BoardofEducation, thesegregationofpublicschool educationwasruled unconstitutional.Thisprompted thelongandtediousprocessof selectingnineAfricanAmerican studentstobethefirsttoinitiate thisintegrationinthesouthern publicschools.MelbaPattilloBeals wasamongthem,hand-selected basedonherexcellentgradesand attendance.Sheandherpeers wouldsoongoontomakehistory.
TheBattleForEquality
Beals was only 15 at the time when she was thrown into a world of telephone threats, brigades of violent attacking mothers, fireball and acid-throwing attacks, policing, economic blackmail, and eventually even a price on her head.
Public Outrage and Violence
The Nine’s enrollment in Little Rock Central High School provoked intense national debate about racial segregation and civil rights. In Arkansas, outraged white protestors turned to violence against these nine children.
The violent mob of over 1,000 whites prevented the students from entering the school on the first day. It wasn’t until September 23, 1957, That the students made their first successful entry, needing to be escorted by Federal National Guard for protection.
“Warriors Dont Cry”
Quotes from Melba’s published Memoir
"In order to get through this year you will have to become a soldier. Never let your enemy know what you are feeling."
-Beal’s Soldier Escort, Danny, teaching her about being a
Warrior.
(“Melba Pattillo Beals”, Encyclopedia of Arkansas)
Mostly what I think about when I think back is how sad for somebody (to go through that) when they're fifteen. Because when you're fifteen you want to be loved and accepted, and I just wasn't ready for the kind of response I would get coming to school.”
(Beals, Melba)
M e l b a ’ s
La s t i n g L e g a c y
Today, the Little Rock Nine have been widely recognized for their significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1999, President Clinton awarded each member of the group the Congressional Gold Medal.
Melba specifically went on to become an award winning journalist, reporter, educator, and author. Most notably, she is an activist encouraging Americans today to do their part in the ongoing battle against racism.
How do you think the brave actions of children like Melba Pattillo Beals and Anne Frank impact our lives today? Are there parallels between historical discrimination and present-day challenges?
Would you accept their apology? D i s c u s s i o n Q u e s t i o n s
How would you feel if you were to be put in the shoes of someone who experienced so much cruelty and prejudice as a child if your very same tormentors apologized to you for their actions decades later?
Kizito Kalima Surviving ontheRun
A Story of Loss, Struggle, and Survival Through the Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was a racially charged genocide, lasting just over three months from April to July in 1994.
Rwandan Hutu, charged by disputes across the country’s history, targetted the Rwandan Tutsi population.
In this time, over 800,000 Rwandan Tutsi, Twa, and resiting Hutu persons were killed.
Fear was strongly weaponized in this conflict. Viscous, primal, and animalistic means of violence were enacted by the Hutu, including poisoning, slaughter by machete and hacking, and various other violent acts were used to instil fear in the targetted party.
The Story of Kizito Kalima
Kalimawasnevergrantedtheopportunitytogrowuplikeeveryotherchild.Rwanda,a countrystrickenwithpoverty,turmoil,violence,anddisputes,hadcivilissuesbrewing fromthecountry’sonset.AlthoughyoungKalimagrewupinanupper-classfamily,life wasnoteasyforhimasachild.HisfathercamefromapowerfulRwandanlineage,a strongleaderandfigureforTutsipeopleinRwanda.Thispoliticalpositionstemmed fromKizito’sgrandfather,whowaskilledinthefirstRwandanGenocidein1959.Thefirst genocide,whichtookKalima’sgrandfather,alongwiththehistoricaldisputes,stemmed fromtheracialdividebetweentheHutusandTutsipeople.Thisdividedidnotrearits faceinwarandbattlesalone,however,asitledtodiscriminationandunfairtreatmentin everydaylifeforTutsipeople,includingKizitoKalimathroughouthischildhood.
Likemanychildrenforcedtolivethroughwar,KizitoKalimaneededtomatureandgrowup earlierthanhedeserved.Thematurity,fearlessness,andstrengthheshowedarethemesthat occurfrequentlyinthesestories.Thoughoftenoverlooked,storiesfromyoungpeoplecanbe incrediblyimpactfulandcanserveasstrongeducationalpointstohelpusrespect,learnabout, andpreventconflictslikethesefromeverhappeningagain.Kizitohascommittedmuchofhis lifetosharinghisstoryfromthegenocide,attendingvariousseminars,interviews,and speechestocontinuethedialogue.Hedoesnotseehimselfasavictimbutnowasanoutletfor thoseaffectedbytheRwandanGenocideandanadvocateforthoseimpactedbywarlikehe wasasachild.Hespeaksfrequentlyonhoweducationontheseevents,andthestorieswithin thesewars,canpreventthemfromhappeningagain.Learning“TheLesson”isimportantto him,ashefeelsbystanderscouldhavepreventedandlessenedthedevastationoftheRwandan Genocide(Kalima,2012).Ourpersonaleducationissomethingweallhavecontrolover,and recognizingthewarningsignsofthesedisputesaswellasthelong-termeffectsand repercussionsofwarandgenocideisaneasystepforustotake,evenifwefeelourimpactis limitedBysharingstorieslikeKalima’s,AnneFrank,andothers,wecontinuetokeepthese storiesinthespotlightandshowthemtherespecttheydeserve,whilefurtheringourown emotionalintelligenceandeducatingourselvestopreventtheseeventsfromhappeningagain
“Ipersonallydon’tliketobecalledavictim.Idon’twanttofeellikea
victim.Ifeellikewhateverhappenedtomeshouldbeamotivationto makesuretheGenocideneverhappensagaintoanyone...Andthatwe helptoworkorbuildthelivesofthosewhohavebeenaffected”
(Kalima,“TutsiSurvivorKizito”)
KizitoKalima'srefusaltoseehimselfasavictimexemplifiestheresilienceandstrengthof survivorsofgenocide.Hisdeterminationtoturnhisexperienceintoasourceofmotivationfor preventingfutureconflictunderscorestheimportanceofsharinghisstory.Byshowcasingthe voicesandstoriesofsurvivorslikeKalima,wenotonlyhonortheircouragebutalsoshedlight onthelastingimpactofconflictonindividualsandcommunities.Providingsupportand assistancetothoseaffectedbygenocide,helpingthemrebuildtheirlives,andrespectingtheir storiesissomethingwecanalleasilydo,regardlessofourproximityorpositionintheworld.. Throughtheirnarratives,welearnvaluablelessonsaboutresilienceandcompassion.
DiscussionQu
KizitoKalimadiscussesinaninterviewthat asavictimofthegenocide,insteadwanting forchange.However,oftenitcanbeeasiertoempathizeorresonateon adeeperlevelwiththestoryofa“victim,”asopposedtosomeonewho has overcome their circumstance. How can we continue to respect stories like Kalima’s with this dichotomy, acknowledging and connectingwiththehardshipsandsufferinghefacedandshowingour respectforthetraumaheendured,whilealsorespectinghiswishesto notbeseenasavictim?
EducationisveryimportanttoKalimainregardstosharingstories,facts,and traumaabouttheRwandanGenocidetoensurenothinglikeithappensagain. Thiswar,however,wasnotheavilypublicizedduetosocioeconomicconditions, lackofoutsideinformation,andissueswithworldwidecoverageofthefacts. How can we work to bring lesser-known issues/conflicts/genocides to the forefrontofourinternationalattentionusingtheresourcesandtechnologywe have now? How can we learn more about conflicts, such as the Rwandan Genocide,thatwerecoveredlessthanotherlargerinternationalconflicts?
Ruth Westheimer
A Courageous Woman Who
Embraced Decision Making
Ruth’s Childhood
RuthwasborninGermanyin1928andwasanonlychild.When in Germany, she saw many synagogues that were put up in flames,andsawherfathergettakenawaybytheNazis.When sharingherstorywiththeAirForce,shesaid,“Myfatherwas takentoacamp,alaborcamp.Itwasnotaconcentrationcamp yet”.“Apostcardcamethat(said)Ihadaspacewithagroupof childrentogotoSwitzerland.MyfathersaidImustgosohe canreturnfromthelaborcamptoFrankfurt.Ihadnochoice;I didn’t want to leave” (“Dr. Ruth Shares”). Her mother and grandmother took her to the railroad station in Frankfurt. Ruth’s parents sent her to an orphanage in Switzerland for safety. On Fridays, they would clean the whole house from bottomtotop.Since,shewasoneoftheolderonesinthehouse, shehadtotakecareoftheyoungerchildren.
FindingHerTrueProfession
Afterenduringallthatconflict,Ruthstartedtopursueherinterestsandwentbacktoschool. WestheimerswitchedfrombeingakindergartenteachertorelocatingtoPariswithherfirst husband.There,shestartedtostudypsychologyattheSorbonne.Afterhermarriageended, shemovedtoManhattanin1956.ShegotintoTheNewSchoolwithascholarshipmeantfor Holocaustsurvivorsandjuggledherstudieswithajobasamaid,making75centsanhour,to coverhergradschoolexpenses.Duringthisbusytime,shemethersecondhusband,and theysoonhadtheirfirstchildtogether.Afteraseconddivorce,shemetandmarriedher thirdhusband,andtheirsonJoelwasbornin1964.Thenextyear,shebecameanAmerican citizenandin1970shereceivedherDoctorateofEducationfromColumbiaUniversity.
Afterschooling,ShetrainedasasextherapistforsevenyearsattheNewYorkCornell MedicalSchool.In1960,shegotherfirstjobatPlannedParenthoodinHarlemandwas appointedprojectdirectorin1967.Intheearly1970s,shebecameanassociateprofessorof LehmanCollegeintheBronx.ShewentontoworkatanumberofuniversitiessuchasYale andColombia,andtreatedsextherapypatientsinprivatepractice.Butwhatreallymade herastarwashershowSexuallySpeaking.Itallstartedwithherbeingoffereda15-minute guest appearance on a local radio show to normalize talking about sex and people's problemswithissuesthatarehardtotalkabout.Theradioappearanceswereahitandit ledhertogettinganoffertostarta30-minuteshowthatairedonSundayscalledSexually Speaking.Bythesummerof1983,theshowattracted250,000listenersweeklyandearneda 2-hourruntimeinsteadof30minutes.By1984,theshowwassyndicatednationally.
DiscussionQuestions
HowcanweuseRuth'sexamplesofbravery tohelpuswithourownchallenges?
Ifyouwerewritingletterstoyourparents,would youincludeonlythepositiveexperiences?Would youmentionthescarytimes?
Clara Kramer
“I now knew there was no such thing as a broken heart. It will go on beating to taunt you and mock you and tell you that even in grief it is indestructible and full of love.”
(Kramer)
“He looked out of the window, the wind howling outside, and said, 'Go to sleep, whatever will be will be” (Kramer)
TheBunker
causing houses to go up in flames all around the bunker
Her family and the others were taken in by the Beck family who were ethnically German Mr Beck also worked for the Germans and wasn't known to have the best reputation Mr Beck was known to be an alcoholic a womanizer, and a vocal anti-Semite Despite that, he hated were being treated and killed, so he wanted to help or els h wouldn't be able to look at himself in the mirror
Clara’sDiary
Her diary saved the Becks after getting arrested for working for the Germans. Her father recommended for her to bring her diary to the authorities. She said, "Maybe you don't understand Polish, but someone can translate that for you Read my diary and you will know what these people have taken upon themselves for us " (Samm). He read her diary and soon he was released . She wanted him to be seen as a hero that saved many lives.
Clara's diary is now held in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington Dc. It now educates many people everyday which is what she wanted.
LifeAfterWar
Luckily Clara survived the war and dedicated her life to telling her story through her book "Clara's War" She wrote it after the war with many meaningful and touching quotes from her diary, and many interviews where she went into detail about her family, her sister's death, the Becks, and her time in the bunker with 18 others .Her goal was to educate people in order to make sure nothing like the Holocaust ever happened again She made her way illegally to Austria and Germany, where they spent the next four years in Displaced Persons camps , Fortunately this led her to meet the love of her life; Sol Kramer She went on to have two kids, Philip and Eli Clara Kramer lived through the unimaginable but still managed to get her happy ending that she deserved . Clara lived to the amazing age of 91 but sadly passed in 2018. Luckily her story made a big impact on many people including myself and she will be continued to be remembered.
DiscussionQuestions
THE STORY OF PETR GINZ
PETR GINZ
WHO WAS PETR GINZ?
Petr Ginz was born on February 1, 1928 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, which is now known as the Czech Republic and Slovakia. His father, Otto Ginz, was a Jewish manager of a textile company in Prague. His mother, Marie Ginz, came from a Catholic family, but Petr was raised with Jewish traditions and celebrations. Between the ages of 8-14, he wrote 5 novels and illustrated them with his own artwork. Petr’s story is important in order to learn more about personal accounts from the Holocaust and to preserve Petr’s life and legacy across the world.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
In 1939, German soldiers occupied Czechoslovakia and declared anti-Semitic laws, commonly known as the Nuremberg Laws. Specifically, children from mixed marriages, such as children from one Jewish parent, were to be deported to concentration camps at the age of 14. At only fourteen years old, Petr Ginz, was deported to Theresienstadt, a “transit camp” for Czech Jews in Czechoslovakia. Over 140,000 Jews were transferred to Theresienstadt during World War II.
(US Holocaust Memorial Museum)
Andespeciallythe outcastJew...musthe giveupallhabitshe knew...hecan’tbuyclothes, can’tbuyashoe...since dressingwellisnothis due”
-HanusHachenburg
PETR’S LIFE IN THERESIENSTADT
(Parker,2007)
During his time in Theresienstadt, Petr read many confiscated books he had access to. Ultimately, Petr gained notoriety in the camp for his publication of a secret magazine called Vedem. Petr spent time interviewing other people in Theresienstadt and made comments on his surroundings. Other young contributors, such as Ginz’s magazine partner Hanus Hachenburg, wrote poems and other short stories. Vedem was published every Friday for two years straight.
PETR’S DIARY
In 1944, Petr was transferred to Auschwitz concentration camp and was murdered in the gas chambers. Almost 60 years later, an extensive diary of Petr’s was found in an attic in Prague. The diary consisted of entries from 1941-1942, just before Petr’s deportation to Theresienstadt. Petr’s younger sister, Eva Ginz, had survived Theresienstadt and preserved many of Petr’s writings and paintings. “The Diary of Petr Ginz” was published in 2007 in more than 10 countries and 4 languages around the world.
PETR’S LIFE AND LEGACY
Petr Ginz’s life and legacy are present in many memorials and stories around the world today. A survivor of Theresienstadt protected the magazine, Vedem, until the liberation of the camp in 1945.
1990
The Frankfurt Book Fair published exhibitions from Vedem
1995
We are Children Just the Same: Vedem, the Secret Magazine by the Boys of Terezín was published and won the National Jewish Book Award
2018
American astronaut, Andrew Feustel, brings a copy of Petr Ginz’s “Moon Landscape” to space
Local Connection to Petr Ginz
University of Iowa alumn, Churchill Roberts, found himself particularly touched by the story of Petr Ginz and his acts of resistance during the Holocaust. Roberts went on to codirect The Last Flight of Petr Ginz, a 70-minute documentary that includes Petr’s own drawings and artwork as animation, as well as interviews with Holocaust survivors. Although the film contains subject matter from one of history’s darkest pasts, Roberts believes the film celebrates Petr’s life and legacy today. Roberts concludes that, “The film juxtaposes what is best and what is worst about humanity” (Roberts).
Read more about Churchill Robert’s The Last Flight of Petr Ginz Here
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Many of Petr’s artwork and writings have survived the Holocaust and have been preserved over time. In what ways has the preservation of historical documents influenced the way in which we learn about historical events?
During his time in Theresienstadt concentration camp, Petr Ginz published a secret magazine called “Vedem”. If you were put in the shoes of Petr Ginz, would you have the courage and bravery to break the rules and show resistance?
Between Words and War: The Journey of Amir Ahmadi Arian
“The only thing war offers are survival and death. It cannot have a happy ending. For survivors, it does not have any ending. War entrenches itself in the deepest parts of survivors’ brains and poisions the rest of their lives. It is a mental cancer that affects every cell in the body” - Amir, 2018
War
Warisdevastating.Itnotonlybringsforththelossof lives and destruction of property but also leaves indelible psychological marks on its survivors. The storytitledFragmentsfromaWar-TornChildhoodand was written by Amir Ahmadi Arian for Guernica MagazineinSeptember2018.ThestorydepictsAmir's experiencesoftheIraq-Iranwarthatragedonduring hisfirsteightyearsoflife,providingaglimpseofthe psychological implications of prolonged exposure to the war environment. From the deafening sounds to theblindinglights,andtheperpetualfearandanxiety, Amir'sexperiencesdemonstratetheprofoundtrauma enduredbysurvivors.
Who is Amir?
Amirisajournalist,anovelist,andalecturer.Hewas bornin1979inAhvaz,Irantoafatherwhowasinthe oilindustryandamotherwhowasanurse.Whenthe Iraq-IranwarbrokeoutinSeptember1980,Amirwas barelyoneyearold.Thewarragedonfor8yearsand forallthistime,Amir'sworldwaspunctuatedwith fearandterror.Beatingallodds,Amirandhisfamily survivedthewar.HeleftIranin2011topursueaPhD in Comparative Literature at the University of Queensland,Australia.Hehaspublishedtwonovels including the recently published “Then the Fish Swallowed Him” (2020). Now he is a creative literatureprofessoratCityCollegeofNewYork.
Moreover,warcausespost-traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD)Itisawell-knownfactthatwartraumaaffectssoldiers indirectcombat,non-combatactivedutymembers,andciviliansalikeMunjizaetalpositthatwartraumaemanates fromdistressingmemoriesofdeathandhorrificinjuriesandcancauseextremecasesofcatatoniaandterrorwhen victimsrememberthistrauma(Munjizaetal,2)InthecaseofAmir,heremembersseeing"amanlookingatthehole apieceofshrapnelburnedthroughhisstomachbeforehefelltotheground"(Arian,"FragmentsfromaWar”)Hewas sixyearsoldatthetimeHealsorecallshavingtowaitinacrowdedbunkerasIraqibomberjetsflattenedtheirhomes andlatercollectedshrapnelasagameNochildshouldhavetowitnesshorrificscenesliketheonesAmirrecounts Surroundedbydeathandhorror,AmirinadvertentlybecamenumbtothepainHowever,thememoriesstillhaunt himfromtimetotime
Causes of War
TheIraq-IranwarbeganinSeptember1980andendednearly8yearslaterinAugust1988.This devastatingconflictsaw1-2millionestimatedcasualtiesandover500,000deathsofciviliansand soldiersonbothsides(“Iran-IraqWar”) Therootsoftheconflictaretraceabletothelongstanding tensionsbetweenIranandIraqstartingwiththeformationofthelatternationafterWorldWarI.The disagreementovercontroloftheShattal-Arabwaterwayinthe70sexacerbatedthesetensions.In addition,theIranianRevolutionof1978-79,whichusheredinanextremistIslamicregimeledby AyatollahRuhollahKhomeini,furtherinflamedhostilities,promptingIraqiPresidentSaddamHussein toperceiveIran'srevolutionasathreattohisregime'sstability.
Amir’s War Experience
Ahvaz, Amir's hometown, is only 70 miles east of the Khuzestan, the state where the war was mostly fought Like Anne Frank, his childhood was punctuated by conflict The soundtrack was "The deafening noises of the staccato scream of anti-aircrafts, the whiz of military jets, the rattle of Kalashnikovs, and the successive booming of landing mortars (Amir, "Fragments from a War”) " Besides this, Amir's formative years were characterized by blinding lights from bomb clouds and bullets shooting from gun barrels indicating a state of constant threat While stress is posited to aid in human survival, this continuous exposure to stressors has its toll on the mental well-being of people Amir's recollection not Implications of the War only creates a visceral image of the war but also highlights the chronic fear, anxiety, and stress suffered by those caught in a war environment Wars also cause unwarranted disruptions to the lives of those affected With Saddam's regime determined to annex the Iranian province of Khuzestan, Amir narrates that the people of Ahvaz began to leave. "Neighbors and friends crammed their most precious belongings into cars and hit the road, transforming overnight from well-off southern oil families to internal refugees” (Amir, "Fragments from a War”). By running for safety, these families were subjected to the hardships of being refugees including the lack of basic needs such as a home and food. With friends and relatives moving on, those left behind were no better either; they had to deal with loneliness.
Implications of war
In September 1980, Saddam's forces launched air strikes on Iran's essential infrastructure followed by ground offensives aimed at seizing territory. Despite initial successes by Iraq, including the capture of key cities like Khorramshahr. Iranian resistance, bolstered by revolutionary militias and a staunch Conclusion determination to defend their homeland, halted the Iraqi advance The conflict devolved into a protracted stalemate, characterized by a brutal cycle of offensives and counteroffensives, air and missile attacks, and the condemned use of chemical weapons by Iraq. The war reached its peak in 1988, as Iraqi ground attacks demoralized Iranian forces, leading to a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations under Security Council Resolution 598. Although the formal cessation of hostilities brought an end to the bloodshed, the legacy of the Iran-Iraq War endured, shaping regional dynamics and etching its misery in the memories of survivors like Amir.
In conclusion, it is often said that children of war have different values than children of peace. To many, this is a superficial statement, but to children like Anne Frank and Amir, war and its devastating impacts were a reality. It ultimately shaped how they lived their lives. Anne Frank and Amir's narratives serve as timeless testaments to the resilience and humanity of people amidst unimaginable adversity. They also teach us about the high cost of war.
Discussion Questions
In what ways can communities and societies better support children affected by war to mitigate the long-term psychological impacts?
How can storytelling and literature, such as Amir’s narrative, contribute to raising awareness and fostering empathy towards the experiences of children affected by war?
Hannah Pick-Goslar
A Survivor Sharing Her Story
“WeareallcreatedintheimageofGodandif wehaveanothercolororanotherreligionor evenanothermeaning,weshouldtrytolive moreinpeacetogether,that’swhatIhope.”
-HannahGoslar (“ShewasAnne”)
Who is Hannah Goslar?
Hannah was 15 years old when she and her family were taken by the Nazis to Westerbork transit camp A member of the Nazis came to the Goslar’s front door and told them they had twenty minutes to pack their belongings Within twenty minutes, Hannah's life would be forever changed She had a younger sister, Gabi, who she took care of as a child herself. She was also friends with Anne Frank before Anne and her family went into hiding The Goslar family was later transported and held at Bergen-Belsen concentration Camp where Hannah looked after her little sister, unfortunately her father and grandfather passed away there. She did not let this tragic event stop her from continuing to live her life after the Holocaust Hannah Goslar was the definition of a brave, resilient, and courageous person and her legacy will live on forever
Hannah Goslar
Family Background
Hannah Goslar was born to her mother, Ruth Klee and her father, Hans Goslar on November 12, 1928 Her little sister Gabi was born when Hannah was 12 years old and although at the time she didn’t know it, Hannah would go on to take care of Gabi herself Hans Goslar joined a Jewish organization called “Blau Weiss” which is where his religion fully originated from He had a very good job until Hitler came to power in 1933 The economic boycott against Jewish businesses cut his job of being an advisor short After the family fled to Holland, they moved into a three-bedroom apartment where one of the rooms was designated to refugees from Germany This became Hans’s new job as he would help the refuges find places to live and navigate their new life In 1942, Ruth Klee passed away during childbirth leaving Hans, Hannah, and Gabi In a way, Hannah became Gabi’s new mother figure as looked after her during the Holocaust
Hannah and Friends
Hannah and Gabi
Hannah’s Story
Many individuals did not make it out alive to share their story of the Holocaust However, Hannah Goslar did, and she shared her story through public speaking as well as a memoir “My Friend Anne Frank” was published in 2023 and is Hannah Goslar’s memoir which shares her journey through the Holocaust. Her story is heartbreaking but deserves to be shared so history never repeats itself. In a video titled “Thats What I Hope” Hannah recalls seeing her friend Anne Frank for the last time at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp She and Anne had been friends from a very young age and were neighbors when both families fled to Amsterdam It is easy to see that Hannah Goslar had a very kind heart She told a story about helping Anne get food in the concentration camp because it was so scarce, and Hannah helped her like a good friend would Hannah became a nurse after the Holocaust which is a job that significantly helps people and takes a special kind of person, which Hannah was Along with being kind, Hannah was very brave Many Jews were killed during this time, so standing up for themselves was nearly impossible and frightening for them However, Hannah did not let fear stop her She has told her story across the globe and was able to share the horrific details of the Holocaust so future generations are able to learn about it
Hannah
Hannah and Anne
Life after the Holocaust
Hannah Goslar continued to conquer life after the Holocaust She and her sister became close with Otto Frank after the war had ended and he helped them get to their uncle in Switzerland. In a way this could have been healing for Otto because Hannah brought back memories of Anne as they were close friends After losing her mother, father and grandfather she did not have many family members left, so her uncle gave her a safe place to get back on her feet and continue to persevere They later moved to Israel where Hannah Goslar found a love for nursing. At 20 years old she began studying nursing and continued practicing for decades She worked in Jewish absorption camps after the war helping soldiers heal and later worked at the Bikkur Holim Hospital Hannah clearly had a heart of gold as she went onto pursue a career in nursing and helped people who had similar situations to her after the war In 1950 Hannah married Walter Pick and they had 3 children together and settled in Jerusalem. She also had her first tour in 1957 where she would publicly speak about her journey in the Holocaust in hopes it would never be forgotten After retiring as a nurse, she continued to travel around the world to share her story and deliver lectures In 2022, Hannah sadly passed away at the age of 93. She lived a tough but inspiring life and is an excellent role model to new generations Her story forever lives on through her memoir “My Friend Anne Frank”
and her family
Hannah
Discussion Questions
What do you think she means in her quote “We are all created in the image of God and if we have another color or another religion or even another meaning, we should try to live more in peace together, that’s what I hope.” Is there any significant meaning behind these words that relate to her experience?
How do you think taking care of her little sister impacted Hannah Goslar’s life on a larger scale? Do you think this impacted her Holocaust journey in a significant way? Why?
Hannah and her family
Amela Amela Amela Sijaric Sijaric Sijaric
An Adolescence Spent in the Crossfire
Who Is Amela?
Amela Sijaric was born in 1977 in Montenegro, an eastern European country neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina. She recounts her childhood in her memoir as a normal and happy time in her life, spent surrounded by her mother, father and two sisters- “We went to picnics, played with our friends, grilled with our family, and vacationed on the Adriatic coast every summer” (Sijaric, 6). In 1984, Amela and her family moved to Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia, for her father’s job. At thirteen, she received the diary that she wrote in for the duration of the war, and revisited when writing her memoir, “The Far Away People”, in 2022.
Ethnic Discrimination- Pre-war
Amela noted in her memoir her observations of the ethnocentrism that began to occur in Yugoslavia before the war broke out, and the microaggressions against Muslims that she saw in her day-to-day life. She recalled a time during her childhood when she was watching the news with her parents during coverage of the war between Iraq and Iran and remembered thinking that the content being displayed was boring and far away from her reality.
Yugoslavia and The Bosnian War
Yugoslavia was established In 1918 after the end of WW1, and consisted of seven modern day Eastern European countries. It first started to break apart In 1991, when Slovenia and Croatia declared their independence. The next year, Bosnia declared its independence on April 5th, and Serbian forces immediately began their siege on Sarajevo with the goal of ‘cleansing’ Muslims from the population. Over the course of 4 years, over 100,000 men, women and children were killed, and over 2,000,000 Bosnian natives were displaced.
The Diary
Amela’s diary entries throughout the course of the war documented her raw reactions to her entire world coming down in front of her eyes. She provided updates on her immediate friends and family, and documented the daily shootings and grenades that were dropped on Sarajevo. In the pictured entry, she wrote “ We just got the news that we just have to survive a little longer and that we should get good news tonight, Allah willing”* (Sijaric, 47).
Revisiting a firsthand account of such a traumatic time in Amela’s life proves to be a difficult task to take on, but is an important contribution to the records of children’s perspectives during the Bosnian War. There are significant parallels to draw from her diary entires, written at age 15, and the passages written later in her adulthood. As time has passed, those who have lived through genocide and war are given time to process and expand their perspectives on what happened. Her voice has changed over time, as the diary entries showcase a more naive view on the world around her, while retelling the events in the present day allowed her to frame her story in the way she wants it to be remembered- by bringing up moments of joy and emphasizing the connections that were strengthened during these years of her life.
The Memoir
The Far Away People, published in 2022, recounts Amela’s life, specifically during the years of the Bosnian War. The unique structure of the book frequently switches between excerpts from her childhood diary entries and personal anecdotes she added later in adulthood. Her book gives insight into how going through adolescence during a war impacts one’s upbringing. The passages she adds, in addition to the diary entires, help give historical context as well as additions of details that may not have been included when she initially wrote them.
*Pictured exerpt from Amela’s diary was translated into English when writing her book “The Far Away People” (Sijaric 47).
Discussion Questions
How does revisiting and adding to a diary decades later benefit the story the author is telling? In what ways does perspective change over time?
What impact does stories like Amela’s have on others who may have gone through similar experiences?
*AllpicturesfromAmela’sDiary,“TheFarAwayPeople”.*
Peter Van Pels
The Boy In The Annex
Holocaust Background
The Holocaust began in 1933 when Hitler became the chancellor of Germany. The Nazis targeted the Jews because they were antisemitic (hated the Jews). Six million Jews were killed across Germany, 1.5 million being children. This was around two-thirds of the Jewish population in Europe. Concentration camps opened on March 22nd, 1933. Concentration camps are where Jews were sent by the Nazis. Most of these camps were located in Germany but some were in other countries in Europe. Here the Jews were starved, tortured, and most of the time sent to gas chambers. These acts are some of the reasons that World War 2 began. Adolf Hitler decided to invade Poland which caused France and Great Britain to declare war on Germany. World War 2 lasted six years and caused more destruction and took more lives than any other war.
Peter’s Background
Peter Van Pels was born in Frankfurt Germany. He was the only child of Hermann and Auguste (“Gusti”) Van Pels Peter and his family moved to Amsterdam when he was 15 years old to escape the antisemitism that was going on in Germany. Peter enjoyed tinkering, doing carpentry, and chopping wood for the stove (Anne Frank House). The Van Pels lived in the secret annex with the Frank family. Peter had his first kiss with Anne Frank in the secret annex. This is very important because without Anne writing about Peter, we might not have ever heard of him. It’s interesting to think about all the other stories of people that we’ll never get to hear about.
Ideological Context
Some of the ideological contexts that surrounded Peter would include the Holocaust since he was Jewish. World War Two took place during his lifetime. The Nuremberg Laws also took place, t made it very difficult for Jews to live a norma These Laws started on September 15th, 1935. S of the laws included that them not being consid German citizens, they couldn’t marry or have a sexual relationship with someone of German blo and they were unable to get passports. These l restricted Jews from doing normal daily activit which nobody should ever have to put up with. T just naming a few things that he (along with everyone else) had to deal with daily.
Life During The War
The Van Pels moved out of Germany in 1937, when Peter was eleven years old. They moved into the secret annex in 1942, they stayed there for a little over two years. During this time, he had his own room in the annex (he was the only one) and became very close with Anne Frank. This is where their love story began. Sadly it was cut short when everyone in the annex got arrested on August 4th, 1944. Peter was sent directly to Westerbork and was later sent to Auschwitz (“Peter ’Van Daan’”). At Auschwitz, Peter was assigned to a post room where he worked and got extra food from time to time. He witnessed his dad getting selected to go to the gas chambers a few months after they arrived This devastated him (Anne Frank House). Peter passed away of sickness just 5 days before the camp was liberated on May 10th, 1945.
Why Peter Van Pels
The reason I chose to write about Peter is because I found it interesting that Anne Frank and Peter knew each other. It’s not very often that you hear about the other people in Anne's story besides her family. I was unaware that there was another family that lived with them in the annex. Maybe it’s just because I'm not super familiar with her story but I found it super interesting I had no idea that there was a boy that she loved before coming across Peter's article. It made me happy to hear that she found love and had her first kiss before getting sent to a concentration camp. I, myself feel like once you find love, the world is complete so it made me very happy to hear that she found someone. Peter's story resonates with me because it is such an inspiring and eye-opening story that furthered my knowledge of what really happened during the Holocaust (Anne Frank House).
Peter’s Impact On Others
Although there isn’t much information on Peter besides what Anne's diary tells us, we know that he made an impact on Anne Frank. They fell in love and lived a happy life before the Nazis took over. We know that Peter was rather quiet and kept to himself but once he let someone in, he was capable of letting loose (“Peter Van Pels”). Anne described Peter as peace-loving, tolerant, and extremely easygoing. We also know that Otto Frank described Peter as lazy and disinterested in what was going on in the annex. Being the only young boy in the annex he tended to keep to himself and not involve himself in what the girls and parents were doing. Overall, Peter made a positive impact on everyone in the annex. Although Otto said he was lazy, we know that he was kind and peace-loving which often makes more of an impact on people.
Discussion Questions
Do you think that Peter and Anne’s definition of love was the same as we consider it now? Do you think Peter truly loved Anne? Why or why not? There was another Peter involved in
February 15, 1910-May 12, 2008
Irena Sendler
“Iwastaughtthatifyou
seeapersondrowning, youmustjumpintothe water,whetheryoucan swimornot.”
Who Is Irena?
Irena Sendler, born on February 15, 1910, in Warsaw, Poland, grew up amidst the tumultuous backdrop of World War I and its aftermath. Although born in Warsaw, much of her childhood and early adolescence was spent in Otwock, a town near the Polish capital. Following the death of her father during her youth, Sendler's mother received support from Jewish community leaders to send Irena to school, demonstrating an early inter-community collaboration that would later define Sendler's own actions. She pursued her education at the University of Warsaw, studying Polish Literature, and exhibited a strong sense of social justice by participating in public protests against the discriminatory "ghetto-bench system" employed by many Polish universities before the war. This early activism foreshadowed her future commitment to fighting injustice.
After completing her education, Sendler embarked on a career as a social worker, driven by a profound sense of empathy and a desire to alleviate the suffering of others. When Germany invaded Warsaw in 1939, Sendler's resolve to help those affected by the conflict only strengthened. Despite the increasing danger and uncertainty, she courageously offered shelter and assistance to vulnerable individuals impacted by the war. This early display of bravery laid the foundation for Sendler's later heroism during the Holocaust. Thus, Sendler's background is marked by a combination of personal adversity, educational pursuit, and a deep-seated commitment to social justice, all of which would shape her remarkable actions in the years to come.
Rescue Operations
As the head of the Children's Division of Zegota, an underground organization aiding Jewish people, Irena orchestrated missions to smuggle Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, where they faced almost certain death at the hands of the Nazis. Utilizing her credentials as a Polish social worker and forged documents from a Zegota member, Sendler gained access to the heart of the Warsaw Ghetto, where she coordinated with a network of courageous volunteers to execute her rescue efforts. Together, they secretly produced over 3,000 false documents, providing crucial lifelines to Jewish families trapped within the ghetto walls. These documents were essential for concealing the identities of the children and facilitating their escape to safety.
Operating from an old courthouse on the edge of the Warsaw Ghetto, which still stands today, Sendler and her team employed a variety of ingenious methods to smuggle children to safety. These included hiding children in ambulances, where they could be concealed under stretchers, sneaking through secret underground passages and sewer pipes, and transporting children hidden in sacks or trunks on trolleys. Despite the constant danger and ever-present risk of discovery by the Nazis, Sendler and her team persisted in their mission. Through their extraordinary efforts, they succeeded in saving approximately 2,500 Jewish children from the horrors of the Holocaust, providing them with a chance at life and preserving their identities for future reunification efforts. Sendler's rescue operations stand as a great example of bravery and humanity in the darkest of times, inspiring generations to come.
Life After War
Following the liberation of Warsaw, Sendler joined efforts to assist survivors of the Holocaust and rebuild communities devastated by the war. She worked to reunite families torn apart by the Holocaust, utilizing the records she had kept during her rescue operations to facilitate the process.
It wasn't until the late 20th century that Irena’s story gained widespread attention, thanks to to the efforts of students in Uniontown, Kansas, who produced a play titled "Life in a Jar" based on their research into Sendler's life. The play's unexpected success led to increased public awareness of Sendler's courageous actions and sparked a renewed interest in her story.
In 1965, Irena Sendler was officially recognized by Yad Vashem as one of the Polish Righteous Among the Nations, honoring her selfless acts of heroism during the Holocaust. Nearly two decades later, in 1983, a tree was planted in her honor at the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations, commemorating her extraordinary deeds. Sendler's story gained further prominence in 2003 when Pope John Paul II sent her a personal letter of commendation, praising her wartime efforts. On November 10th of the same year, she was awarded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest civilian decoration, in recognition of her bravery and sacrifice. Additionally, Sendler was honored as the recipient of the Jan Karski award for Valor and Courage, solidifying her status as a symbol of hope and inspiration for generations to come.
Discussion Questions
In what ways can Irena's story inspire us to act against injustice in our own communities today?
Reflecting on the impact of the “Life in a Jar” play, how can storytelling and artistic expression serve as powerful tools for preserving historical memory?
Education and Extinction
In a world where compassion was almost non-existent, we remembered even the smallest bit of kindness.
-Bev Sellars (65)
Bev Sellars’ Story
Who is Bev Sellars?
“Thankfully our numbers were not tattooed on our skin ” (Sellars 32)
“Anything ‘different’ was cause for some sort of attack.” (Sellars 51) ImagefromTheUniversityofVictoria
Bevisa3rdgenerationsurvivorofSt.Joseph’sMissionResidentialSchool. Shewasbornin1955inSodaCreek,BritishColumbia,Canadawheresheisa memberoftheXat’sullFirstNation.AfterhertimeandexperiencesatSt. Joseph’s,BevpursuedahistorydegreeattheUniversityofVictoriaanda lawdegreefromtheUniversityofBritishColumbia.Intheyearsfollowing, shewaschiefandcounselorfor12yearsatXat’sullFirstNation.Intheearly 1990s,Bevbeganwritinghermemoir,TheyCalledMeNumberOne,toshed lightonherexperiencesatSt.Joseph’sMissionResidentialSchooland exposetheatrocitiesfacedbyotheryoungIndigenousstudentsacross multiplegenerations.However,Bevpausedonherbookwhenfamily membersobjectedtopublicizingtheirsharedhistory.Despiteadelayed start,shecompletedhermanuscriptin2004asahistoricalaccountofher family.Sheelectedtopublishherbookin2013withTalonbooksPublication andrecognizedtheimportanceofnotlettingthisdarkpastofNorth Americanhistorybesweptundertherug.Bevaimedtoensurethatthe legacyoftheresidentialschoolsystem’shorrorbeacknowledgedand rememberedbyfutureIndigenouspeople.Inhermemoir,sheemphasizes thatitisapersonalnarrativeandoffersinsightsbasedonherown experiencesandthoselikehers.
Historical Background
The Indian Civilization Act Fund, passed by the US Congress on March 3, 1819, aimed to strip Indigenous people of Constitutional rights. Later, in 1869, the Peace Policy was introduced to assimilate Indigenous youth into white Christian norms. Similarly, Canada's Indian Act of 1876 wanted to eliminate First Nation cultures, mandating residential school attendance for Indigenous children aged 7-16 Over 150 years, these schools, many of which were church-operated and funded by the US government, forced hundreds of thousands of Indigenous children from their homes, often across borders, to indoctrinate them with Christian beliefs and Western customs
Life at the Mission
Bev Sellars in sixth grade (1965-1966)
Imagefrom(Sellars71)
“The more invisible I was, the better. The more mediocre I was, the better. Don’t strive to be the. Best, strive to be the least! And it was seen as okay to be the least.” (Sellars 49-50)
Bev’s Legacy
Bev'shauntingexperiencesthatshe sharesinherbookofresidentialschool lifedepictastarkreality:transported likelivestock,strippedofwarmth, identity,andchildhood.Aplacewhere culturalerasureandabusewere systematic,andwhereanumber replacedhername,attemptedto eraseBevSellarsfromexistence withinitswalls.
British Columbia, Canada
BevSellarsisdedicatedtoraisingawarenessoftheneglected,painfulaspectsof Indigenous history. Our nation has seen serious wrongs that we sometimes overlook. Acknowledging these dark moments is crucial to avoid repeating historicalerrors.Whileweoftenrememberglobaltragedies,wesometimesignore our own. By grasping the deep impact of residential schools on Indigenous communities,wefacetheinflictedtraumaandthedeeppsychologicalwounds,like lost identity, that still affect generations. It is vital to recognize that these institutions,whichhousedchildrenasyoungassix,werefarfromthesafehavens we associate with education today, offering instead a poor and oppressive experience.
(ImageScreenshotfromGoogleMaps)
Why Bev’s Story is Important?
BevSellars’ storyisimportantandsignificant becausesheisamongthefewResidential Schoolssurvivorsspeakingoutabouttheabuse andtraumathatsheandherfamilyhave endured.Therearelimitedfirsthandaccounts thatleaveouttheconditionsandunderscore theabuseanddiscriminationthesechildren havefaced.Hercouragetoshareher experiencespavesthewayforothersurvivors tocomeforwardandsharetheirstories. Recognizingthesepastatrocitiesisessentialto preventingtheirrecurrence.Wemustknowand acknowledgeherstorysoitisnotrepeated.
Imagefrom(Sellars41)
Bobby and Mike Sellars (Bev’s brothers) at St. Joseph Mission, 1965
Cariboo Indian Girls Pipe band outside St. Joseph's Mission, 1965
ImagebyPhotographerKenBuchanan
Discussion Questions
BevSellarswrotehermemoir30yearsafter attendingSt.Joseph’sMissionResidential schools.Howdoesagapintimeinfluencehow thestoryistold?
Whatarethelong-termeffectsonIndigenous communitiesstemmingfromtheresidential schoolsystem?WhyarestorieslikeBev’ s importanttoshare?
THEY NAMED HER
AYLA
(Eunja Kim)
A story of war, compassion and reunion
About the Korean war
In June of 1950, North Korean forces backed by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea, which was supported by the United Nations and primarily by the United States. Divided since the Second World War, the war on the peninsula arose from tensions between the communist North and the capitalist South.
The Korean War, like all wars, saw intense fighting and significant loss of life on both sides. Key events included the North Korean advance to nearly conquer the entire peninsula, followed by a counter-offensive led by UN forces, made up of the armies of 16 countries including Turkey. Eventually, the front lines stabilized roughly around the 38th parallel, the pre-war boundary between North and South Korea.
Turkish involvement
Until the armistice in July 1953, Turkey sent near 15000 soldiers in aid of South Korea, and near a thousand of them died or disappeared.
The first Turkish fleet to arrive in Busan in October 1950, joined the US forces in Gunuri by mid December.
The war had separated many families. Turkish soldiers made space in their camp for the safekeep of Korean children until they could be reunited with their parents, but some had none left. Eventually, a school for these orphans emerged in Suwon, Gyeonggi. a place to stay a child amidst the ongoing war.
retreatingfromgunuri, Sn.chiefsuleymanfound akoreanchild,alone andoutinthecold.
press pictures of the turkish troops being deployed
this particular girl however, took a liking to the sn. chief suleyman, and refused to leave his side until Korean authorities could take the orphans over. Suleyman and his battalion named her Ayla, after the Turkish word for ‘the moon’. She learned a bit of Turkish and even interpreted for the battalion on a few occasions.
The2010documentarybyMunhwa BroadcastingCorporationshows thereal-lifereunionofSuleyman andAylawayafterthewar.Never forgotteneachother,Suleymanan oldveteranandKimEunja,asshe laterbecame,awidowedmotherof two.Shecallshimfather,andthe theirfamiliesstaycloseand connected.BesidesafewKoreanand Turkishphrasessharedexperience ofthewaristheironlycommon language.
Discussion Questions
How does International solidarity help nations thrive? who decides on whose causes are worth fighting for? How can we sustain common sense within diplomacy, times of crisis and war?
What are some other examples you can think of that can unite two people from different parts of the world?
Trailer of the 2017 movie based on this story
Clip from the 2010 MBC documentary
