Alicia Appleman-Jurman

Alex Bauer

PhylissMattson

Celebrated Holocaust Speakers

By Lucy Chen

Who would have ever thought that finding a tiny raw potato and shoes would save someone’s life? Well, it did for Holocaust survivor, Alex Bauer. Finding a potato while doing slave labor in a field saved him from starving at 80 lbs. Getting shoes that fit allowed him to walk in snow at the camp. “If you couldn’t walk because your feet swelled up and split in the winter, you were sent to the infirmary where what food they gave you was stolen. So, the sick in the infirmaries ended up starving to death.”

On April 3rd, Isaac Goldstein, Alex Bauer and Alicia Appleman-Jurman (author of Alicia, My Story) shared moving, inspirational stories of their experiences as World War II Holocaust survivors with 8th grade Language Arts students. Alicia shared stories of incredible heroism: a friend yanked a gun out of a Nazi’s soldier’s grasp just as the soldier was preparing to execute her, allowing her run and escape. Another time, she was discovered in hiding by Nazis and, as they shot to kill her, her mother leaped in front of her, dying before Alicia’s eyes. They told of the unbelievable hardships of the camps and the joy of being liberated. Listening them, we learned that despite the terrible suffering they endured, they always had hope and tried to see life in a positive way.

Marvin Bertleson spoke about liberating several concentration camps as an American soldier. In addition, he showed moving images of Holocaust victims the soldiers discovered and said that he shares his experience so that we make sure “this evil time is never repeated.” Phyliss Mattson talked of her escape to America, her mother’s death in the camps, and her wonder at the greatness of our country. Their experiences will remembered as a triumph of the human spirit and soul.

Bronco Beat news article

Bret Harte Middle School

San Jose, CA

(all photos by student photographer Mike Washington)

4/05/03