Doris, our tour guide, is a cat person, promoter of hitch-hiking, and lover of sheep. Upon entering the museum, she was greeted by many friends, one of which brushed her hair. She survived Terezin, one of the Nazi concentration camps in the Czech Republic during the Holocaust. She was sent there when she was 16 along with her family. There, she tended to the sheep allowing her time outside. After liberation from the camp, she was taken in by a police officer until she found her brother. They then moved to finish their education and attend university. She became an editor and had a son.
The Jewish community says never forget. We observe Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) and go to memorials and museums whenever possible. We try to listen to as many Holocaust survivors as we can because nothing compares to first-hand accounts of the recent history of the Jewish people. But soon we will not have any more survivors left to tell their stories. Two-thirds of millennials do not know what Auschwitz is and 22% said they did not know what the Holocaust was.
While listening to Doris, a group of students from Germany joined us. One asked if, as a German student who has attended many memorials and such, are they doing enough. She replied you can’t have a future without learning from the past.
Even though Doris is 92, she is much busier than I am. She travels around Europe teaching students about the Holocaust and telling her story. When asked what she does in her free time, she laughed and asked what free time? She believes as long as she can, it is her duty to share her story.