I have been a part time resident in the state of Rhode Island for almost four years now. I've often wanted to visit a place when it was the time of year to honor holocaust survivors, and the immense amount of family I lost in it. My grandparents, both survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, were amazing people with unbelievable stories. I feel Rhode Island should have a monument in honor of all those we lost, not just my grandparents. The Roger Williams Park Zoo would be the perfect place to create “The Steven Herskowitz Holocaust Remembrance Monument”.
My grandmother Agi Herskowitz, grew up in the Austria-Czech Region. She was taken to Auschwitz in 1946, along with her 9 sisters. At the time, she was married and had a four year old son. When she entered the camp her husband and son went to the left and she went to the right. This was the last time she would ever see them again, as well her sisters. Her husband and son were told they were going to the showers, and as we learn in all our history courses, that is not what really happened. She fought for her survival using her skills as a seamstress to sew the uniforms of all the Nazis. She was fed very minimally, but enough to stay alive. This wasn’t the same for the rest of her family, leaving only her and two of her sisters once the camps were liberated.
My grandfather Alexander Herskovits originated from Hungary in the Budapest region. He was taken to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, where he too was married with a three year old daughter. He lost them immediately, mainly because female children were of no use at the camps. Through this treacherous time he survived by being the caretaker of the guards dogs. His job was to feed them twice a day, and he kept himself alive by stealing some of the dog’s food for his own use. When the camps were liberated, having no family he was taken to the liberation centers for all holocaust survivors. My grandmother Agi and he met at this location, and having been through the same experience they found love in each other.
In 1951, they decided to begin a life together, and relocate to America. They came to Ellis Island and found an apartment in the Bronx. Alexander changed his name to Steven and made ‘Herskovits’ in Herskowitz to sound more American. They began a new life, as best as they could considering the inhumane conditions they just came from. They had two children Geraldine and Mitchell. Mitchell is my father, as a child he made it a very important value to me to never forget the things my grandparents went through. If there is one thing I’ve been instilled with through all their stories and teachings, it’s to never take things for granted. I’m not sure I can ever truly understand the hardships they’ve suffered, but I can do my part in honoring them. This monument would mean the world to me, and I can almost guarantee it would mean the same for other families of survivors. This monument would be a place I could go on their birthdays, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and overall just a place where I could go to show them how much I respect and love them. Even if the Holocaust has no affect on your life, if we don’t all remember history is sure to repeat itself.
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