by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
Soon we’ll be sharing a story with our readers about a Holocaust survivor who spoke at Rockhurst University last week.
Eva Mozes Kor, one of the twins who Doctor Josef Mengele did a series of experiments on during the Holocaust, looked familiar to me as she walked onto the auditorium stage.
Almost immediately I realized I had already seen her documentary “Forgiving Doctor Mengele” on Netflix.
But hearing her talk in person about how she made it through Auschwitz alive was even more incredible than watching her story play out on a screen.
Eva gave me — along with everyone else in the audience — a glimpse not only into her story of survival, but also of the strength, courage and humor of this amazing woman.
Several times throughout her talk, Eva cracked jokes that had the entire audience laughing — something most would not expect at a presentation by a victim of the Holocaust.
I have a feeling that her relatable, spirited and feisty personality gave those in attendance a great deal of hope.
It took years, but Eva discovered that the only way to truly overcome what her perpetrators had done to her was to forgive them.
That piece of power gave her a new freedom that she had not felt since before she was taken to Auschwitz in a cattle car, torn from her family and tormented with other sets of twins.
I’m sure I wasn’t alone in thinking that if she could forgive people who treated her that way, then there’s not much I shouldn’t be able to forgive either.
Eva’s story is nothing short of inspirational, and it got me thinking. She was only 10 years old when she was taken to Auschwitz. She is now 82.
How crazy is it that at some point no Holocaust survivors will be around to tell their stories?
There are many people in my generation who have never even heard someone tell a firsthand account of what happened during the Holocaust.
This made me understand how crucial it is for all of us to remember the evil acts that happened to so many innocent people during that time.
After all, one day we will be the only ones responsible for telling their stories.
