Holocaust survivor packs Pearce Hall classroom, shares story
Holocaust survivor Martin Lowenburg arrives at CMU for another talk after speaking at the University of Michigan earlier that afternoon. The talk took place in Pearce 127 on International Holocaust Remembrance day 2016. Jan. 27, 2016.
A crowd of nearly 400 students raptly listened in horror to a retelling of the Holocaust from a survivors eyes in Pearce Hall Wednesday night.
Martin Lowenberg, a Holocaust survivor, spoke at Central Michigan University on Wed. Jan. 27. On this day Russia liberated Auschwitz, a German occupied concentration camp. Today is international Holocaust day to forever commemorate victims and survivors.
Hillel, a student group of Jewish students, helped host Lowenberg
“This is makes me want to cry with joy,” said Jewish Women’s foundation INSPIRE intern and Hillel member Alison Zywicki.
The group admitted they weren't expecting the number of attendees to exceed seating capacity but were amazed by the turn out.
“This amount of people is really exciting,” said Hillel member Rachel Chocrion.
Troy senior John Wylie said he came due to his interest in history.
“Ten years from now we won’t have the same opportunity to experience hearing a Holocaust survivor speak first hand,” Wylie said.
Freshman Ben Comai said grew up on the History Channel and has always had an interest in World War II.
“This is a good chance to hear a first hand account of a Holocaust survivors story,” the history major said.
Lowenberg was five years old when Hitler came into power in 1933. Lowenberg speaks regularly at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Holocaust is the ancient greek word for total destruction by fire. During the Holocaust nearly 11 million people were killed.
“Imagine that one and half million beautiful children, who could have had a beautiful future and families— they were killed,” Lowenberg said.
Lowenberg was 15 when he was in taking to Kaiserwald concentration camp. He went on to survived being transferred to seven additional concentration camps. He now has 14 grandchildren. Lowenberg says his faith is what helped him to survive.
“If we remember the horrors we can uphold the words 'never again,'” Hillel vice president Steve Keene said.
More then 300 people stood and applauded at the end in honor of Lowenberg.
“Talking about (what happened during the Holocaust) is important,” Lowenberg said. “People need to know and learn from the past.”
