The lessons of the Holocaust figure prominently in FSWC’s education programs that promote the principles of inclusion, social justice and democratic values. In addition to the important historical facts behind Nazi Germany’s murder of six million Jews, we bring this dark chapter to life through the Holocaust survivor testimonies of those who, against all odds, survived the genocide.
Since the inception of FSWC, Holocaust survivors have discussed the horrors of concentration camps at our educational workshops and events. We are deeply grateful for their participation and for their strength in sharing their difficult personal journeys with young people, with the hope it will help prevent such a horrific tragedy in the future.
We are honoured to introduce you to some of the incredible men and women who have given so much of their time to contribute greatly to Holocaust education in Canada. The short summaries below and accompanying videos offer only a brief glimpse into the lived experience of antisemitism and trauma each of these people endured in their younger years duirng Holocaust.
Sadly, with the number of survivors constantly diminishing, the day is fast approaching when there won’t be anyone left who can give first-hand testimony of the excruciating reality Jews faced under the Nazis. All the more reason it is imperative to forever preserve and revisit these stories as part of the legacy of survivors.
Bill Glied's
Story
The Holocaust in Yugoslavia
After the Axis powers invaded and partitioned the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in April 1941, Bill’s hometown of Subotica was annexed by Hungary on the grounds that the majority of its population were ethnic Hungarians. Though the annexation was not considered legitimate internationally, the city was administered by the Hungarian government from then until March 1944, when Hungary was itself invaded by Nazi Germany. From 1941 to 1944, Subotica’s 6000 Jews were subject to Hungary’s antisemitic laws, implemented by its leader Miklós Horthy, a right-wing authoritarian ruler who had led the country since 1920. Though Hungary maintained a friendly relationship with Nazi Germany, the country’s Jewish population were not subject to
ghettoization or deportation during this period.
In March 1944, this situation of relative safety from the Final Solution changed with the invasion of Hungary by Nazi Germany. Subotica’s Jewish inhabitants were forced into a ghetto in April 1944, and like other Jews in Hungary, were now targeted for deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The deportation of Hungarian Jews was directed by SS Office Adolf Eichmann with the active support of local collaborators including the police and civil service. Jews from Subotica were, like 440,000 other Jews, deported to Auschwitz in 1944, where most were murdered on arrival in the camp’ s gas chambers. The city was retaken by Yugoslavian partisans in 1944 and became part of Yugoslavia once again. About 1,000 of the city’s Jews survived the Holocaust.
Pre-War Jewish Life
Bill grew up in Subotica, Yugoslavia, a multicultural town with Hungarian, Serbian and Jewish inhabitants. His parents and extended family all worked in the flour milling business. Bill and his sister, who was six years his junior, enjoyed a happy childhood with a close-knit family, going to the local school, playing with friends, and helping at the family flour mill. He recalls no antisemitism from his friends or adults in the town. Bill’s family observed the traditional Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat); each Friday night, he and his father would go to synagogue before returning to candles burning on the table and his mother dressed in customary white clothing. Bill’s father would then bless him and his
sister; Bill recalls these blessings as one of his most vivid memories from his childhood.
Timeline of Key Events in Andy’s Life
1930: Bill is born to a Jewish family in Subotica, Yugoslavia.
Spring 1942: Bill’s family’s flour mill is confiscated by the authorities; Bill, his sister
and his parents are forced to move in with Bill’s uncle.
1944: Bill is forced to wear a yellow star.
1944: Bill and his family are deported to Auschwitz in a boxcar.
1944: Bill and his family arrive at Auschwitz after two days and nights in the boxcar
without water; on arrival, his sister and mother are murdered. Bill and his father are
chosen for forced labour.
1944: Bill and his father are transferred to an underground factory to build airplane
engines for BMW.
1945: Nine days before liberation, Bill’s father dies of typhoid fever.
1945: Bill is sent on a death march by open coal car; the train comes under fire from
American planes and only 700 of the 3000 prisoners survive.
April 29, 1945: Bill is liberated from Dachau.
1947: Bill is among the first 1000 Jewish orphans admitted to Canada.
Discussion & Reflection Questions
1.What does Bill’s memory of his peaceful childhood reveal about life before the
Holocaust for many Jewish families in Europe?
2.How does hearing about ordinary customs, like family dinners and playing with
friends, impact your understanding of what was lost during the Holocaust?
3.How did the experience of being forced to wear the yellow star and face school
bullying mark a turning point in Bill’s life? What does this teach us about the early
signs of discrimination and how they were tolerated or ignored by society, including
schools?
4.Why do you think Bill’s father tried to reassure the family before deportation? What
does this reveal about how people coped with uncertainty and fear during the
Holocaust?
5.How does Bill’s reflection on accepting his father’s last piece of bread help us
understand the emotional and moral struggles faced in concentration camps? Why
might this memory
Activity Suggestions
Dual timeline
Provide students with a list of major WWII/Holocaust events (e.g., Hitler’s rise to power,Nuremberg Laws, Kristallnacht, invasion of Serbia, liberation of Auschwitz).o Ask students to create a timeline with two sides: One side with Bill Glied’s personalexperiences (e.g., yellow star in 1944, deportation, Auschwitz arrival, forced labor,liberation in 1945). The other side with key historical events occurring at the same time.o Students draw connections or write 2–3 sentences explaining how global eventsinfluenced or mirrored Bill’s life.
Letter from Bill
Students write a letter from Bill to a friend after his liberation, describing his experiencesand sharing his hopes and fears for the future. Students should reference at least 3specific events or details from his testimony.Optional: Students perform or read aloud their letter in small groups or class circle.
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