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.
Max Eisen's
Story
The Holocaust in Hungary & Czechoslovakia
While historically a legally emancipated and largely assimilated population, particularly in urban areas, Hungary’s 450,000 Jews faced increasing legal discrimination in the 1930s due to the policies of Miklós Horthy, a right-wing authoritarian ruler who had led the country since 1920. Horthy’s government maintained friendly diplomatic relations with Nazi Germany and implemented antisemitic policies, including 1938 racial laws based on the Nuremberg laws. Backed by the Nazis, Hungary annexed nearby territories from Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Yugoslavia in 1939 and 1940. The invasion of these areas, combined with the arrival of Jewish refugees from other, bought the country’s Jewish population to over 800,000 by 1944. From 1939 to 1944, Jews in Hungary, though the target of state-sponsored antisemitism, were not ghettoized or deported to concentration camps or killing centres.
This relative safety ended abruptly in March 1944 when, after the breakdown of the alliance between Horthy’s government and the Nazis, Hungary was invaded by Germany and a puppet government installed. Within just a few months, between May and July 1944, over 440,000 Hungarian Jews were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where most were murdered upon arrival. This operation was orchestrated by SS Officer Adolf Eichmann with the active cooperation of Hungarian authorities, including police and civil servants. While most Hungarian Jews were murdered at Auschwitz, tens of thousands were killed in Budapest by members of the fascist Arrow Cross party, which ruled Hungary from October 1944. This included around 10,000 who were shot on the banks of the Danube. By the end of the war, approximately 550,000 Hungarian Jews had been murdered in the Holocaust, leaving around 250,000 survivors.
Pre-War Jewish Life
Andy’s parents were from “ordinary, poor families” in Hungary. His parents, whom he
describes as a deeply loving couple, married in 1939; Andy was born in 1942, two
years before the country was invaded by Nazi Germany. Andy’s father and
grandfather were both swimming instructors, a talent Andy would inherit himself.
As a child, Andy lived with his parents and paternal grandparents in a small
courtyard apartment in Budapest. His family life was warm and close knit, with his
mother and grandmother providing strong female role models.
Timeline of Key Events in Max’s Life
March 15, 1929: Max is born in Moldova, Czechoslovakia.
Late 1941: Max’s father is deported to a forced labour camp.
1942: Max’s maternal family is deported to Majdanek and murdered there.
May 1944: Max’s family are arrested the day after the first night of Passover and deported
to Auschwitz.
July 1944: Max’s father and uncle are separated from him and murdered in the gas
chambers.
January 15th, 1945: Max is forced on a four-day death march out of Auschwitz. After 13
days of marching and another railway ride, Max arrives in Mauthausen. After three or four
days, he is marched to another camp in the Austrian city of Melk.
March 1945: Max is forced on another death march.
April 1945: Three weeks prior to liberation, the Nazis turned off the water supply and
refused to give out any more rations.
May 6th, 1945: Max is liberated by the Allies at Ebensee camp.
Discussion & Reflection Questions
1) Many Jews fled Germany in the 1930s because of the prolific antisemitic attitudes that
existed within the country. Did other countries accept the refugees? How were Jewish
refugees received in Canada and the rest of the world?
2) Did the Holocaust influence Canadians’ views of Canada’s treatment of First Nations
people?
3) How did German antisemitic propaganda affect Canadian people’s perspective of
Jewish people?
4) The last time Max saw his father, he asked his son to tell the world what had
happened at Auschwitz if he was able to survive. Max’s life goal became to educate
others about what happened during this tragedy. How does education counter hatred?
5) What do you think would be the most effective ways to teach others about the
Holocaust?
Activity Suggestions
1) Death March
a) Max Eisen’s journey during the Holocaust was long and harrowing. He describes
many days and nights he was forced to march while sick and exhausted
b) Using a map of Europe and details of his experience, map out where and how Max
was forced to move during the Holocaust.
c) Record exactly how many kilometers he was forced to march and where exactly he
was forced to stay.
2) Book Study
1. Max Eisen published his memoir, “By Chance Alone,” in 2016. In his memoir, he
describes his experiences both during and after the Holocaust
2. As a class, read the book and study his experiences.
3. What are the major themes of the book? What new things did you learn about the
Holocaust by reading it? Why do you think Max chose to write this book? Why do you
think he chose the title “By Chance Alone”?
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