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
Czechoslovakia was one of several states formed after the dissolution of the Austro‑Hungarian Empire in the aftermath of the First World War. According to prewar census data, Jews made up about 1.29% of the population, more than 260,000 people. In 1938, Nazi Germany invaded the Sudetenland, a predominantly German-speaking area on the Czechoslovakian-German border. The Annexation was effectively approved by France, Italy and Britain in the Munich Pact of the same year. Following the Pact, Czechoslovakian democracy collapsed, leading to a short-lived authoritarian regime. In 1939, the country was partitioned: Nazi Germany invaded Bohemia and Moravia, while Slovakia became an independent authoritarian state and Hungary annexed the country’s eastern provinces.
In the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, administered by Nazi Germany, antisemitic laws were quickly implemented. Deportations began in 1941, when Terezin (Theresienstadt) was converted from a garrison town to a ghetto/transit camp. The Nazis presented Theresienstadt as a “model ghetto” for propaganda purposes; in reality, conditions there were brutal, and most of those sent to Theresienstadt were subsequently deported to concentration camps and extermination centres like Auschwitz. In Slovakia, the country’s authoritarian regime, led by Jozef Tiso, implemented harsh antisemitic measures and deported tens of thousands of Jews to concentration camps and extermination centres. Ultimately, over two thirds of Czechoslovakian Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.
Pre-War Jewish Life
Max described the first ten years of his life as “wonderful.” He grew up in a middle-class family — his father owned a distillery and tavern while his grandfather had a lumber yard. Max had a large extended family; both his maternal and paternal side often came together for holidays. His whole family made up approximately 60 people. Max described his family as quite orthodox, and they often went to the synagogue.
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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