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.
Vera Schiff's
Story
The Holocaust in Czechoslovakia
During the Holocaust, the Jewish population of Czechoslovakia faced devastating persecution and destruction under Nazi occupation. After the 1938 Munich Agreement, Nazi Germany annexed the Sudetenland, and in March 1939, it occupied the rest of Bohemia and Moravia, turning it into a German Protectorate. Jews in these areas were subjected to anti‑Jewish laws, exclusion from public life, property confiscation, and forced labor. Beginning in 1941, mass deportations to ghettos and extermination camps such as Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and others were carried out. Theresienstadt, located within the Protectorate, was used as a transit and propaganda camp, where many Czech Jews perished from starvation, disease, or were later deported to death camps.
In Slovakia, which became a Nazi‑allied puppet state under Jozef Tiso, anti‑Jewish policies were implemented quickly and harshly. Roughly 70,000 Slovak Jews were deported in 1942, with most sent to Auschwitz and other extermination camps. While deportations temporarily stopped due to international pressure, they resumed after the 1944 Slovak National Uprising and the subsequent Nazi re‑occupation. By the end of World War II, approximately 260,000 of the pre‑war Jewish population of Czechoslovakia—about two‑thirds—had been murdered. The Holocaust left a deep scar on the country, wiping out centuries of vibrant Jewish culture and community.
Pre-War Jewish Life
Vera characterises her pre-war life as beautiful, sheltered, and comfortable. Her father held a high-ranking position as a lawyer in the country’s finance ministry, and the family—Vera, her older sister, and her parents—led a comfortable, middle-class life. The family were assimilated into Czechoslovakian society, and Vera experienced little antisemitism until the Nazi invasion of 1939.
Timeline of Key Events in Vera's Life
1926: Vera is born in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
March 15th, 1939: Prague is invaded by the Germany Army as the Nazis occupy
Czechoslovakia.
May 8th, 1942: Vera and her family are deported to Theresienstadt.
Early 1943: Vera’s sister dies of an infection in the camp.
1944: Vera’s parents die in the camp.
May 8th, 1945: Vera is liberated by the Red Army.
1945: After her liberation, Vera returns to Prague.
1949: Vera and her husband move to Israel.
1960: Vera and her family emigrate to Canada.
Discussion & Reflection Questions
1. What warning signs of the Holocaust does Vera Schiff describe before the Nazi
occupation of Czechoslovakia? How might these signs help us understand how hate and discrimination can slowly grow into widespread violence?
2. How did Vera’s life and freedoms change after the Nazi occupation? In what ways did laws and daily restrictions isolate and dehumanize Jewish people?
3. What does Vera’s story tell us about resilience, family, and the role of allies (like her father’s friend) during times of persecution? Why do some people choose to help even when it’s dangerous?
4. What emotions did Vera describe upon liberation, and what challenges did she face even after the war ended? How did her struggles continue, even in freedom?
5. Vera describes the shift from a peaceful childhood in democratic Czechoslovakia to being persecuted as a Jew. What lessons can we learn about how prejudice and propaganda can escalate in a society?
Activity Suggestions
“Freedom is not a gift for free”
Consider this quote by Vera. What does she mean by this?
Write a short reflection considering “how can we apply this message to our lives in Canada today?
In groups or as a class, discuss why it is important to protect democracy and stand up to injustice. How can we make a difference in modern society?
Survival and healing
What does Vera say in her testimony about her experience of healing and building a life after the Holocaust?
In groups or individually, research what happened to Holocaust survivors after the war. How did they recover physically and psychologically? How did they rebuild their lives and find out what happened to their families?
(Optional) as a class or in groups, discuss how Canada and Canadians can help support others who’ve experienced similar traumas?
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