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.
L’histoire de Gerda Freiberg
Transcription vidéo en français
The Holocaust in Poland
En 1939, environ 3,3 millions de Juifs vivaient en Pologne, ce qui en faisait la plus grande communauté juive d’Europe. En 1939, l’Allemagne nazie envahit la Pologne, et le pays fut divisé entre l’Allemagne et l’URSS, qui occupa sa moitié orientale.
Des ghettos furent établis dans des villes à travers la Pologne, notamment à Łódź et à Varsovie. Les ghettos étaient des zones fermées dans lesquelles les Juifs étaient obligés de vivre. Les conditions dans les ghettos étaient délibérément brutales, marquées par la surpopulation et la malnutrition. Des milliers de personnes moururent de maladie, de faim ou de mauvais traitements dans les ghettos. Après l’invasion nazie de l’URSS en 1941, l’ensemble du pays passa sous contrôle nazi et devint l’épicentre de la Solution finale.
En 1942, les nazis commencèrent à déporter les Juifs des ghettos vers des camps de concentration et des centres de mise à mort, notamment Auschwitz et Treblinka. La plupart des déportés furent gazés à leur arrivée, tandis que d’autres furent utilisés comme travailleurs forcés dans le système concentrationnaire nazi.
En 1943, les derniers habitants du ghetto de Varsovie se soulevèrent contre les nazis. Bien que brutalement réprimé, ce soulèvement, ainsi que d’autres actes semblables à travers la Pologne, demeure un puissant symbole de la résistance juive pendant l’Holocauste.
En fin de compte, environ 90 % de la population juive polonaise d’avant-guerre fut assassinée pendant l’Holocauste, et la plupart des survivants ne retournèrent jamais dans leurs foyers d’avant-guerre.
La vie juive avant la guerre
Les parents d’Andy venaient de familles « ordinaires et pauvres » en Hongrie. Ses parents, qu’il décrit comme un couple profondément aimant, se sont mariés en 1939. Andy est né en 1942, deux ans avant l’invasion du pays par l’Allemagne nazie.Le père et le grand-père d’Andy étaient tous deux moniteurs de natation, un talent dont Andy hériterait lui-même. Enfant, Andy vivait avec ses parents et ses grands-parents paternels dans un petit appartement donnant sur une cour intérieure à Budapest. Sa vie familiale était chaleureuse et très unie, sa mère et sa grand-mère lui offrant de solides modèles féminins.
Timeline of Key Events in Gerda’s Life
October 12th, 1925: Gerda is born in Bielschowitz, Upper Silesia, Poland
September 1st, 1939: Germany invades Poland; Gerda’s hometown is evacuated due to its
proximity to the border.
October 19th, 1939: Gerda’s father is arrested by the Nazis.
March 6th, 1940: Gerda, her mother, and sister are deported to the Jaworzno ghetto.
February 1942: Gerda’s sister is arrested and sent to a labour camp in the Sudetenland.
April 11th, 1942: Gerda is arrested and taken to a holding camp and sent by train to the
same camp as her sister.
Summer 1942: Gerda’s mother escapes the deportation of the ghetto’s population to
Auschwitz by jumping off a truck and hiding in the town’s Jewish cemetery.
Summer 1942: Gerda’s mother joins them after travelling to the camp to find her
daughters.
May 8, 1945 – Gerda and her mother and sister are liberated by the British Army.
1945-1949: Gerda and her family live in a Displaced Persons camp in Germany.
1949: Gerda immigrates to Israel.
1952: Gerda immigrates to Canada.
Discussion & Reflection Questions
What role did family bonds play in Gerda’s survival, and how did they give her a sense of purpose during captivity?
How does Gerda’s story help us understand the psychological impact of long-term dehumanization and forced labour?
What does her mother’s decision to hide and later rejoin her daughters say about courage and agency during the Holocaust?
Why is it important to hear stories like Gerda’s in her own words rather than only through historical summaries?
How might Gerda’s post-war experience in refugee camps shape our understanding of “liberation” and its aftermath?
Activity Suggestions
Survivor Testimony Reflection Journal
Select a moment from Gerda’s testimony, such as her father’s arrest, her deportation, or her liberation
Write a journal entry from her perspective, describing her experiences and her emotions (Optional) as a class, discuss the themes of Gerda’s experience (e.g. resilience, family, identity)
Timeline Construction
Work in groups to create a detailed visual timeline of Gerda’s Holocaust journey using physical or digital materials
The timeline should include historical context, as well as significant events in Gerda’s life. (Optional) present your timeline to the class
Mapping Gerda’s Journey
Using historical maps of Europe, students trace Gerda’s path from Poland to Czechoslovakia On the map, identify locations such as ghettos, labour camps and displaced persons camps (Optional) as a class or in groups, discuss what each location meant for Gerda and what the themes of her story are (e.g. displacement, deportation, emigration)
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