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 Vera Schiff
Transcription vidéo en français
L’Holocauste en Tchécoslovaquie
Pendant l’Holocauste, la population juive de Tchécoslovaquie subit une persécution dévastatrice et une destruction massive sous l’occupation nazie. Après les accords de Munich de 1938, l’Allemagne nazie annexa les Sudètes, puis, en mars 1939, occupa le reste de la Bohême et de la Moravie, qu’elle transforma en Protectorat allemand.Les Juifs de ces régions furent soumis à des lois antijuives, exclus de la vie publique, dépossédés de leurs biens et soumis au travail forcé. À partir de 1941, des déportations massives vers des ghettos et des camps d’extermination, notamment Theresienstadt, Auschwitz et d’autres, furent organisées. Theresienstadt, situé dans le Protectorat, fut utilisé comme camp de transit et de propagande. De nombreux Juifs tchèques y moururent de faim ou de maladie, tandis que d’autres furent ensuite déportés vers des camps de la mort.En Slovaquie, devenue un État fantoche allié des nazis sous la direction de Jozef Tiso, les politiques antijuives furent mises en œuvre rapidement et brutalement. Environ 70 000 Juifs slovaques furent déportés en 1942, la plupart vers Auschwitz et d’autres camps d’extermination. Bien que les déportations aient été temporairement interrompues sous la pression internationale, elles reprirent après le soulèvement national slovaque de 1944 et la réoccupation nazie qui suivit.À la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, environ 260 000 Juifs de la population juive tchécoslovaque d’avant-guerre, soit environ les deux tiers, avaient été assassinés. L’Holocauste laissa une profonde cicatrice dans le pays, effaçant des siècles de culture et de vie communautaire juives.
La vie juive avant la guerre
Vera décrit sa vie d’avant-guerre comme belle, protégée et confortable. Son père occupait un poste important comme avocat au ministère des Finances du pays, et la famille, composée de Vera, de sa sœur aînée et de leurs parents, menait une vie confortable de classe moyenne.La famille était assimilée à la société tchécoslovaque, et Vera connut peu d’antisémitisme jusqu’à l’invasion nazie de 1939.
Chronologie des événements marquants de la vie de Vera
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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