Inherited Memories: Keeping Holocaust Stories Alive

During the Holocaust, from 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, carried out the systematic persecution and murder of six million Jewish people. Millions of others including Roma, people with disabilities, political prisoners, and other targeted groups also suffered under Nazi rule. Families were forced from their homes, separated from loved ones, placed in ghettos and concentration camps, and stripped of their rights, identities, and freedoms. Despite unimaginable suffering, many individuals showed extraordinary courage, strength, and determination to survive. The Holocaust remains one of history’s darkest chapters and serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of hatred, prejudice, and silence.

Inherited Memories: Keeping Holocaust Stories Alive is a collection of those stories told by relatives and rewritten by the middle school students at Woodrow Wilson School in Neptune City, New Jersey. These are not just facts from a textbook, they are personal memories passed down through generations. Many of the stories you will read about come from survivors and, from their children and grandchildren, often called second and third generation survivors. By sharing these voices, we honor those who lived through unimaginable hardship and ensure their experiences continue to be remembered.

Each story is unique. Some tell of loss and suffering. Others reveal courage, resilience, and the will to survive. Together, they remind us of the importance of standing up against hatred, and prejudice.

As you read and learn from these voices, think about the responsibility we all share; to learn from the past, and to help build a future where such events never happen again.