If you are not attending B'game Historical Society quarterly meetings you are missing some great events like this and this. Yesterday's meeting was no exception as a local Holocaust survivor, author and educator spoke to the Society in the Lane Room.
Helen Farkas moved to B'game in 1962 and is still residing in the Mills Estates home that she and her late husband bought new. Her journey here is a long and painful one starting in Transylvania as it vascillated between being Romanian and Hungarian. Helen was able to describe how the slow descent towards the Holocaust began with anti-Semitic posters, confiscated radios (so they would not listen to Voice of America), wearing the yellow Star of David, etc. She was taken to Auschwitz with her family, separated from all but her sister, and eventually escaped during the Death March to Czechoslovakia.
Helen took some questions and offered her book for sale (Remember the Holocaust, 1995) that is offered in conjunction with Mercy High School (in SF) where the Farkas Center is located. Reading about the Holocaust is one thing, hearing about it as we did (and as 400 students at BHS did last week) is quite another. Here is Helen.
I'm sorry I missed it. Is it recorded and available to the public? Also, how does the Historical Society publicize these?
Posted by: JROC | February 24, 2014 at 10:17 PM
These are posted on the city list-serve, through posters around town, and also on our own website: burlingamehistory.org.
Parts of Helen's interview are (or will be) available through the library's website as part of the Living History Project that we have undertaken together.
Posted by: jennifer | February 25, 2014 at 09:00 AM
And don't forget, Society members get the newsletter mailed to them as well--time to join JROC! I recommend the life membership--easier for everyone involved.
Posted by: Joe | February 25, 2014 at 12:15 PM
I am so thankfull that people still present their and their familiies stories regarding The Holocaust.
The non stop wars around the world, that effect every person on the planet need to remember, and give thought to the loss of the Jews, Gypysies, Bosnians, Muslums, and Africans.
It is very disappointing that Religion is the catalist for evry single event.
Unfortunetally Religion is the "excuse" used to ralley the ignorant in Crimes aaginst Humanity.
Posted by: holyroller | February 25, 2014 at 03:25 PM
You are definitely right, Holy......so sad.
Posted by: jennifer | February 25, 2014 at 04:27 PM
Dera Jennifer,
Is it not crazy that the people invovlved in these events are educated, for the most part rational as well.
At some point the people who keep these wars going have a financial and ego that no matter the outcome, will never have enough.
Where are the Angels?
The closest thing in the world we have to Angels are the US Military and Money.
I guess it is better than nothing.
Or maybe we should just let everybody just "hack it out."
Then deal with the winners.
If there were no airplanes,or Polio Vaccine this would be considered The Middle Ages."
Posted by: holyroller | February 25, 2014 at 07:40 PM