****************************************************************************************** *************************************************************************************************************************************************** The following narrative about Marion`s Triumph was taken from PBS Station WILL in Champaign-Urbana, sponsoring station for Marion`s Triumph.
We are so very gratefull to WILL, and their entire staff, especially Henry Szujewski, WILL-TV Executive Producer, David Thiel, Program Director, and Mary Barrineau, Public Information Coordinator, for the dedicated work they did to bring this documentary to national TV. We thank them all for helping pass the legacy of the Holocaust on to future generations.
During the nightmare known as the Holocaust, the Nazis murdered 6 million Jews, including 1.5 million children.
Marion’s Triumph is a story about one survivor, Marion Blumenthal Lazan, who says her story is one Anne Frank might have told had she survived.
In 1938, Marion and her family were scheduled to leave for the United States as refugees from Nazi Germany. Just before they were to depart from Rotterdam, the Germans invaded Holland, bombing their ship. The family was trapped. They experienced six-and-a-half years of horror in Hitler’s camps, living an incredible story of near escapes, dashed hopes and tragedy. Finally they made it to America in 1948 using the tickets paid for 10 years earlier.
At the time of her liberation at age 10, Marion Blumenthal weighed 35 pounds. Today, she travels the world to bear witness as a member of the last generation of living Holocaust survivors. Her memoir, Four Perfect Pebbles, is in its 14th hardback printing by Greenwillow, a division of HarperCollins, and is taught in schools worldwide. Four Perfect Pebbles is also available in paperback by Avon, Scholastic Book Club, and has been translated into Dutch, German and Japanese.
Marion’s Triumph is an unusual Holocaust documentary that speaks to a young generation. Despite the horrors depicted,Marion’s Triumph presents a life-affirming, inspirational narrative of survival, reconciliation and the limits of endurance.
Los Angeles filmmaker John Chua said he wanted to make a documentary about the Holocaust after students at an Oakland, Calif., high school were reported to be laughing and heckling during a screening of Schindler’s List. “The incident was a major catalyst to lead me to create the documentary,” he said. He believed first-hand accounts of survivors would have more of an impact on students.
He had been working for the National Council of Teachers of English, and knew that teachers wanted more age-appropriate material to teach about Holocaust history.
“Marion had written a book (Four Perfect Pebbles – co-authored by Lila Perl) that was already widely used in schools. I discussed with her the possibility of putting her story in visual form, and then we were off,” said Chua. Illustrated with historical footage, photos and animated flashbacks, the documentary features all surviving members of the Blumenthal family, as well as additional narration from Debra Messing, star of television’s Will and Grace. WILL-TV is the sponsoring station for the program, which is being distributed to public television stations nationwide by American Public Television (APT).
Advisory: The program contains some graphic depiction of atrocities. It is suitable for ages 10 and up. A Teachers’ Guide is available from APT
More on Marion:
Marion Blumenthal Lazan, who has been living in New York for close to 50 years, began speaking publicly about her Holocaust experiences in 1979. She feels a calling to tell her story to as many people as possible, before all the witnesses to the Holocaust are gone. She gives a moving, first-hand account of life in concentration camps, and asks audiences to be tolerant of others. She stresses the importance of positive thinking as well as creativity and inner strength to overcome adversity.
Thank you, all, for the many calls made to your local PBS stations. As we get information as to day and time of the airing of MARION`S TRIUMPH in your area, we will try to let you know. Please tell and e-mail friends and relatives to watch the program. Make a note on your calendar. And, after viewing MT, please let your station know that you did.
The following is a (partial) listing, as we have it, of PBS stations showing their scheduled time of airing of Marion`s Triumph
Alabama Public Television, ALAB, Wednesday, April 6 at 10 PM
Arizona, Tempe, KAET Channel 8, Wednesday, April 13 at 10:30 PM, and Tuesday, April 19 at 4 AM
California, Redding, KIXE, Day & Time TBD
California, San Francisco, KCFM, Tuesday, May 5 at 10 PM
California, San Mateo, KCSM, Tuesday, May 10 at 10 PM
Florida, Jacksonville, WJCT, Monday, April 11 at 11 PM
Florida, Orlando, WMFE, Sunday, April 24
Florida, West Palm Beach, WXEL, Sunday, April 3 at 2 PM
Illinois, Carbondale, WSIU, Thursday, April 7 at 11 PM
Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, WILL, Thursday, April 28 at 8 PM
Illinois, Charleston-Mattoon, WEIU, Tuesday, April 9 at 9 PM
Illinois, Chicago, WTTW, Wednesday, June 1 at 10 PM
Illinois, Peoria / Pekin WTVP, Wednesday, April 13 at 9:30 PM
Illinois, Springfield, WMEC/WQEC/WSEC, Tuesday at 10 PM
Indiana, Indianapolis, WFYI/28 - WTBU, Wednesday Night, April 13 at 10:30 PM and Friday, April 15 at 1 AM
Iowa, Iowa Public Television IOWA, Wednesday, April 13 at 9:30 PM
Kansas, Wichita, KPTS/28, Saturday night, April 23 at 10 PM
Massachussets, Boston, WGBH, Sunday, May 1 at 10 PM, and Monday morning at 2 AM
Michigan, Grand Rapids, WGVU-TV, Sunday Night, April 3 at 11:30 PM
Minnesota, Duluth, WDSE, Thursday, April 7 at 7PM and Wednesday, April 27 at midnight
Mississipi Public Television, MISS, Monday, April 25 at 9:00 PM
Missouri, Joplin KOZJ and Springfield KOZK, Ozark Public Television, Sunday, April 17 at 3:30 PM
New York, New York, WNET Channel 13, Sunday, May 1 at 10 PM, and on Monday, May 2 at 2 AM, 9 AM and 3 PM
New York - Long Island, WLIW, Channel 21, Wednesday, April 13 at 10:00 PM, and on Thursday Morning, April 14 at 2:00 AM
New York, Syracuse, WCNY Channel 24, Tuesday, April 5 at 10 PM
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, WHYY, Sunday Afternoon, April 24 at 4:00 PM.
Pennsylvania, Pittsburg, WQED, Thursday Evening May 5 at 8 PM
Tennessee, Memphis WKNO Saturday Night, April 2 at 10 PM, and Sunday Morning, April 3 at 2 AM
Texas, San Antonio, KLRN, Sunday, April 24 at 6 PM, and Wednesday, April 27 at 4:30 AM
Texas, Waco, KWBU Channel 34, Tuesday, April 12 at 8 PM
Vermont Public Television, Monday, April 11 at 10 PM
Since just January, Nathaniel & I have been in Israel, Mississippi, Ohio and Kansas, as well as in schools and libraries in the New York tri-sate area. Here it is already April 1, and on Sunday, we leave for Memphis and Birmingham. Immediately upon our return, we are off to Germany for 10 days, where I will speak (in German) on the occasion of our 60th year of liberation! And upon our return from Germany, during the intermediate days of Passover, we will be in the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois area.
Yes, the schedule is filled to capacity. But, as grueling as it is, I know we must continue this mission until no longer able. The story of the Holocaust must be told, especially to our children, who are the very last generation to hear these stories first-hand.
And, as I tell my younger audiences, “if you remember only one of my messages from the presentation, let it be – “Be good and kind towards one another!”
Fondly,
Marion
