Star of David

It was exactly 69 years ago today, April 23rd,1945, that Russian troops liberated our “Lost Transport” train which had been on a journey out of Concentration Camp Bergen-Belsen to “the East” for 14 horrendous days – with no food, no water, no medical supplies, and no toilets.

It was exactly 66 years ago today, April 23rd, 1948, that our Holland-America Line Veendam arrived in Hoboken, NJ, carrying my then family of 3, Mom, Albert, and me, to a new land, and to a new and wonderful life in our blessed United States of America.

It was on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, that I was privileged to share my Holocaust story with some 500 plus 6th-8th graders and faculty at the Hamilton Middle School in Parkersburg, West Virginia. It was Amy Ramsburg, a class room teacher in the school devoted to the teaching of the Holocaust, who was my contact for that visit.

And to mark today’s anniversary of liberation, an e-mail from Amy arrived with these simple words – “Here is what Hamilton did today to remember the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Hope all is well.” - Amy Ramsburg.

Look carefully at the photo, and you will see that a Hamilton Middle School student is holding aloft each of the many placards constituting the Yellow Star of David.

Amy – may G-D bestow his blessings on you, on all the students, and on all the faculty of Hamilton Middle School, for all that all of you have done so that we will always remember!

Love and hugs, 
Marion