By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Ortonville— Their belongings were stripped away, their identities stolen then replaced with tattooed numbers, and for over six million Jews, their lives were abruptly ended. While the goal of the Holocaust from 1933-1945, was to entirely wipe out the Jewish population using any means possible, the memories of those who miraculously survived remain.
From 6:30-7:30 p.m., Sept. 3, the Brandon Township Public Library, 304 South St., Ortonville will host “Last Train to Auschwitz” 80th anniversary. July 31, 1944 marked the last train which was often used to bring Jewish individuals to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. Only 5% of those transported survived the camp.
“I hope to provide a new angle to this moment in history by concentrating some attention on the impact of the trains utilized, and the massive role they played during this time,” said Lorry Traver, Public Services Librarian, Brandon Township Library, who extensively researched the Holocaust and will present her study.
The account includes pre-recorded interviews sharing personal stories of several holocaust survivors, along with countless historical photographs highlighting influential moments during and after the Holocaust.
“There are currently 245,000 Holocaust survivors globally,” she said. “I believe it is our privilege and duty to ensure that their memories, along with all Holocaust victims, are preserved and passed down to each new generation.”
For additional information and to register, visit Brandon Township Public Library’s website at https://www.brandonlibrary.org or call 248-627-1460.