Last week I had a once in a life time opportunity fall
directly into my lap. It was one that I will never forget.
I had the opportunity to visit Grace College and hear a
Holocaust survivor tell her story. It was by far on of the most humbling
experiences of my life. I was invited to go hear her on a Friday, read this
survivor's book on a Sunday, and went to hear her presentation on Tuesday. I
was beyond excited to go and see her (hopefully meet her).
Eva Mozes Kor was only 10 years old when she was placed in
Auschwitz. While everyone else around her was heading for certain death, she
managed to will herself and her twin sister through countless disturbing
experiments and exercises during their captivity. Eva and her twin sister were
under the supervision of Josef "The Angel of Death" Mengele.
In short here is her story...
After just a few weeks, Eva and her family were packed into
a cattle car and transported to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. After 70
hours without food or water, Eva and her family stepped onto the selection
platform at Auschwitz.
After just a few minutes, Eva and her twin sister were
separated from her father and two older sisters. She would never see them
again. Soon after, the girls were approached by an officer yelling,
"Twins! Twins!" When her mother said that Eva and her sister Miriam
were indeed twins, they were taken from their mother, whom they also never saw
again.
Eva and Miriam became part of a group of children used as
human guinea pigs in experiments under the direction of Dr. Josef Mengele.
Approximately 1500 sets of twins were subjected to these experiments, and most
died as a result. Evan Eva herself became deathly ill. Mengele would give one
twin up to five shots every other day of various illnesses and drugs. He would
then measure the effects compared to the healthy twin. Eva was so sick she was
near death, but she lived and helped Miriam survive.
Approximately 200 children were found alive by the Soviet
Army after the liberation of the camp on January 27, 1945. Eva and Miriam Mozes
were among them. After everything that had happened to her, exactly fifty years
to the day of the camp's liberation, Eva Mozes Kor publicly forgave Mengele and
all Nazis for their crimes. She was actually at a document signing at Auschwitz
when she made her public statement of forgiveness. How could anyone forgive
those cruel individuals? How could she forgive those who stripped her of her
family and her innocent childhood? This concept is mind blowing to me!
Eva describes the power she now had over her perpetrators.
She had the amazing power to forgive. Her power was not one that harmed another
or gave someone else something of value. Eva's power to forgive the Nazis was
her way to heal herself from the nightmares of her haunted past. She said that
an incredible weight of suffering was lifted and she felt strong. Offering her
forgiveness (to those whom did not deserve such grace) healed Eva, but it did
not mean she would forget.
She will forgive and not forget... She will forgive and
heal. She isn't healing the pain of others, but she is healing her pain. So
powerful. As hard as it to rap my mind around the fact that she has forgiven
such cruel individuals, she firmly believes and honestly showed the audience
(of 2,500 plus) that she was a thousand times better for it.
If she can forgive the Nazis that systematically killed over
six million Jews, why can't I forgive anyone that has trespassed against me?
I will forever be grateful to my cousin Cheryl for inviting
me to hear Eva speak. Due to her kindness, I was able to inform my classes
about the seminar. I had four students make the half hour drive to Warsaw. I'm
not going to lie, the experience was doubled when I saw that I had students
there too. All we could talk about the next day in class was Eva Kor and her
amazing story.
In the end, I was able to listen to an amazing 80 year old
Holocaust survivor and gain a completely new view on life. I also had the honor
to meet her. After standing in line with my cousin, we were able to get our
books signed. When she signed it, she wrote nice and big, "Forgive and
Heal". #RiseTalk
Find out more about Eva Mozes Kor:
Welcome to the world of blogging. :) I still get chills when I think about listening to Eva speak. She is the definition for forgiveness. I am so glad you went with me, it was nice to share the experience with someone equally invested into something so astounding and historical. I know I won't forget her words and strength. I am guessing there are about 2,500 more people still carrying her words today. Once in a lifetime without a doubt.
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