Last Thursday I, Darrell, met Ms. Firestone along with the rest of the members in my group. When I was first told that we would be interviewing Holocaust survivors I was a bit nervous. And then when I was told some of the problems to expect when meeting a survivor I began developing an escape plan. Just imagining calling someone or meeting with them for an assignment and them not feeling comfortable to talk about their traumatic experiences or just not being physically capable caused me to panic. I started figuring with my luck, I'd be getting swiped at by a man with a cane, telling me to get the hell out of here, how he changed his mind and didn't want to talk anymore. So once our CSUN professor Dr. Clark asked if anyone was free on Thursdays because Renee Firestone gave lectures every week at the Museum of Tolerance I jumped at the chance, figuring anyone who told their story weekly would be more comfortable sharing.
So after Karen set the date for us all to meet Ms. Firestone, and having nothing to be afraid of, I decided to try and do some research about her, to fill in any blanks she may leave in the lecture, as well as to have some guided follow up questions to ask her. After finding out there were several films about her (one of which she has very generously offered to send to us, which is awesome. I believe she said there are two copies, she has one, and Spielberg has the other), I felt unprepared for not viewing the documentary The Last Days, before our first meeting. I was however able to view some interviews of her on truveo.com. The most intriguing of these interviews was a panel that included the director of The Last Days along with Renee Firestone and three other survivors included in the documentary. http://www.truveo.com/charlie-rose-a-panel-discussion-about-the/id/2686196323. That is the link for any interested parties. During this panel discussion/interview Ms. Firestone talks about how during the filming of the documentary she discovered that her sister was experimented on, and is actually able to confront the doctor that did the experiments. This information alone sparked my desire to hear more of her story. I remember telling Karen at the museum that I wanted to ask her more about that, but I wasn't sure it was appropriate. But luckily during the question part of the lecture she talked about it. I remember how angry and emotional I got, hearing her tell us how the doctor told her matter-of-factly that yes he conducted experiments on her sister, but they weren't anything harmful, but they had to kill her sister so she wouldn't go back into the general population and tell everyone that they conducted experiments on them. Hearing this renewed all the passion I felt the night before, thinking I need to go to Europe and find this doctor. It is insane to me that he has gotten away with this all these years. I could easily bump into this 90 plus year old man or knock his wheel chair over (if he's resigned to one) real accidental like and at the very least he'd break some bones. Ms. Firestone is clearly more forgiving than I am and I'm not even directly involved. She said hurting or killing this old man wouldn't prove anything, I believe she said all she wanted was an apology.
Lastly I just want to add a comment I saw while viewing that video clip. When I saw it I was disturbed by it. I wanted to argue against it, but I noticed it was posted in November and probably wouldn't be checked by the person it would be intended for.
NewYorkRob 11/13/2009 09:38 AM Report I find this story very hard to believe. I don't see any signs of torture. Where? And where has Ms Zisblatt been all these years? Why is she suddenly coming out now with her tale? Why should we believe her? It's over. I wasn't even born yet. Why is this being shoved down my throat?
I realize this is probably some kid with no real outlook on life or a broad perspective in the world in general so I can't condemn him too harshly. But the fact is there are adults that share this idea of why should I care? Ms. Firestone made a great point about it is relevant because at the time Germany was one of the most cultured and civilized countries in the world. So that means there is something underlying in human nature that shows we are all capable of this brutality. If you are ignorant of atrocities like the Holocaust and haven't done any kind of investigation into how things arrived at that awful conclusion then when the warnings signs show themselves again in some other avenue, you'll be completely oblivious. And on that note I'll end with two quotes: If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development - Aristotle, and, the past does not repeat itself, but it rhymes - Mark Twain
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Lily's thoughts before meeting Renee Firestone
As much as there is some information about Renee Firestone as a wonderful woman and as a survivor, I wanted to share my experience... Before we had the opportunity to meet with her last Thursday, March 18th, I was anxious to meet her, however I didn't REALLY know what to expect. It was obvious to me that hearing ANY person talk about a subject that heavy would be tough to stomach for infinite reasons. My mind raced with thoughts on my drive to meet her. I didn't know how many relatives she lost, what she had to go through, and when it comes to the Holocaust the worst you can possibly imagine is usually pretty spot on. When i got to the museum I met Karen who was the only CSUN student there. I hadn't met her yet, so I was really excited to finally meet her after all of the emails we had been rallying back and forth about setting this date up. We anxiously waited for Alyssa and Darrell to come meet us so we could tour the Museum of Tolerance. We were finally all united and we started to glance around and see the museum (Which is an unbelievable museum and I highly recommend everyone go if they get the chance!). 2:15 struck and it was time to get seated to hear Renee's story. It was rather intimate, granted there were about 5-10 other people we did not know listening as well. 90% of the time that Renee was telling her stories, i had chills, not just because it was gut wrenching but because her stories were so vivid that it was easy for me to make detailed mental visuals. During the story I was mesmerized, although all I wanted to do was jump up and give her a hug and tell her how much I respect her and how much I value her existence. When she completed telling the story to us, we as the 4 group introduced ourselves and had some private time to ask her some personal questions. She was so happy to tell us everything and i cannot wait to go back and visit her again. This was hands down one of the most unbelievable experiences of my entire life. Renee Firestone is truly a hero and a remarkable woman for being as strong as she is. After our encounter with Renee, and after touring the museum, I was driving home and literally felt like the luckiest most fortunate person in the world. I felt like I didn't have a worry in the world and I looked at humankind in a different light. Hearing her story was an entirely eye-opening experience. Aside from how inspirational Renee's story was, the museum made me re-think different prejudices people have towards one another and made me want to be a better person on so many different levels. This journey we are on is definitely life changing and has made me more excited to go visit Poland in June and learn more about the Holocaust, where it took place, why it happened, why it was able to occur for so long, how Hitler was able to maintain the amount of control he did, and the different ways that 6 million Jews were massacred.
Karen's experience meeting Ms. Firestone
Hello fellow bloggers. Karen here with a brief history on Renee Firestone as I understand it since attending her speech. She started her speech with a brief history of the time, Hitlers ascent to Chancelor of Germany in 1933, and allowed her audience to answer some questions she posed. "Why was this attack on humankind so attrocious at the time?" An audience menber answered, "this was done by a civilized nation not an uncivilised one." To which she answered, "yes." Renee was 14 and living with her family in Czechoslovakia when they received the news in regards to Kristallnacht in 1938 in which the Nazis destroyed Jewish businesses, synagogues and homes. Her brother was to receive his honors in highschool at this time, but before that could take place Hungary invaded Czecheslovakia and forced the Jews under rules. Their former friends and neighbors had to break all contact with them fearing the threat of death. It was decided that her brother was to receive his diploma, but the day before the ceremony he disappeared along with his fellow Jews. He was accused of being a communist and because he was of millitary age, he was taken to a forced labor camp. In September of 1939, Hitler and Stalin agreed to take over Poland. The land in between would be that of mass graves. In 1944 Renee and her family were still at home, but living under the rules. Renee stated that she never understood why the Chancelor of Hungry (an anti-semite)did not kill all of the Jews at the time of Hungary rule. At the age of 20 Renee and her family were rounded up and transported by cattle car to Auschwitz with the promise they were being transported to a German work camp. The ride lasted 4 and a half days with no food or water. In the middle of the trip, the German soldiers would stop the train and state to the people that if they had any valuables they must give them up now. They had already given these things up, but the soldiers would kill people off the trains as the people inside heard the shooting. This was just done to get rid of people and create fear among the rest. She arrived at Auschwitz with her sister (her mother and father being transported in another cattlecar) and expected to be at a work camp for the Germans which they were told before the journey. She got off the train and got into a line of people being told where to go. The line she was in was managed by Dr. Mangala (forgive me if I don't know the correct spelling) who was a known killer. She was told to go to the left, but her sister was not. She held her sister's hand and would not let go. She told her sister to follow her and they both went to the left. People afterwards told her she should be dead for that move. She was not able to keep her sister with her unfortunately. Her fate was in the hands of Dr. Munch (which we have placed a link to her discussion of meeting him years later)which reveals the fate of her sister. She was experimented on and then shot rether than returning her to the camp to tell her story.
Renee's biggest problems stemming from this time seem to be the "terrifying unknown" of her fate and the fact that she never had any closure as to the rest of her family (until that of her sister's years after).
She is so well spoken and engaging as a speaker that I had to ask her after she spoke, "how did you first begin to tell your story." She related the story of how she was contacted by a man, involved with Simon Wiesenthal and his endeavors to create the Museum of Tolerance, who wanted her to share her story with the public. She said that she laughed at him and then hung up the phone. Days after that, she had her first survivor nightmare in which she woke up hearing her own voice saying, "they said this would never happen again." That along with the fact that a synagoge in the Los Angeles area had been burned overnight compelled her to contact him and begin her life's work. Renee was a professor at UCLA in fashion design at the time and doing quite well.
Renee's biggest problems stemming from this time seem to be the "terrifying unknown" of her fate and the fact that she never had any closure as to the rest of her family (until that of her sister's years after).
She is so well spoken and engaging as a speaker that I had to ask her after she spoke, "how did you first begin to tell your story." She related the story of how she was contacted by a man, involved with Simon Wiesenthal and his endeavors to create the Museum of Tolerance, who wanted her to share her story with the public. She said that she laughed at him and then hung up the phone. Days after that, she had her first survivor nightmare in which she woke up hearing her own voice saying, "they said this would never happen again." That along with the fact that a synagoge in the Los Angeles area had been burned overnight compelled her to contact him and begin her life's work. Renee was a professor at UCLA in fashion design at the time and doing quite well.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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