Live from Xavier High School...

ORIGINAL LIVESTREAM DATE: APRIL 3, 2024
FROM XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL | CEDAR RAPIDS, IA

Presentation made possible by the Thaler Holocaust Memorial Fund: HolocaustEducate.org

Erika Schwartz, one of the youngest Holocaust survivors born in a Hungarian ghetto in 1944, faced skepticism about her survivor status until recent years. Despite losing her entire family before age four, it wasn't until her seventies that her story gained recognition. Her father's efforts allowed her and her mother to escape to Budapest, where they lived under false identities. Schwartz's mother's trauma led to a transient lifestyle, impacting Schwartz's upbringing and mental health. Overcoming depression and self-doubt, Schwartz now shares her story to educate about the Holocaust and combat rising antisemitism, urging vigilance against propaganda and division. Through her lectures, she imparts a message of resilience and hope, emphasizing the importance of understanding history's lessons to prevent future atrocities.