SWR middle schoolers learn lessons of hope, resilience from Holocaust survivor
History books can tell the story of the Holocaust, but few lessons are as powerful as hearing it from someone who lived through it.
Albert G. Prodell Middle School students had the chance to meet survivor and author Marion Blumenthal Lazan on Oct. 20, listening to her story of living through the Holocaust.
Ms. Blumenthal Lazan, 91, survived Bergen-Belsen, a concentration camp in Germany. A documentary about her story, “Marion’s Triumph,” was released in 2003.
She told students her story as a child during the Holocaust, offering seventh and eighth graders a firsthand account of the hardship, loss and perseverance she had endured. She emphasized the importance of hope, kindness and compassion.
“Although I’ve spoken to upwards of 2.5 million or so students and adults over these past 30 years, it still has not become easy,” Ms. Blumenthal Lazan said. “However, I do realize the importance of sharing that period of our history with you simply because in a few short years we will not be here any longer to give a firsthand account.
“Yours is the very last generation that will hear these stories firsthand, and I therefore ask you to please, please, share my story, or any of the Holocaust that you read and hear about.”
Throughout her presentation, Ms. Blumenthal Lazan emphasized the importance of continuing to pass down Holocaust survivors’ stories with younger generations. She encouraged students to carry these stories forward, ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten and that future generations understand the importance of standing against hatred and intolerance.
Students also had the opportunity to ask Ms. Blumenthal Lazan any questions that may be on their minds. She also gave out 150 signed copies of her book, “Four Perfect Pebbles,” which recounts her family’s experiences during the Holocaust, including her time at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
The book has been selected as Prodell Middle School’s BIG Read program through the end of November, which has students complete a shared reading to promote shared literary connections throughout the school.
Even before Ms. Blumenthal Lazan’s visit, students began exploring resources curated by the school library to deepen their understanding of the Holocaust and the historical context surrounding her experiences. They also signed welcome banners adorned with pebbles to symbolize Ms. Blumenthal Lazan’s book.
