Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor delivers profound learning moment for Penn High School students

Posted on May 24, 2016

A profound sense of history swept across the studio theater at Penn High School on Friday, May 13th, when Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor visited Penn High School and shared her story with students.

Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor speaks to Penn High School students.

 

By KENNEDY PARKER

Penn High School Student Reporter

 

A profound sense of history swept across the studio theater at Penn High School on Friday, May 13th, when Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor visited Penn High School and shared her story with students.

 

Kor discussed how at age 10, she and her family were taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp from their home in Romania. When they arrived, she and her twin sister Miriam were separated from the rest of their family and were placed in the cruel hands of Dr. Mengele, in which they were subject to horrific scientific experiments. The twins would be measured, have blood drawn until they fainted, and endure countless injections of substances unknown to them. After viewing the horrors that took place in the concentration camp, Kor made a silent vow that she would not let herself or her sister die. The sisters relied on each other for strength. They later learned that if one twin in Dr. Mengele’s experiments died, he would then kill the other twin as well. When Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviet Army in 1945, the girls went to live in Romania with their aunt.

 

Kor now lives in Terre Haute, Ind. She founded the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center. She authored the book, Surviving the Angel of Death: The True Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz. Proceeds from the book benefit the CANDLES Center, which was rebuilt after it was destroyed by arson in 2003.

 

Despite all that she has been through, Kor holds no bitterness towards those who have hurt her. She shared how she learned to forgive the Nazis, Dr. Mengele, and all of those who have brought pain into her life. She said that even though she was free, she still felt weighed down by her past, and it wasn’t until she realized that she had the power to forgive that she finally felt renewed. No one can take away her power to forgive, and forgiveness is the best form of revenge. Living with hurt and pain allows the transgressors to continue to further the hurt, but forgiveness disarms transgressors and renders them unable to continue causing hurt.

 

Principal Steve Hope said, “We are so very thankful for the efforts of Penn U.S. History teacher Dominic Ball along with the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley in providing our students to listen and to speak with an actual holocaust survivor. We want our students to … join us in standing against intolerance, anti-Semitism, racism, and hate crimes …. Our students and all of us need to stand up to hate with courage and tenacity.”

 

Penn U.S. History teacher Kylie Hamm said that Kor’s talk was an amazing learning opportunity for Penn students.

 

“One of the reasons learning history is so important is that history is our collective memories as humans.  With every generation there are new lessons that are learned…  For our students to have the opportunity to hear a first hand account of this experience [the Holocaust] is a once in a lifetime event. My hope as a teacher and a human is that they will then share her story. It is our duty as human beings to remember for those who can’t. By having Ms. Kor speak to our students, we are giving them a past that they can then use as armor in the future when they come up against violence and hatred in the world they will someday create.”

 

Penn junior Spencer Kilmer had the opportunity to listen to Kor with his history class.

 

Hearing Eva Kor was like listening to the progress of history itself,” he said. Her journey is enough to make anyone lose faith in humanity, yet what I saw in Eva was peace. Her story of forgiveness to those who had wronged her was eye opening. If she can forgive those who imprisoned her in Auschwitz, there is no reason for me to hold anything against those who have wronged me. She said that forgiveness is the only power that no one can take away from you, and that choosing to forgive is a freedom and a control that can’t be denied.  The wisdom in these words is something I will surely remember.”

 

Penn freshman Easton Meyer attended the event with the cast of “The Last Train,” next year’s competition show, in which he will be playing the role of Hans. Kor’s message that “forgiveness is the best revenge” was one that greatly impacted him. Since the show is set during the holocaust, meeting a holocaust survivor will allow the actors and actresses to put the show into perspective.

 

Having the opportunity to meet a holocaust survivor was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that everyone in attendance will surely never forget.  

 

Last Modified January 12, 2022