Holocaust survivors share tales of perseverance

Three women who survived the Holocaust personified history-book lessons for an intimate group of students Monday night.

Although each woman detailed grim horrors, they all focused on their tales of perseverance and the need to put an end to the social mores that allow genocide to occur.

“When survivors get together, I don’t think we compete for who had the most parasites or who was the hungriest or who was the coldest,” said Renee Link, a survivor from Holland.

“I just want to ask all of us to guard against incoherence, injustice and intolerance.”

The three sat among a group of 22 students in the Carmichael Ballroom, sharing dinner and close-knit conversation.

Marianne Roberts was the first to offer her story and recounted the day when 40 armed men broke through her front door.

“It will always be in my mind, and I can never forget that day,” she said. “I said, ‘It’s now or never; if I don’t dash through them now, then there’ll be nothing left of me.’”

Roberts ultimately was able to flee Germany on a visa, leaving the country in the middle of the night.

Although she said her sister has never spoken of the experience, Roberts has told her tale at numerous events.

“I am not a bitter person, which is something to be grateful for,” she said. “To me it’s a catharsis, actually, to make speeches and talk about it. It does a lot of good for a lot of people.”

Link, who was only 4 years old when her parents gave her to another family for protection, said she once was like Roberts’ sister but ultimately decided it was important to share her story.

“I want to give a face to 1 1/2 million children who didn’t perish and were murdered,” she said, noting that 90 percent of Jewish children did not survive.

The final survivor to speak was Barbara Rodbell, who used the Holland underground and fake identification to outwit the Nazis.

After capturing the audience with stories of neighbors who committed suicide in the face of danger and retelling her final goodbye to her family, Rodbell challenged students to question what the Holocaust means.

She stressed that people must remember the event not just to avoid future attacks on Jews but to avoid attacks on any group.

The conversation kicked off the annual Holocaust Remembrance Week, co-sponsored by N.C. Hillel and the Carolina Union Activities Board. The Campus Y also co-sponsored the dinner.

Students said they seized the opportunity to hear the stories because the last generation of survivors is growing thin.

“Every story is unique, and it’s another story you can tell,” said N.C. Hillel President Mark Sussman. “These are the last remaining survivors.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.