Holocaust survivor and author Magda Herzberger shared her story of survival with students and faculty at the Polytechnic campus last Thursday.
Herzberger was born into a Jewish family in Cluj, Romania. After World War II broke out, her family was taken to Auschwitz. Herzberger said she lost 80 percent of her family, including her father and uncle, but survived three concentration camps: Auschwitz, Bremen and Bergen-Belsen.
The 80-year-old Herzberger said she credits laughter, love and her belief in God for her longevity. Instead of having pity for herself, Herzberger said she decided to embrace life.
"We are sculptors of ourselves -- we can create a monster or an angelic figure. I like the angelic figure better," she said.
During her speech, a part of the Polytechnic campus' Women's History Month brown bag events, she recounted her struggle at Auschwitz.
She said she recalled a man directing a long line of people to the left or right in the camps -- left meant death, right meant life. Herzberger said she was kept on a starvation diet, and the type of work she did included removing rubble from cities that suffered from heavy bombing and carrying corpses.
Herzberger was moved to tears when she recalled the death marches. If someone stopped during the marches, they were shot on the spot, she said. Herzberger added she marched 30 kilometers from Bremen to Bergen-Belsen with no food or water.
"God was carrying me," she said. Half of the marchers perished.
Herzberger said other Holocaust survivors might not talk about it because the memories are too painful, and she respects that. But she said she will not remain silent, because she owes it to the Holocaust's 6 million other victims to keep their memories alive.
Herzberger said she made this promise to God as she was carried out of Bergen-Belsen by a British soldier after its liberation.
Herzberger worked with sufferers of typhus after liberation. Herzberger said 10,000 people died of typhus.
"I closed the eyes of the dying, and said a prayer for them," Herzberger said. "I would also hold their hand, so they could accept death a little easier."
Merri Hull, a biology sophomore, said she thought the presentation was amazing.
"I was inspired by Magda's faith in life, God and other humans during such a dark and tragic time as the Holocaust," she said. "I am thankful that she is willing to share her experiences and feelings on this piece of our world's history so that it will never be forgotten".
Marian Stone, an associate professor in the multimedia writing and technical communication program and member of the planning committee for Women's History Month, recommended Herzberger as a guest speaker.
"Magda's strength, courage and fortitude as a Holocaust survivor is an example to all of us, and for that reason she was a perfect choice of a woman in history to admire," Stone said. "While she shows us there is pain in suffering, she also lets us know that one can become stronger and better by surviving it."
Reach the reporter at Cem.Burnham@asu.edu.
