Part Two – Love, Light, and Courage: A Continued Conversation with Holocaust Survivor Bernard Offen
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In this part two of this Context Conversation, we are again joined by Bernard Offen, a Holocaust survivor, as he shares a section of his life story. In this personal testimony that we all need to hear, Bernard will pick up where he left off in part one, sharing stories of his liberation, reunion with his brothers, what it means to be a survivor, and the journey of his healing process. (Please see part one for Bernard’s story from his childhood to liberation in 1945).
Bernard was 16 when the war ended and he was liberated by the American Army, in Germany. Out of over 59 in his family, only he and his two older brothers survived. Prompted by questions from the audience, Bernard will share tales of his experiences post-liberation. He’ll share stories of his reunion with his brothers, his move to the USA, and how he was quickly sent to Korea as an American soldier in the early 1950s. He’ll talk about his many returns to Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau on numerous occasions as a part of his healing process, he calls his walks, by bearing his testimony, "self-confrontation in the process of healing", and education of thousands of others.
This is a unique and deeply personal conversation with Bernard Offen. It should give any participant an eye-opening insight into the life of an unforgettable man who deals with “his memories and tells his story in a way that no one has heard it can ever forget”, ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten.
Bernard was 16 when the war ended and he was liberated by the American Army, in Germany. Out of over 59 in his family, only he and his two older brothers survived. Prompted by questions from the audience, Bernard will share tales of his experiences post liberation. He’ll share stories of his reunion with brothers, his move to the USA and how he was quickly sent to Korea as an American soldier in the early 1950s. He’ll talk about his many returns to Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau on numerous occasions as a part of his healing process, he calls his walks, by bearing his testimony, "self-confrontation in the process of healing", and education of thousands of others. This is a unique and deeply personal conversation with Bernard Offen. It should give any participant an eye-opening insight into the life of an unforgettable man who deals with “his memories and tells his story in a way that no one has heard it can ever forget”, ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten.Bernard Offen is a Holocaust survivor, who survived the Krakow Ghetto and numerous former concentration camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau. While he and his two brothers survived the Holocaust, his extended family of 59 were all murdered. Bernard emigrated to the United States in 1951 and fought as an American soldier in the Korean War soon after. He has returned to Poland on many occasions as a “process of healing”, and to lead and educate many groups. Bernard is the author of the book “My Hometown Concentration Camp”, and has produced several documentary films. He splits his time between California and Krakow, Poland.
This conversation is suitable for all ages.
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.
Thank you for your amazing story, your wonderful insights and your continued efforts to make the world, the human condition, better.
What a privilege and an honor it is to listen to Bernard Offen talk about his life. It's so important that we have the opportunity to listen to Holocaust survivors so we can contribute to 'never forget' and so that we understand the depth of brutality that others continue to experience after the Holocaust (in Cambodia, Rwanda, the Balkans, etc). Spending an hour and a half with Mr. Offen was a deeply moving and important experience. I am very grateful to him for being willing to talk about his life openly with us.
So wonderful to spend even more time with Mr Offen. His story is riveting and a rollercoaster of emotions. He tells it with such honesty, emotion and love that you cannot help but feel it with him. He is a true hero!
It isn't often that we get the opportunity to hear history spoken about as life. Mr. Offen is a wonderful speaker and is able to convey the experiences he has had, both wonderful and terrible, in a way that is uplifting and moving. These two courses should be required viewing in schools across the country. Don't pass up this chance to hear history come alive.