Papa Stan’s Story

Here’s what happened to my grandfather during the Holocaust:

In Lemberg Poland, when my grandfather was just fifteen years old, he came home one day to find that his whole family had been rounded up by the Nazis. He had to immediately go into survival mode, suppressing his pain about his family being taken away, and had to learn how to survive under the radar. He traveled throughout Europe, trading hard to find goods behind enemy lines in order to survive, and at one point, the Nazis chased him on motorbikes through the treacherous terrain of the Italian Alps. On another occasion, he hid in plain sight, outwitting border control officers by striking up a conversation with an elderly gentleman, passing himself off as his son, so he didn’t have to provide any documentation. Eventually, he was caught and along with many others, was loaded like cattle onto a train headed for Auschwitz. Desperate to escape, he noticed a small crack between the door and the chain holding the door closed, maybe only 6” wide. He knew that jumping off the train was his only hope of survival, and that otherwise, he would die in the concentration camp. He tried to convince others on his train car to jump out with him, but with Nazis stationed everywhere, they were all too scared. Some begged him not to try to escape for fear that they would get in trouble. Taking fate into his own hands, my grandfather squeezed his way through the crack, cutting up his skin, and jumped off the train. It was a rough fall, but he had timed his escape well, the train slowing as it approached a hill, so he wasn’t severely injured. He then joined up with some Polish Freedom Fighters who operated covertly, hiding out in the woods, and when the war ended, he went to a Displaced Persons Camp and was reunited with his brother. He wanted to emigrate to the United States, but they weren’t allowing war refugees into the country, so his only choice was Canada where he could work as a lumberjack. After six months, he went to work in a textile factory, and at night, he spent hours devoted to developing his own business. Eventually, due to his persistence and hard work, my grandfather started a successful textile company and had a family of his own.

I would like the world to know: 

My grandfather was a kind, generous, hardworking man, who overcame the horrors of the Holocaust, and managed to have a successful life with several businesses, employees who respected him, and a family that loved him. He always used to say, “It’s important to be happy. That’s the main thing.” Often I’ve wondered how he managed to do this!

Here’s how the legacy of the Holocaust continues to affect me and my family:

When life gets hard and I’m down, I think of my grandfather. Whatever struggles I am facing, I know his situation was a million times worse and he got through it. I think the survivor's mindset is pervasive in my family.  

Also, my grandfather taught me the value of hard work, and that success requires perseverance. He used to always tell the joke, “Do you know how to get to Carnegie Hall?” “Practice, Practice, Practice!” 

I think as a family we are concerned about the rise in anti-semitism and history repeating itself. When we see injustice in the world, we feel compelled to speak up. My grandfather continues to be a major source of inspiration to us all!

Organizing this project was:

Intense. Many people said that the Holocaust still continues to affect them because they have a heightened level of stress and fear that something bad will happen. Several respondents reported having an elevated concern for their personal safety and some expressed their sorrow in being robbed of a bigger family. Many said that they are inclined to speak out against injustice and tend to be generous to people in need.

Taking the time to look through so many photographs made these people (even my grandfather) and their experiences more real for me. I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and how members (in the Facebook group where I posted) were sharing war-time photos of their families, helping to locate lost records, and sharing remembrances of their loved ones. While I did receive a number of photos that I uploaded for AI-matching, I was most amazed by the sharing of stories and words of encouragement that made this experience the most meaningful.