‘Nothing is Impossible’
This was the message imparted to us by Paul, the wonderful Holocaust survivor who spoke to Stage 5 students today about his life during the devastating reign of Hitler in Eastern Europe. This motto was one which Paul’s father had instilled in him as his family were being torn apart by the ethnic cleansing known today as the Holocaust.
What a beautiful soul. His story told of life events which he described as ‘lucky’ – surviving a five day journey in a freezing, overcrowded cattle cart; arriving at the death camp Auschwitz to wait and be relocated to another camp in Slovenia; seeing his father and hugging him once within the camp before his father was shot; being so starved and sick that he was moved into the female dormitory at the camp to be with his mother. These are hardly my definition of ‘lucky’ yet, listening to his story and those of others who survived this horrific part of history, it is understandable why they feel lucky. With over 6 million Jews killed for no other reason than Hitler’s gain, these survivors who give up their time to share their experiences with us really are the true survivors. Paul’s father had told him to have hope and that ‘nothing is impossible’ when they were separated from one another in 1942. He is living testament to this. Thankfully.
I hope the students enjoyed this moving experience when visiting the Sydney Jewish Museum and can take the legacy of ‘nothing is impossible’ with them.
The picture above is of Keanu, Paul, Cooper and Monique.
I am Keanu Vique Grandmother,would like follow his studies!