Holocaust Survivors Share Stories With Taravella Students

Published May 1st, 2008

By Nicol Jenkins
Editor

Paulette Wegh was separated from her parents and went into hiding.

Norman Frajman lost his entire family and spent his earlier years in a concentration camp.
Eric Lamet wrote a book about his experiences during the Holocaust.

The trio along with other Holocaust survivors recently shared stories with J.P. Taravella High School students in Coral Springs.

“I was only in kindergarten when I was forced to go into hiding with my family. I was born in Belgium and we escaped to France. But I was separated from my parents and given to strangers. I went to three different places and ended up in a convent in the South of France,” Wegh told a group of wide-eyed students. “It leaves a mark on you.”

AP and Honors World History teacher Brian O’Donnell and students in the RHO KAPPA Social Studies Honor Society Club hosted the Holocaust Memorial Day. Students heard stories from approximately 30 Holocaust survivors and then documented those stories. The students videotaped the stories and will make a Holocaust documentary from the footage and also plan to write a book. The project is expected to be completed by next school year.

“We saw a Holocaust documentary and wanted to make our own DVD with real footage of what happened during the Holocaust,” said O’Donnell, adding, “This is the real deal. Most of the students have never spoken to a survivor before and hearing the stories affected some of them. Tears started building, and they couldn’t believe that it really happened.”

Students Alyssa Freeman and Katie Gillen said they learned much from the survivors.
“A lot of students know about the Holocaust but there are still a lot who haven’t heard from first-hand survivors. All the students were really touched by the stories,” said Freeman.

Gillen added, “It was really emotional. We want to use the documentary to educate everyone about the Holocaust and inspire tolerance and respect.”

Survival Stories

That was the message Wegh and the other Holocaust survivors hoped to spread.
“Young people should never go through atrocity. It should never be forgotten, and I’m happy that young people want to write and document our stories,” said Wegh.

Eric Lamet has already documented his tale of survival. When he was 8 years old, Lamet escaped from Austria with his family and went to Italy where he was sent to an internment camp. Unlike a concentration camp, Lamet and others who were residing in an internment camp receive a stipend, cook meals for themselves, and are not tortured. Lamet wrote the book, A Gift from the Enemy, about his experience.

“I wrote the book so children know what we went through as children,” he said.
Norman Frajman had a different experience. At 10 years old, he was taken to an extermination camp and lost his entire family.

“We must leave a legacy for them to prevent future catastrophes,” said Frajman, who is the President of Child Survivors/Hidden Children of the Holocaust.
J.P. Taravella High School will keep a legacy through the documentary and the school also dedicated a memorial garden in honor of the Holocaust survivors.