Geminder and Karin recollect memories, spread awareness

The Holocaust took place in World War II as Adolf Hitler ravaged Europe. Just hours after sleepy heads were sent to bed, they were awoken by the sharp sounds of crashing glass. The air, once thick with silence, was quickly corrupted by the crisp noise of shattered windows and crackling fire. In the dark hours of Nov. 9, 1938, Kristallnacht invaded the night, and changed the lives of millions.

Although there is a 77 year gap between Kristallnacht and modern day, it should not cease to be remembered. In fact, while some may never think twice about the date, there are many who cannot escape the memories that Nov. 9 hails.

In honor of those who survived the day, Congregation Beit Shalom, located in Visalia, hosted ‘Remembering Night of Broken Glass’, Nov. 6. To commemorate all those who were victims of the Holocaust, survivors Robert Geminder and Gabriella Karin shared their stories.

To commence the night, Geminder took the stage. The driving force behind his words was the importance of sharing his memories and passing them down to younger generations, so that the Holocaust might never be forgotten.

“We’re survivors, in the broad sense,” Geminder said. “There are many survivors that don’t talk about the Holocaust, and I respect them, that’s fine. Gabriella and I, and many others, have chosen to. We want to make sure that you’ll send my website address and story to your kids and grandkids. I want them to know.”

Geminder has been heavily involved in various endeavors, such as UCLA’s Center for Jewish Studies course on “Between Memory and History: Interviewing Holocaust Survivors in the Digital Age.” Geminder wastes no time spreading the word, and he explains that this is because he feels called to action as a “primary source.”

I was hidden, in the center of the city of Bratislava. Across the street from the Slovak Gestapo. I could see inside the doorway, they couldn’t see me. I was on the third floor, where there were eight people hidden by a 25-year-old lawyer, who had it in his heart to risk his own life and hide us for nine months. I was 13 at this time, for nine months, a whole school year, I was sitting on a chair, I could not move around. — Gabriella Karin, speaker

“All of you here are what I call secondary sources,” Geminder said. “I’m a primary source, as is she [Karin]. It’s very important to have you as secondary sources to talk to people when discussion comes up, and to tell your kids. The biggest problem us survivors have, when we think back on it, is ‘Oh my God, when we’re all gone, what’s going to be?’. Well, what’s going to be is Holocaust museums and places like this, where, when I’m gone, you can go on the internet and pull up my story.”

After Geminder closed, the room was heavy with the haunting statistics of lives lost throughout the Holocaust. Yet, the crowd was curious, asking various questions and yearning for more information.

To quench the thirst for more knowledge, the second speaker, Gabriella Karin, took center stage. Karin drew in the crowd with a personal appeal, telling anecdotes and revealing the gritty details of her years in hiding in Slovakia.

When the Holocaust began, Karin’s family was not immediately under siege. Because of this, Karin’s mother assisted fellow Jewish citizens in any way possible.

“My parents owned a small deli store, which was located next to the police station. Because of the location, they knew everybody’s name,” Karin said. “When the deportation started, my mother joined the Underground. The Underground was a secret organization that helped people in trouble — at this time, the Jewish people were in big trouble. My mother got, from one of the policemen, the list of people who would be picked up on a certain night, and was able to give it to the underground.”

For nine months, Karin remained hidden in the home of a young lawyer. During that time, she could not leave or move around, because it would risk her life.

“I was hidden, in the center of the city of Bratislava,” Karin said. “Across the street from the Slovak Gestapo. I could see inside the doorway, they couldn’t see me. I was on the third floor, where there were eight people hidden by a 25-year-old lawyer, who had it in his heart to risk his own life and hide us for nine months. I was 13 at this time, for nine months, a whole school year, I was sitting on a chair, I could not move around.”

Karin stresses the importance of strengthening ones mind. There are many things that were taken from Karin, but her intellect and knowledge could never be stolen.

“The only thing that I could do was read,” Karin said. “The lawyer brought me books. But he could not bring me books for a young girl, because everyone was watched. He brought me heavy study books to read, and I was reading whatever I got into my hands. And guess what, after liberation, I jumped a grade. Everything can be taken away from you, even the clothes you wear, but nobody can take away from you what you put in your head.”

The night was filled with emotion, but effective in achieving its purpose. Geminder and Karin will continue to tell their stories, so that the world might never forget the pain suffered by the victims of the Holocaust.

For more information, visit Geminder’s website or read Survivor: Gabriella Karin.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @_chloemueller and via email: Chloe Mueller.