Holocaust Survivor Shares Her Story at SCSU

ST. CLOUD - A survivor of the Holocaust shared her amazing story of survival, and forgiveness, this (Thursday) evening at St. Cloud State University's Ritsche Auditorium.

A standing-room-only crowd heard Eva Kor talk about how she and her twin sister, Miriam, were pulled apart from their mother on the selection platform at Auschwitz in 1944.  Kor describes the platform as an 85-foot by 35-foot strip of land that saw more families torn apart than any other piece of land in the world.

Ten-year-olds Eva and Miriam became part of a group of children who were used as human guinea pigs in genetic experiments.   About 1,500 sets of twins - 3,000 children - were abused and most died.  Eva and Miriam and about 200 children were found in the camp by a Soviet Army in January of 1945.  They never saw their parents or their two older sisters ever again.

Fifty years after the liberation of Auschwitz, Eva returned to the site with a Nazi doctor and announced her forgiveness.

The second part of Eva Kor's talk on Thursday  was a humorous look at her life's lessons.  She says number one is "don't give up on yourself", number two is "don't be prejudiced and get know someone before you judge them", and her third life lessen "forgive".  Kor says everyone has the power to forgive, and it will free you from being a victim.

Kor's visit to SCSU was sponsored by The St. Cloud State University Center For Holocaust and Genocide Education.