Vanier College / Kleinmann Family Foundation
17^th Annual Symposium on the Holocaust and Genocide, April 12-16, 2010

OVERCOMING FEAR OF THE OTHER

 Overcoming Fear of the Other is the theme of the 17th annual Kleinmann Family Foundation Symposium on the Holocaust and Genocide at Vanier. The underlying aim of the Symposium is to inform young people about discrimination, racism and genocide in their many manifestations, and to help them learn about history in order to avoid repeating mistakes of the past. Eyewitness and first-hand accounts are often the best motivators to spark students into awareness, concern and action, and we are fortunate to have among us Holocaust survivors and one rescuer to offer their stirring personal testimonies. This year’s lineup of presenters also includes a number of young people involved in exposing post-Holocaust genocides in Cambodia, Darfur and elsewhere. An exhibit, “About Auschwitz,” by photographer and ex-Vanier teacher Judith Lermer Crawley will be mounted in the Carrefour, and a display on Jasenovac will be outside the Library.  One of the main strengths of the Symposium, in my view, is the way important real-life lessons about ethical citizenship and moral courage find their way into the classroom. Participating students and teachers alike wrestle with these challenges in the context of their courses in psychology, sociology, English, Humanities, journalism, and history.  All events listed below take place in ongoing classes; they are open to all, but seating may be limited. As always, we are grateful for the generous support of the VCTA and VCSA and the teamwork of many services within the Vanier community.  ~Neil Caplan 

Born into privilege in Hungary, Hermann Gruenwald's idyllic childhood came to an end in 1944 when he and his family were sent to Auschwitz. During his incarceration, Mr Gruenwalds instinct for survival helped him live through three concentration camps. In the book After Auschwitz he recounts his story not only as a witness to history but as a human actor determined to make his way in whatever situation he finds himself. Mr Gruenwald paints his life story onto the larger canvas of some of the great conflicts and movements of the twentieth century. He offers a vivid portrayal of growing up affluent and Jewish in class-conscious Hungary in the interwar period and of the initial promise and disillusioning reality of Hungarian communism.With his wife, also a survivor, Mr Gruenwald immigrated to Canada in 1950 to rebuild his life. His budding business instincts quickly  took over and the same toughness and determination that kept him alive in Europe served him equally as well in Canada. While his Holocaust experience is never far from his thoughts, Mr Gruenwald's instinct to succeed is as much a part of his story as his survivors tale.

Using life story interviews to understand more about the Cambodian genocide, students at Westmount's St. George’s High School explore what it takes to overcome extreme hardship and repression. In their documentary film, survivors describe their experiences as meaningful opportunities to transform suffering into “diamonds” – illustrating not only the impact of war but also the awesome resilience of the human spirit. The final result: “Life in the Open Prison: Survival Stories from Two of the Millions. Cambodia 1975-1979.” Film screening, followed by discussion with student director Alex Chalk

Co-sponsored by the VCSA

"Inside Hana's Suitcase" is the poignant story of two young children who grew up in pre-World War II Czechoslovakia and the terrible events that they endured just because they happened to be born Jewish. Based on the internationally acclaimed book "Hana's Suitcase" which has been translated into 40 languages, the film is an effective blend of documentary and dramatic techniques. In addition to tracing the lives of George and Hana Brady in the 1930's and 40's, "Inside Hana's Suitcase" tells the present-day story of "The Small Wings", a group of Japanese children, and how their passionate and tenacious teacher, Fumiko Ishioka, helped them solve the mystery of Hana Brady, whose name was painted on an old battered suitcase that they received from Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi death camp built in Poland. The film's plot unfolds as told through contemporary young storytellers who act as the omniscient narrators. They seamlessly transport us through 70 years of history and back and forth across three continents, and relate to us a story of unspeakable sadness and also of shining hope. For this is a Holocaust story unlike others. It provides a contemporary global perspective and lessons to be learned for a better future. Directed by award-winning filmmaker, Larry Weinstein, "Inside Hana's Suitcase" is a powerful journey full of mystery and memories, brought to life through the first-hand perspectives of Fumiko, Hana's brother George, and of Hana herself.

Plot summary by Larry Weinstein

Using life story interviews to understand more about the Cambodian genocide, students at Westmount's St. George’s High School explore what it takes to overcome extreme hardship and repression. In their documentary film, survivors describe their experiences as meaningful opportunities to transform suffering into “diamonds” – illustrating not only the impact of war but also the awesome resilience of the human spirit. The final result: “Life in the Open Prison: Survival Stories from Two of the Millions. Cambodia 1975-1979.” Film screening, followed by discussion with student director Alex Chalk

Barry Lituchy has taught European, US and World history at the City University of New York for the past twenty years. He began collecting survivor testimonies of the Holocaust in Yugoslavia in 1995 and then organized the First International Conference and Exhibition on the Jasenovac Concentration Camps in 1997. He is editor of and a contributing author to the book Jasenovac and the Holocaust in Yugoslavia: Analyses and Survivor Testimonies published in 2006, and, as co-editor, brought out a new edition after fifty years of the book The Crimes of the Fascist Occupants and their Collaborators Against Jews in Yugoslavia in 2005. In 1999 he conducted videotaped interviews of refugees from Kosovo and later testified as a witness at the International Criminal Tribunal on the Former Yugoslavia at the Hague. He is currently editing a book on the late UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Jasenovac Research Institute, an editor of its publication, and also Vice President of the Holocaust Memorial Park in Brooklyn, New York. He has written and lectured on Balkan history and has been a guest lecturer at universities, museums and Holocaust institutions in the US and Canada, including recently at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.

Visiting Austrian Gedenkdiener Peter Boschi will address students in several Vanier classes. After detailing his personal reasons for choosing Gedenkdienst over national military service, Peter will alert students about the need to stand up and speak out whenever confronted by ignorance, indifference, discrimination, racism, and moral cowardice. His presentation will review the past century of mass killings and genocide from Armenia to the Shoah (Holocaust), and including recent horrors in Rwanda and Darfur. An important secondary theme is the role of media in shaping attitudes and images vis-à-vis intended victims.

www.auslandsdienst.at

Simon Wajcer speaks about his mother's life story which he helped publish as a written memoir, "So You Can Tell," which offered her eye-witness account of the war. This memoir is part of the family's commitment to ensuring that the world will never forget her ordeal.

Dr Manjikian's areas of expertise include comparative religions in general and the Islamic world in particular. Along with his focus on religion, Sevak is also interested in the study of genocide and offers a course on the subject. Sevak holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from McGill University. His thesis was on the topic of multiculturalism and the advantages and disadvantages of using Islamic law in Canada.

4:00-5:00 Survivor Testimony: Musia Schwartz
My many identities as the persecuted 'other' [N367]

Musia Schwartz was born in Tomaszow, Poland, and saved herself during the war years by posing with false documents as a Catholic girl, "Halina Gorska," in Warsaw. After her arrival in Canada, she studied first at Sir George Williams (later Concordia) University, and then earned a Ph.D. in comparative literature from McGill University. Following a teaching career which included positions at Sir George Williams (Concordia) University and Vanier College, she continues to pursue her many literary and other interests, which include doing volunteer work for the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre. She has presented her fascinating story of courage and survival at previous Holocaust Symposiums here at Vanier College.

Born at the start of WW II in Warsaw, Poland, Eva survived the war by a series of miraculous events involving luck, coincidence and the courage and faith of several individuals, both family members and virtual strangers. She emigrated to Canada with her family in 1949 where she grew up "practically Canadian" with the history of the Holocaust always there in the background. She was educated at Sir George Williams University and Concordia, spending the major part of her work life in education and educational administration. Eva has taught children and adults in a variety of settings from pre-school centres and schools to Vanier College and Concordia University, and was Principal of one branch of Jewish Peoples' and Peretz Schools. She has also led workshops on a range of topics dealing with human development and education.

Dr. Hans Möller was born in Denmark in 1918 and participated in the dramatic rescue of Danish Jews by smuggling them to Sweden in October 1943. He immigrated to Canada after the war and worked as executive producer of educational films at the National Film Board of Canada. Following this he enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a teacher, librarian, editor and Director of Libraries at McGill University.

Barry Lituchy has taught European, US and World history at the City University of New York for the past twenty years. He began collecting survivor testimonies of the Holocaust in Yugoslavia in 1995 and then organized the First International Conference and Exhibition on the Jasenovac Concentration Camps in 1997. He is editor of and a contributing author to the book Jasenovac and the Holocaust in Yugoslavia: Analyses and Survivor Testimonies published in 2006, and, as co-editor, brought out a new edition after fifty years of the book The Crimes of the Fascist Occupants and their Collaborators Against Jews in Yugoslavia in 2005. In 1999 he conducted videotaped interviews of refugees from Kosovo and later testified as a witness at the International Criminal Tribunal on the Former Yugoslavia at the Hague. He is currently editing a book on the late UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim. He is the founder and Executive Director of the Jasenovac Research Institute, an editor of its publication, and also Vice President of the Holocaust Memorial Park in Brooklyn, New York. He has written and lectured on Balkan history and has been a guest lecturer at universities, museums and Holocaust institutions in the US and Canada, including recently at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.

Ray Shankman has taught English and Jewish Studies at Vanier since 1974. He is an accomplished poet, author of a collection "For Love of the Wind" (1991) which is available in the Vanier College Library, and is also a contributor to "So Others Will Remember: Holocaust History and Survivor Testimony" (1999), edited by Vanier music teacher and historian, Ronald Headland. In all his activities, Ray remains an active and persistent promoter of dialogue, compassion, peace and love.

13:00-14:30 Eddy Afram, co-founder of Soprégé (Société de prévention du génocide)
Darfur - Anatomy of an Ethnic Cleansing [A311]

On a desperately harsh land, at the edge of the desert, millions of people, we are told, are suffering the consequences of a long-lasting confilct. In the USA, it is frequently described as a genocide. Yet, no one seems to act. The Chinese government, according to western media, is supporting the outrageous actions comiited in the region. So what exactly is happening over there now? What is at stake in Darfur? Eddy Afram, co-founder of Soprégé, will answer these questions.

Born at the start of WW II in Warsaw, Poland, Eva survived the war by a series of miraculous events involving luck, coincidence and the courage and faith of several individuals, both family members and virtual strangers. She emigrated to Canada with her family in 1949 where she grew up "practically Canadian" with the history of the Holocaust always there in the background. She was educated at Sir George Williams University and Concordia, spending the major part of her work life in education and educational administration. Eva has taught children and adults in a variety of settings from pre-school centres and schools to Vanier College and Concordia University, and was Principal of one branch of Jewish Peoples' and Peretz Schools. She has also led workshops on a range of topics dealing with human development and education.

Co-sponsored by the VCSA

"Inside Hana's Suitcase" is the poignant story of two young children who grew up in pre-World War II Czechoslovakia and the terrible events that they endured just because they happened to be born Jewish. Based on the internationally acclaimed book "Hana's Suitcase" which has been translated into 40 languages, the film is an effective blend of documentary and dramatic techniques. In addition to tracing the lives of George and Hana Brady in the 1930's and 40's, "Inside Hana's Suitcase" tells the present-day story of "The Small Wings", a group of Japanese children, and how their passionate and tenacious teacher, Fumiko Ishioka, helped them solve the mystery of Hana Brady, whose name was painted on an old battered suitcase that they received from Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi death camp built in Poland. The film's plot unfolds as told through contemporary young storytellers who act as the omniscient narrators. They seamlessly transport us through 70 years of history and back and forth across three continents, and relate to us a story of unspeakable sadness and also of shining hope. For this is a Holocaust story unlike others. It provides a contemporary global perspective and lessons to be learned for a better future. Directed by award-winning filmmaker, Larry Weinstein, "Inside Hana's Suitcase" is a powerful journey full of mystery and memories, brought to life through the first-hand perspectives of Fumiko, Hana's brother George, and of Hana herself.

Plot summary by Larry Weinstein

Dr Manjikian's areas of expertise include comparative religions in general and the Islamic world in particular. Along with his focus on religion, Sevak is also interested in the study of genocide and offers a course on the subject. Sevak holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from McGill University. His thesis was on the topic of multiculturalism and the advantages and disadvantages of using Islamic law in Canada.

  Jacky Vallée, Anthropology Department, Vanier College
The Pink Triangle and the Persecution of the Homosexuals [N367]

This talk will address the social, political and ideological contexts of the persecution of gays before, during and after the Holocaust and the ways in which the symbol of the Pink Triangle has been reappropriated today among many LGBT communities. Jacky Vallée is a teacher of anthropology at Vanier College (currently on research leave). His areas of interest include Native Canadian peoples, the effects of colonization on Indigenous societies, and activism -- especially regarding Aboriginal and LGBT (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender) rights and autism awareness.

18:30-20:00 Peter Boschi, Austrian Gedendienst (Remembrance) Service
Moral Responsibility:Witnesses for the Future [A314]16:00-17:30

Visiting Austrian Gedenkdiener Peter Boschi will address students in several Vanier classes. After detailing his personal reasons for choosing Gedenkdienst over national military service, Peter will alert students about the need to stand up and speak out whenever confronted by ignorance, indifference, discrimination, racism, and moral cowardice. His presentation will review the past century of mass killings and genocide from Armenia to the Shoah (Holocaust), and including recent horrors in Rwanda and Darfur. An important secondary theme is the role of media in shaping attitudes and images vis-à-vis intended victims.

www.auslandsdienst.at

Using life story interviews to understand more about the Cambodian genocide, students at Westmount's St. George’s High School explore what it takes to overcome extreme hardship and repression. In their documentary film, survivors describe their experiences as meaningful opportunities to transform suffering into “diamonds” – illustrating not only the impact of war but also the awesome resilience of the human spirit. The final result: “Life in the Open Prison: Survival Stories from Two of the Millions. Cambodia 1975-1979.”

Film screening, followed by discussion with student director Enbal Singer

Born in Holland in March 1938, during the week of the German invasion and occupation of Austria know as the Anschluss, Yehudi Lindeman was four years old when he went into hiding. “It was the beginning of an itinerant existence that would take me to at least fifteen different locations, none of them stable or permanent. I stayed at several other farms, both poor and prosperous, at a dentist’s house, a flower shop, a butter factory, the list goes on and on, and I don’t even remember all of them. The only sense of stability I felt was when yet another stranger, some young man or woman (a courier working for the resistance, no doubt), would take me once again to a new place of hiding, usually on the back of a bicycle."

Daughter of Holocaust survivor, Monique Polak is the author of 11 novels for young adults. Her novel, What World Is Left, inspired by her mother's experiences as a teenager imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, won the 2009 Quebec Writers' Federation Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature. Monique is a frequent contributor to the Montreal Gazette whose work has also appeared in Maclean's. Monique teaches English and Humanities at Marianopolis College.

On a desperately harsh land, at the edge of the desert, millions of people, we are told, are suffering the consequences of a long-lasting confilct. In the USA, it is frequently described as a genocide. Yet, no one seems to act. The Chinese government, according to western media, is supporting the outrageous actions comiited in the region. So what exactly is happening over there now? What is at stake in Darfur? Eddy Afram, co-founder of Soprégé, will answer these questions.

Visiting Austrian Gedenkdiener Peter Boschi will address students in several Vanier classes. After detailing his personal reasons for choosing Gedenkdienst over national military service, Peter will alert students about the need to stand up and speak out whenever confronted by ignorance, indifference, discrimination, racism, and moral cowardice. His presentation will review the past century of mass killings and genocide from Armenia to the Shoah (Holocaust), and including recent horrors in Rwanda and Darfur. An important secondary theme is the role of media in shaping attitudes and images vis-à-vis intended victims.

www.auslandsdienst.at

Before beginning his legal education, Jonathan completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at McGill and interned for two Members of Parliament in Ottawa. He is currently the General Coordinator of McGill's Human Rights Working Group. His research interests include Canadian hate speech legislation and international war crimes prosecution. 

Visiting Austrian Gedenkdiener Peter Boschi will address students in several Vanier classes. After detailing his personal reasons for choosing Gedenkdienst over national military service, Peter will alert students about the need to stand up and speak out whenever confronted by ignorance, indifference, discrimination, racism, and moral cowardice. His presentation will review the past century of mass killings and genocide from Armenia to the Shoah (Holocaust), and including recent horrors in Rwanda and Darfur. An important secondary theme is the role of media in shaping attitudes and images vis-à-vis intended victims.

www.auslandsdienst.at

Visiting Austrian Gedenkdiener Peter Boschi will address students in several Vanier classes. After detailing his personal reasons for choosing Gedenkdienst over national military service, Peter will alert students about the need to stand up and speak out whenever confronted by ignorance, indifference, discrimination, racism, and moral cowardice. His presentation will review the past century of mass killings and genocide from Armenia to the Shoah (Holocaust), and including recent horrors in Rwanda and Darfur. An important secondary theme is the role of media in shaping attitudes and images vis-à-vis intended victims.

www.auslandsdienst.at

Co-sponsored by the VCSA

In Nazi occupied France, young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa. Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero Fredrick Zoller takes a rapid interest in her and arranges an illustrious movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the "Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerrilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine. As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl's plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history. Written by The Massie Twins

Co-sponsored by the VCSA

In Nazi occupied France, young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa. Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero Fredrick Zoller takes a rapid interest in her and arranges an illustrious movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the "Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerrilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine. As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl's plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history. Written by The Massie Twins

Daughter of Holocaust survivor, Monique Polak is the author of 11 novels for young adults. Her novel, What World Is Left, inspired by her mother's experiences as a teenager imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, won the 2009 Quebec Writers' Federation Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature. Monique is a frequent contributor to the Montreal Gazette whose work has also appeared in Maclean's. Monique teaches English and Humanities at Marianopolis College.

Born at the start of WW II in Warsaw, Poland, Eva survived the war by a series of miraculous events involving luck, coincidence and the courage and faith of several individuals, both family members and virtual strangers. She emigrated to Canada with her family in 1949 where she grew up "practically Canadian" with the history of the Holocaust always there in the background. She was educated at Sir George Williams University and Concordia, spending the major part of her work life in education and educational administration. Eva has taught children and adults in a variety of settings from pre-school centres and schools to Vanier College and Concordia University, and was Principal of one branch of Jewish Peoples' and Peretz Schools. She has also led workshops on a range of topics dealing with human development and education.