Holocaust survivor Martin Lowenberg speaks about his experience as Nazi propaganda is portrayed on the screen behind him April 8, 2013, at the Union. His speech was part of the Real Heros: No Capes, No Masks, No Distractions series. Julia Nagy/The State News
As a child in Adolf Hitler’s Germany, Martin Lowenberg was deported to five different concentration camps, lost 28 family members — including his parents and four siblings — and was subject to terror at 5 years old.
He survived — 17 years old, 76 pounds, alone and ready to live the rest of his life.
“I survived with hope and the wanting to lead a normal life,” Lowenberg said. “No one was there to help me, so I had to be strong and continue with my life.”
As part of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Lowenberg shared his story with MSU students as part of the series “Real Heroes: No capes, No masks, No distractions.” Lowenberg was named a quiet hero — but one who made an impact on the University Activities Board, or UAB, which hosted the event.
“We wanted to come up with emotionally impactful lectures that would engage the student community and have them experience something new,” said Jesse Sun, a supply chain management freshman and UAB leadership and education committee member. “Having a speaker from the Holocaust was something we had to bring in.”
During his lecture, Lowenberg educated people about the impact of tragic events, such as the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.
“As for the parents of the children who died, how to do you move on (from) something like that?” Lowenberg said. “I try to teach people what terrible things other people can do.”
Although Holocaust Remembrance Day ended Monday, MSU’s Jewish Studies Program is planning to send students and staff to the Michigan Jewish Conference at Lansing’s Capitol Building Rotunda at noon on April 11 and is hosting the 21st-annual David and Sarah Rabin Lecture of the Holocaust with guest speaker Barbara Epstein at 7 p.m. April 18 at Kellogg Center.
Ken Waltzer, director of the MSU Jewish Studies Center, said Lowenberg’s talk and the other events are important for students to go to because the information can help them make sense of traumatic events affecting society.
“This is a wonderful event for students to not only see holocaust survivors, but to interact and ask questions,” Waltzer said.
“It is good to show that these people have lived a productive life after an experience like the Holocaust.”
Lowenberg said he does not understand why people do cruel things, but everyone needs to be prepared.
“I would not be talking and reminding people how terrible life can be and the terrible things that people can do to others because we are here to not take it away,” Lowenberg said.
“Life is precious.”
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