Ms. Nakada's Blog for Guest Speaker Harry Davids

Agenda
Guest speaker Harry Davids

HW: RJ 7.1-7.4 due pages 371-384

Today we were honored to host Holocaust survivor, Harry Davids. He started by asking about the Holocaust and the historical period. He wanted us to know that there were two very different wars going on: one of power and politics, and one, the Holocaust, against a whole group of people.

He grew up in South Africa, removed from Europe, and received packages from there. His parents eventually told him the truth, that they weren't his real parents. They didn't want to tell him what happened. He asked us what we would want to know if we were in his shoes: six years old and being told this information.

How did all start? Mr. Davids went through the WWI history and how things came to be so bleak in Germany. They were so destitute, many Germans left Germany. Mr. Davids' parents left then as well. The Nazi's blamed the Jews for what happened. There were only about 60,000 Jews living in Germany so it was easy to target them. Once the Nazi's came to power and started to slowly strip Jews of their rights: couldn't go to schools, sit on public benches, use public transportation, practice law or medicine.

In 1938, on the night of broken glass, Jews were attacked all over Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. Jews tried to escape, but no one in the world would accept them as refugees.

Mr. Davids' parents met in Holland and then the Nazi's took over. Then Mr. Davids was born.

The Nazi's decided on a Final Solution: to eliminate all of the Jews. When he was born, it was the worst time. It was too hard to hide with a baby and the Nazi resistance wanted to get him away from Amsterdam so he would be safe. He traveled along the canals in Holland, and was sick. It took a long time, but he was able to get treatment.

Then, he stayed with a family, and because he had blonde hair and blue eyes, they passed him off as Dutch. They got away with it! And once the war ended he was registered so people could find family. Only four people from his family survived the war in Europe, and 64 died. Eventually, he was reunited, but there was a big court case. He didn't have citizenship though, so he couldn't get to Africa. His uncle had to apply to get him. He remembers after nothing of this part of his life, though. All he remembers is his life after the war.

He grew up with the benefits of Apartheid in South Africa. He wants us to remember that we all have a role and because of the kindness of strangers, he is a survivor.

He visited the family who rescued him in Holland when he was in his twenties.

Thanks, Mr. Davids, for sharing your amazing story with us.