May 11 2023
My Mother: My Greatest Strength Through The Holocaust & Beyond
Meet Marion Blumenthal Lazan. As a gift to this wonderful woman Marion, we are deciding to launch this podcast the week of Mother's Day in dedication and extreme respect and admiration for Marion and Marion's mother Ruth Blumenthal Meyberg. Marion told us in the podcast and after her jaw dropping presentation that had it not been for her Mother being with her while in the concentration camps her story would be different. The warmth, love, joy, humor, grit, resilience, fortitude, dedication and perseverance was directly shared with Marion by her Mother. We would also like to state that we equally pay respect and homage to Marion's entire family, and anyone that was subjected to the pain and horror of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the state-sponsored persecution and mass murder of millions of European Jews, Romani people, the intellectually disabled, political dissidents and homosexuals by the German Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945. Holo (whole) caust (burned).In Marion's words: "Since 1979 I have been speaking publicly about my Holocaust experience, but upon publication of my memoir, Four Perfect Pebbles, the number of speaking engagements has greatly increased. The Diary of Anne Frank has always fascinated me. I read it in the original Dutch on our voyage to America in 1948 aboard the Holland-American liner Veendam.Actually, my story is one that Anne Frank might have told had she lived. She was in Westerbork where I was. Eventually, from Auschwitz, Anne was sent to Bergen-Belsen where I also was, and where she tragically died from typhus in March of 1945. With God’s help, I was able to write about “camp” life, liberation, and finally, starting life anew; first in Holland, and later, in our blessed United States of America.I am thrilled that Four Perfect Pebbles has garnered wonderful reviews and awards, and that many schools use my memoir in the study of the Holocaust. It has also been published in Dutch, German, Hebrew and Japanese. Of course, much of the credit should be directed toward Lila Perl, of blessed memory, my talented co-author. But the sweetest recognition was the Sydney Taylor “Best of the Bunch” citation, presented by the Association of Jewish Libraries. Forty years ago, when I was an elementary school PTA program vice-president, a Book-and-Author luncheon was held in our home, and the distinguished guest was none other than Sydney Taylor, the author of the outstanding series of books, All of a Kind Family.Much of my time these days is spent speaking in public, private and parochial schools of all denominations throughout the United States, Germany, the UK, and in Israel. I also speak to adult groups in churches, synagogues and civic organizations. I stress the need for love, respect and tolerance for one another, regardless of the religious belief, color of the skin, race or national origin. Life for me today is rich, full and rewarding, especially when speaking to and with young adults.Over 2 million students and adults in in the United States states and multiple countries have personally heard my story, and important universal messages. My story is one of determination, perseverance, faith, and above all, hope. Marion’s Triumph, my documentary video, has aired on PBS stations nationally several times.Although Nathaniel (her husband) is now 90, and I am in my late 80’s, we keep a rigorous schedule. We do this as we know that today’s generation will be the last to hear first-hand accounts of that dark time in our history."Happy Mother's day to all our listeners!!!!https://www.fourperfectpebbles.com/
