World War II was a terrible time. From 1941 to 1945, about 6 million Jews were killed. This event is called the Holocaust. On January 27, the world pauses to remember what happened. It is Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Although many people died, some survived. News-O-Matic talked to three survivors. They shared their stories.

Edith Cord: Born in Austria, 1928
When she was 10 years old, Edith had to flee her home. It was not safe to be Jewish. She and her mother escaped to Italy. Then they went to France, then Switzerland, and back to France. She bounced around schools in each place.

Edith faced discrimination wherever she went. But she always kept her courage. That’s what you need to “stand up to the bullies,” Edith said. “First on the playground, and then in the world.” It’s the “biggest thing you can do.”

Rose Schindler: Born in Czechoslovakia, 1929
Rose spent four months in Auschwitz. That was a concentration camp in Poland. “Stay alive,” her father told her there. “So you can tell the world what they’re doing to us.” Rose never saw her father again. The concentration camp was liberated on January 27, 1945.

Rose believed she would survive. “Never give up hope,” she said. “If you don't have hope, you’ll never make it. You always have to know that tomorrow is going to be a better day.”

Judith Steel: Born in Germany, 1938
Judith was just a baby when the Holocaust began. Her family had nowhere to go to be safe. A Catholic family adopted the Jewish girl to protect her. “They saved my life,” Judith said.

How did Judith move on from the pain? “Forgive and let go,” she said. “It’s very difficult,” she admitted. “But it’s necessary to go on with your life.” She learned to find peace. Holding on to anger doesn’t solve anything, she said. “Fear is only a great enemy.”

The Holocaust ended 75 years ago. However, we cannot forget. Learn from the survivors and make your voice heard. Spread your messages of courage, hope, and forgiveness.

Make sure the world knows: Never again.


Updated January 24, 2020, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Liz Lane, Russell Kahn, and Sara Merkin