Dad

Leaving NJ...

...to Alameda...

...then Twin Peaks

1996 Sweden

March of the Living

Remembering

Dad has been leading trips to Poland and Israel for the March of the Living organization for many years. This is his staff blurb for the 2005 trip (posted in mid-2004).

My name is Henry Sattler and I am a native of the city of Krakow in Poland. I am a survivor of camps Krakow/Plaszow (shown in the film Schindler's List), Auschwitz and Dachau. I am also a member of the Institute for Holocaust and Genocide studies at the Raritan Valley Community College in Somerville, New Jersey since its inception in early 1980. When I was liberated by the U.S. Army on 30 April 1945 I promised myself that whenever possible I will speak, write and lecture about the horrible times spent in these extermination camps. I wanted to prevent any future tragedies like the Holocaust. That was my purpose. Until now I never refused to lecture or to participate in a March. Since that time I gave testimony at Fortune Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University and for the Steven Spielberg SHOAH Foundation, I wrote numerous articles published by American and Polish press and the Jerusalem Post and lectured in many high schools, universities, community centers and other organizations.

In my opinion, no writing and lecturing can compare to the educational value of actually visiting the places of destruction. The Marches of the Living which are attended by students of many religions, Jewish, Roman and Orthodox Catholics, Protestants, Moslems, Hindus, etc. are the best example. I accompanied several Marches as a survivor. These are trips well prepared and organized by real professionals. Besides survivors, they are also accompanied by qualified health personnel, teachers of the Holocaust, many of them university professors and by experienced guides and managers.

The places visited; among others are Auschwitz, Krakow/Plaszow, Majdanek, Treblinka camps and also the cities of Kracow and Warsaw, where the students are instructed about Jewish life there before World War II. They also visit historic synagogues, churches, the University of Kracow founded in 1364 and other places of interest like the Warsaw Jewish cemetery containing the graves of many historical figures and personalities.

The result is a complete education about the Holocaust and about history of Jews in Poland for the last seven centuries. One example of the deep impression which these trips make on the students is the permanent bond created between them and the survivors which accompanied them. Even now I have a visit from a student; a Moslem woman from Kazakhstan who attended the March of the Living with me some years ago and very recently received her Masters degree. She came from Georgetown University in D.C. especially to visit me in San Francisco.