Monday, August 1, 2005

Anne Frank & David Faber



Interestingly, I also received this in my email today. This is a beautiful website for Anne Frank. You will find beautiful photos and excerpts of her writings. I would love to visit this place one day! I'll have to put it on my list. How long of a plane ride is it to Amsterdam? You can also find many books on their website.



This past spring, I was VERY fortunate to have the opporutnity to hear David Faber talk about his experience as a Holocaust Survivor. Mr. Faber was 13 yrs old also when his family had to flee from the Nazi's. He told us about having to hide with his family and how his whole family was murdered, except for one sister who had traveled early enough to pursue fashion design in Paris. After her death her husband contacted Mr. Faber & sent photos. It is the only photos he has. He described how he watched his brother, a soldier & hero, be tortured in fron to him. He brother was among the resistance trying to prevent water from entering the country to be used in the Atomic Bomb. His book is called "Because of Romek" and from those who read it & came to the lecture say it is almost verbatim! I gave my father a copy of the book & he read it in one sitting! Even told my mom he couldn't leave to go out until he finished it. My mom thought a few pages when she asked how many he had. He had like 80!

What I knew of the Holocaust before from growing up/school was "facts". After listening to Mr. Faber I felt it. The emotions I experienced are very hard to describe. Anger definitely! Which is very difficult because you have to take care with that! My heart was so heavy and hurt so much to hear what human beings can choose to do to other human beings, when they are given the choice. I never understand that...why make that choice? I tried to think about what I would do and I thought how did this man survive? I'm not sure I could of. I think of how people can't handle the simple things in life today & what this man went through. How would they (maybe me) ever survive what he went through? I thought of how wonderful a life I have had. We really do not realize it until we hear how it could be. We take so much for granted. It always blows my mind how people let things like this happen at all. It makes me wonder what we would do today...not that this isn't going on actually.  Hmm...actually I should give John this book for reading! :-)

If you get to read the book or visit the website, come back & let me know what you think!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Deborah,
I am totally familiar with Anne Frank and I have seen where she stayed.
Eternal vigilance comes to mind.
Thanks for featuring Anne and this novelist.
hugs,nat

Anonymous said...

Hi, my name is David Faber (David Ray Faber II). My family comes from the Alsace region. I am told that they were Catholic, and that the 'Jewish' side of the family spelled their name "Farber".

Do you have any more information on the survivor, David Faber?

Thanks,

drfaber2@yahoo.com