Romanian born Holocaust survivor on Yom Hashoah Day: Never forget

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro - May 4, 2005; source: 'The Desert Sun')



Joe Brandt was a teenager in Europe during the Holocaust. Now 78, the Romanian-born (now living in California) uses his experience during World War II to educate people about the tragic events he witnessed and how to prevent them from happening again.

“People need to know,” he said. “If you let it go, it will happen (again).” Today is Yom Hashoah, also known as Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust. An annual observance is scheduled for this evening at the Civic Center Park Amphitheater.

Observance is held worldwide from May 1 to May 8, with communities deciding which day to hold it. Six candles, one for each 1 million Jews who died during the Holocaust, will be lit this evening. This year, the commemoration coincides with the 10th anniversary of Palm Desert’s Holocaust memorial. Brandt helped to create the memorial structure at Civic Center Park.

“There might have been more, but 6 million Jews were (confirmed) murdered or died from disease or starvation,” said Eilean Wuhl, coordinator of the Holocaust Educational Committee. Brandt participated in a death march in January 1945 that began with 20,000 people. There were 200 survivors by the time the march ended that May 5.

“It’s just a matter of luck (I survived). There’s no other way to explain it,” said Brandt, who lost his parents, a grandmother and several nephews and cousins during the Holocaust. Only two of his cousins survived.

All together, about 11 million people, 1.6 million of them children, died during the Holocaust, and it’s essential to educate future generations about it, regardless of their race or religion, Wuhl said. “The Jewish people are not (who) we’re reaching for — we’re reaching for everybody,” she said. “My favorite saying is, ‘We don’t have to like everybody, but they have as much right as we do.’”

Each year, Coachella Valley students participate in an essay-writing contest. This year’s topic is, “Why is it important to study the Holocaust in America today?” “There are some teachers here in the desert who take this very seriously,” Wuhl said.

“Every single year we get great essays from a few of the same teachers, and I give the teachers the credit for that.” It’s important to educate children because bigotry and hatred usually begin at home, said Brandt, who established the Desert Holocaust Memorial in Palm Desert 10 years ago, on April 30, 1995.

“We have people out there looking at it every day,” said Assistant City Manager Sheila Gilligan. Brandt founded the memorial with Earl Greif, another Holocaust survivor. A celebration was held last month in honor of the milestone. “I’m very proud of it,” Brandt said.

Source: 'The Desert Sun' – Palm Springs, CA