Mandi Mooney
Editor-in-Chief
February 4, 2005
The Holocaust. Those two words bring images of horror to the minds of Americans and other citizens across the world that we can barely even begin to imagine. Over 11 million people were murdered in horrendous circumstances simply because of their faith.
Many people today refuse to believe that the events of the Holocaust really happened. It’s safe to say that many others would choose to forget, if only given the chance.
Claudia Stevens is not one of those people. For over ten years, Stevens has voluntarily chosen to remember – and help thousands of others remember – through acting, music and singing.
On Tuesday morning, Stevens spoke with the Milligan community about how the events during World War II affected her family and her life. Her parents, who were Jews living in Europe, managed to escape the German concentration camps but not the persecution and fear that forced them into hiding. They are survivors.
Stevens’ parents kept secret the story of their past and heritage for years. When she finally discovered who she truly was, her whole life was ripped away and replaced with the unknown. Since then, she has used her talent as an actress, pianist and singer to raise awareness of the Holocaust. She is a survivor.
In “An Evening with Madame F” on Tuesday evening, Stevens became Fania Fenelon, an elderly musician who was forced to provide musical entertainment to the German Nazis in the concentration camps in order to survive. She was a survivor.
As a Christian, the Holocaust affects me in ways that are hard to describe in words. The slight fear I have when faced with sharing my faith is nothing when compared to the persecution and discrimination that the Jews faced. I can’t help but question what I would do if placed in that situation. Would I be a survivor?
Would you?