A Holocaust Survivor’s Take On The Study Of History
Start writing a post
Student Life

A Holocaust Survivor’s Take On The Study Of History

It’s not about the past – it’s about the present and the future.

26
A Holocaust Survivor’s Take On The Study Of History
NBC News

Manny Mandel came to Colgate, a place, “[he’d] never been to before but whose product [he] uses” (rimshot), to tell a room of Colgate students and faculty his life experience surrounding the Holocaust. Manny works at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., so he’s no stranger to sharing his history and the way in which he does so is incredibly purposeful. While I can never put into words the experience of listening to a Holocaust survivor speak, the lessons he shared with the few of us who were able to attend are lessons that everyone needs to know, and I know Manny would be ashamed if I, as a student of history, did not do my part to share them.

Manny kept the audience on their toes by constantly quizzing us on important events, dates, and people pertaining to the Holocaust. I was surprised by this tactic as I’d entered the room expecting him to lecture us instead of educating us. Turns out I was completely wrong.

At the end of his talk, Manny emphasized that no Holocaust survivor tells a story; they tell a history. This may be a matter of semantics, but Manny’s point was that what happened was real and that what happened should be studied.

I’m a History major at Colgate, and I’m actually taking a class called "War and Holocaust in Europe" next semester, but Manny meant that everyone should be a student of history. One girl asked him what our generation could do in light of the fact that in the not so distant future all Holocaust survivors will have passed away and we will no longer be able to access their experiences first-hand. Manny’s response was to paraphrase George Santayana’s quote that, “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” He encouraged us - all of us - to study history of not only the Holocaust but of all time periods so we can understand how people have treated or mistreated people in the past and then strive to do better.

He revisited this point in his closing words to us, saying that we should, “Go and learn. Go study.” He said that he knew that none of us knew all that we could about the Holocaust, which meant that none of us knew enough about it. He’s right. Manny’s history took place in the Bergen-Belsen labor camp, and he was actually there at the same time as Anne Frank, but his history also covered ground that was much more unfamiliar. His history began much earlier in Hungary suffering through pogroms and air raids. His history came to a close by exploring the deal that got him out of his hostage situation and that enabled high-ranking Nazis to retire in South America. We all know about the Holocaust and the six million lives lost and that Hitler was evil, but there’s so much more to know, and those details make the Holocaust much more generalizable as something to avoid repeating. We may not be on the verge of a fascist genocide, but discrimination is by no means absent from our society, and the commentary on all aspects of the Holocaust can shed light on how we should treat all people all the time.

As a History major this struck me because it reminded me of the importance of the study of history. I’m in a class called "Introduction to the Modern Middle East" and we were recently studying early Zionism and the development of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the interwar period and through World War II. As a result, we touched upon the Holocaust. The Holocaust is a subject I’ve always been fascinated by, but for this class, I lost that intellectual curiosity and motivation and was focused on learning what I needed to learn for my upcoming quizzes. Manny reminded me that the true test for students of history is to apply what they learn to make sense of the modern world and navigate it in a way that is better than perhaps our ancestors did.

Manny is 81 years old and still kicking. It brings me hope to think of all the lives he’ll touch during the rest of the time the world is privileged enough to have him. And after that, I hope that as a student of history who hopes to teach future students of history that I can do so with an eye towards people treating people better.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

17452
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

946311
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

123008
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments