Events Commemorate Holocaust Tragedy
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WEATHER INSIDE TODAY: partly cloudy EDITORIAL 12 chance of thunderstorms FOCUS 17 High: mid 70s Low: 50 STYLE 23 FRIDAY: partly cloudy SPORTS 28 High: 65 Low: 46 HUMOR -33 CLASSIFIEDS 37 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY THURSDAY APRIL 27, 1995 VOL. 72, NO. 52 Events commemorate Holocaust tragedy by Paula Finkelstein Concentration camp survivor Anton Segore contributing writer spoke to a crowd of more than 400 about his experiences in Germany, Hungary and Poland Although about 50 years have passed since during World War II, and about current the Allies liberated the gruesome Nazi problems with anti-Semitism, bigotry and concentration camps, the memory of those who hatred. perished there lives on. Junior Steven Hoffman, president of Hillel, To honor and commemorate the people who said he had planned for anywhere from 150 to died, JMU recognized Holocaust Remembrance 400 people to attend Segore's speech. He said Day on Monday with activities and events he was very pleased with the turnout. sponsored by two campus student groups. Segore is a survivor of four concentration B*nai B'rith Hillel. JMU's Jewish campus camps in Germany and Poland — Auschwitz- organization, arranged a day of events in honor Birkenau. Buchenwald, Mauthausen and of those who perished in the Holocaust 50 years Gunskirchen. He was liberated in 1945 while at ago. Interfaith Campus Ministries also the Gunskirchen camp. sponsored the activities. Although he lived in concentration camps Monday's events included an all-day exhibit for only a little more than a year, Segore said he in the Phillips Hall Ballroom displaying copies has painful memories that have stayed with him of actual German documents collected by the for a lifetime. As one of only three survivors of Library of Congress, pictures of victims in his Hungarian family, he lives to tell his story. concentration camps, and videotapes and "I will talk about [the Holocaust] as long as I informative posters detailing the groups who have a breath in me." Segore said. "I must stay were killed and the numbers of lives taken. alive. I must lecture on it. I must tell future Graduate student Raye Leigh Marion, who generations." assisted with the planning of the activities, said Much of Segore's stories about his life in the IAN GRAHAMIslaffphotographer Hillel students invited others to join in a "death camps" focus on staying alive. "Survival Students proceed in a candlelight vigil Monday evening from the commons to candlelight vigil on the commons where poems is the thing," he said. "You must survive. Each Phillips Hall Ballroom to hear Holocaust survivor Anton Segore speak. were read "in remembrance and as a tribute to and every day is a struggle to survive. the deceased." The vigil was followed by a "I survived because of my attitude," he said. persecuted by the Nazis during World War II. Segore concentrated on today's world lecture from a Holocaust survivor in the "I adopted a positive attitude to stay alive, Gypsies, homosexuals and the handicapped problems. He urged people to come together Phillips Hall Ballroom and a reception with the because I must bear witness to the course of were also victims of Nazi atrocities. In short, without discrimination, prejudice or hate. speaker afterwards in Taylor Hall. Other history." anyone who did not fit the white, Aryan, "Don't hate," he said. "So simple, but yet so activities, such as the reading of short stories, Segore discussed not only his personal protestant prototype was subject to the wrath of hard to understand. Stop hating, start healing, poems and the names of more than 6,000 experiences, but other groups' as well. He the Nazis. Holocaust victims, were canceled due to rain. commented that Jews were not the only ones In the second half of his hour-long lecture, see HOLOCAUST page 2 Math, science issues addressed at forum by Suzanne Compton spoke about the governance of the stqffwriter university. "The symbol of presiding is a gavel, not a hammer. If the Several faculty members sporting sciences and mathematics are to Faculty for Responsible Change thrive at JMU — indeed, if JMU is to buttons joined members of the remain worthy of the name administration and students to "university' and of the name of the discuss "The Future of Physics, father of the Bill of Rights — we Math. CISAT and the Sciences at must move away from a command JMU," on Monday. style of governance — the virtual About 55 students, faculty and 'academic martial law' that has split administrators attended the this institution for the past two years. informational forum in the Warren "Otherwise, the Board of Visitors Hall Highlands Room, which might just as well change the title of addressed several aspects of our chief executive from 'president' restructuring at JMU. to 'supreme commander' and the Guest speakers included Dr. name of our institution from 'James William Ingham, representative from Madison University' to 'Degrees are the faculty; Jenny Biondi. vice Us. Incorporated.'" Ingham said. president of the Student Government Biondi concentrated on the Association and Dr. Norman student aspect. She discussed student Garrison, representative from [he input, the channels curriculum administration. decisions go through and how these Eddie Bumbaugh. who mediated decisions arc made. Biondi said she the forum, said the purpose was to m MAGGIE WELTER/MMVU- photographer wanted to help students better share information and answer understand what has happened at In memonum questions, not to debate the issues or JMU, what presently is occurring and Father John Grace, Catholic campus minister, gives an address to the more than 800 express opinions. the direction JMU is moving toward. people attending the memorial service of former football player John Kraus Monday in Jen Mabe, president of SGA. said Biondi gave several examples of Wilson Hall. Kraus died in an auto accident early Saturday morning. At press time, the this was the first time SGA has input from students and changes here police had no additional information about the accident, which still leaves Carey Griffin, 28, sponsored a forum. The Faculty at JMU. "Students want a of Springfield, in critical condition at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Senate and office of academic affairs comfortable challenge; they want a were also sponsors. Ingham, a professor of physics. see FORUM page 2 2 I TtaiKday/Apnl'27,1995 THE BREEZE' Holocaust continued from page 1 German society, but I will never of the group the last three years, said and we will have a better world. forgive their grandfathers." he said. she has assisted in planning for "Finally, we are making Like many survivors, Segore said Holocaust Remembrance Day in the "The Holocaust is not just a Jewish headway," Segore said, "slowly, very he wants only for the world to never past and was responsible for most of >> slowly. But bigotry and forget what happened to so many the planning this year. Her goal was issue; the Holocaust is a human issue. to "expand awareness and make discrimination are still with us." innocent men, women and children Anton Segore Segore went on to point out that 50 years ago. "The Holocaust is not people think about the human side of Holocaust denial groups and other just a Jewish issue; the Holocaust is a what happened," Levenson said. Holocaust survivor "hate groups" are hard at work human issue." "It's so easy to hear large numbers waiting for the last generation of Segore said he truly believes if he but not to realize these people had Kutner said her grandmother's of the past so that we shall not repeat Holocaust survivors to disappear so reaches just one person by lecturing families and friends," Levenson said. goal is "to make people more them." there will be no one left to remember on his experiences and feelings, it "[A speaker] adds a personal human knowledgeable" about the Holocaust Whatever the reason, whether to the atrocities. will be worth the effort. touch so people can connect at a and its effects. educate or to broaden minds. When this happens, Segore said Later this month, Segore will personal level. It's so easy to look Hillel Vice President-elect Holocaust survivors will continue to he fears more and more people will participate in the 71st Division of the past." Suzanne Hecht stated in a pamphlet speak about their experiences for as believe the Holocaust never U.S. Army's commemoration of the Freshman Carrie Kutner, a presented by Hillel, "It is our duty as long as they are able. occurred. liberation of the Passau, Germany, member of Hillel, has a grandmother humans to make sure that the world Levenson said she hopes Fifty years have passed since and the Gunskirchen camps. The who survived the Holocaust and always remembers what happened Monday's activities will help people Segore came to the United States at ceremony will mark the 50th speaks about her experiences. Her during those fateful years. It is also put things more in perspective. the war's end. Through it all, he said anniversary of the liberation. grandmother, Esther Kutner, was the our duty as a people to learn about 'There are so many things we take he has granted forgiveness. "It would Hillel Executive Board member guest speaker at JMU for Holocaust the Holocaust, so that all of us for granted," she said. "Life is a be foolish of me to blame today's Emily Levenson, who was president Remembrance Day two years ago. together can learn from the mistakes precious thing." Forum continued from page 1 interested in eye-catching things instead of quality. skilled and marketable education, interactive hands on education, "I declared physics as my major last week after being assured knowledge and applied learning." that the classes would still exist as long as I was here.