Editor’s Blog

A Holocaust survivor’s tale

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If ever there is ever a case made for human cloning, it should be Gerda Weissmann Klein, of Scottsdale.

Welcome back to the blog everyone. I am the magazine’s associate editor, Adam Klawonn. In February, I wrote about Gerda’s life as the opening story for our “Phoenix Files” (p. 35).

As writers, I and my colleagues rarely use the first-person point-of-view in our stories. They’re not about us. As a writer with a background in news reporting, I use this point-of-view even less to maintain objectivity.

But this was the most emotional interview I had ever participated in, and I feel safe writing about it here. After all, what are blogs for?

When the interview began, I was struck by Gerda’s willingness to open herself up to pain. [You can ask me anything you want,” she says.] Gerda was recalling memories of traumatic experiences that had killed grown men twice her size. She eventually caved in, but not before I concluded she was the bravest person I had ever interviewed for trying.

When we finished, I asked her about world events. Gerda had addressed the U.N. and traveled extensively abroad. I thought her perspective might be interesting for you all to read.

Her answer frightened me. Here was the bravest person I’d ever met asserting that she was terrified by world events and, at times, did not want to go on living. I consoled her and encouraged her — no, begged her — to go on. [Pardon me, but I think the world needs every soothing hand it can find these days.] In a few moments, she had her psychological armor back on and wanted to talk about “good things.”

Gerda is 83. She spent six years of her life under German occupation, half of which were passed in diseased concentration camps and freezing death marches. She went on to become one of the world’s leading humanitarians of the 20th century. Her work continues today.

I considered this as I left and hoped that the interview wasn’t Gerda’s last. If not, then I urge everyone to take a page out of her humanitarian playbook and incorporate into our own lives.

If indeed it was Gerda’s last interview, then at least we have some small portrait by which we can remember our very own international treasure.