Sue Vickers-Thompson retweetet
From the smallest objects can come the most powerful stories of survival.
Anneliese Nossbaum held onto just two things during the #Holocaust—a comb and a soap dish, bartered for pieces of bread. They were all she had left, and she carried them with her until liberation.
Born in Guben, Germany, Anneliese was just a child when Nazi persecution stripped her of her rights, her education, and her sense of belonging. During Kristallnacht, the synagogue, which she called her second home, was destroyed.
Deported first to the Theresienstadt Ghetto, and later to the German-Nazi concentration and extermination camp #Auschwitz-Birkenau, Anneliese endured forced labor, hunger, and constant uncertainty. She was later sent to a labor camp in Freiberg, where she was forced to manufacture airplane parts, and eventually to the Mauthausen concentration camp.
Liberated in May 1945, Anneliese soon faced another devastating loss—her mother died later that year, leaving her orphaned. In 1946, she came to New York to begin again.
But survival was only part of her story.
Anneliese devoted her life to remembrance, sharing her testimony with thousands of students, educators, and institutions. Through her voice—and even through the objects she carried—she ensured that history would not be forgotten.
Anneliese Nossbaum passed away in March 2020. Today, around the time of her passing, we honor her strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment to memory. 🕯️
#HolocaustRemembrance #NeverForget #JewishHistory
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