90-Year-Old Shares Late Husband's Holocaust Survival Story

A 90-year-old woman in Lodi, California, stood before a packed room and shared a story she'd kept private for decades. Lillian Greenhut told her community how her late husband Kurt survived the Holocaust and built a remarkable life in America.

Kurt was just five years old when Hitler became chancellor of Germany. He watched soldiers beat his father during Kristallnacht and take him to Dachau concentration camp.

At 11, Kurt was separated from his family and rounded up by the Gestapo. He ended up in a camp in southern France, where he accidentally reunited with his father.

The French resistance saved Kurt's life. They smuggled money into the camps and helped thousands escape, eventually getting Kurt to America at age 13.

Kurt arrived speaking no English and having missed eight years of education. He entered public school, graduated at 20, and earned his bachelor's degree from Tufts University. He went on to get a master's in political science from Columbia University, became a teacher, and served in the U.S. Army.

Lillian's daughter-in-law Donna attended the presentation at Revel Lodi, an independent living home. She said the story proves how loving, kind people can literally save lives.

"When you feel like you can't do anything in this world, you can still be kind and loving when the opportunity comes up," Donna said. "They looked beyond race and geography and just stepped up and did the right thing."

Why This Inspires

Lillian shared precious family artifacts with the audience, including a Hebrew prayer book that stopped a bullet from killing Kurt's father. The book and the bullet it caught remain in the family today.

Danny Chu, who helped Lillian create the presentation slideshow, said learning about the Holocaust through a personal account changed his understanding. Working with Lillian taught him details he never knew despite the Holocaust being widely known history.

Lillian chose Holocaust Remembrance Day to break her silence because she worries history could repeat itself. She sees armed guards at her synagogue in Stockton and wonders why this is necessary in America.

Kurt's motto was "we should not forget." Lillian told the audience that society is forgetting today what happens when people hate others simply for being different.

She shared a famous poem by Lutheran minister Martin Niemöller displayed in Holocaust museums. It ends with a warning about staying silent when injustice happens to others.

"If we don't stand up and support what is right in this world, where are we heading?" Lillian asked. "What legacy do we leave for our children?"

Her neighbor Victoria Joyce called the presentation very emotional and informative. The standing-room-only crowd gave Lillian their full attention as she honored her husband's memory and called for compassion in difficult times.