Holocaust Survivor Eva Mozes Kor Speaks at OSU

The first week of May will be the 30th annual observance of Holocaust Memorial Week at Oregon State University. This year’s events feature a name you either already know, or won’t soon forget: Eva Mozes Kor.

One of the most well-known holocaust survivors, Kor and her family of Romanian Jews were taken to notorious concentration camp Auschwitz in 1944. Two of Kor’s sisters and her parents were killed on arrival, while Eva and another sister, her identical twin Miriam, were kept alive only for the purpose of experimentation at the hands of Nazi doctor Josef Mengele.

After the camp was liberated both women suffered chronic health problems. Miriam passed away in 1993 from a rare form of cancer—likely caused by medical experiments and injections performed by Mengele. Two years later, Kor founded CANDLES (Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors), an organization dedicated to tracking other survivors of Mengele’s experiments, and also established a Holocaust museum in Terre Haute, Indiana—the city she lived in after immigrating to the United States. Since 1995, CANDLES has helped locate over 120 surviving twins from Mengele’s experiments.

Despite the atrocities and struggles associated with her life, Kor is even better known for peace and forgiveness. She has personally forgiven Mengele for what he did to her during World War II and has even forgiven the Nazis. She is the co-author of three books on the topic, and has also made an associated film. Be sure to take in her tale as she continues to weave a story of strength and forgiveness.

“The Triumph of the Human Spirit: From Auschwitz to Forgiveness,” as spoken by Eva Mozes Kor, will be held on Monday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m. at the LaSells Stewart Center. This event is free and open to the public. Other events associated with the observance of Holocaust Memorial Week will be held at the Oregon State University campus. For a list of events, visit www.holocaust.oregonstate.edu. 

By Kara Beu