FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Holly Kluck
Telephone: 732.758.1500 ext. 308
Cell: 732.816.1787
Email: kluckh@rbb.k12.nj.us

AUSCHWITZ SURVIVOR TO SPEAK AT RED BANK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Hanna Wechsler, author and Holocaust survivor, to share her story

Red Bank, NJ – 2018
Hanna Wechsler, a Holocaust survivor, is coming to Red Bank Middle School on December 20, 2018, at 10:00 AM to talk to the 8th Grade Students about her experiences in the Holocaust. Wechsler is also the author of the book In Spite of it All. Hanna was born in a small town in Poland in 1936. Her parents were wealthy, and her early childhood was happy and carefree, until 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland and Hanna and her parents went into hiding in the cellar of a barn. They were cared for by Polish farmers until they were deported to the Krakow ghetto. Using false papers, the family escaped to Hungary, living safely until the Germans occupied Hungary in March 1944. The family was captured, interrogated and tortured. Hanna and her mother were packed into a cattle car and sent to Auschwitz where they witnessed terrible abuse, starvation, disease and death. There were few children in Auschwitz and it became Hanna’s mother’s mission to shelter and hide her. Hanna’s survival is largely due to her mother’s bravery and selflessness. Hanna along with her mother survived Auschwitz and while back in Krakow they were reunited with Hanna’s father who had been released from Dachau.

Hanna met her husband in 1959 and was married in 1962. They have two daughters and Hanna has two grandchildren. Hanna has dedicated the last 45 years to educating youth about the horrors of the Holocaust. Her message – in the face of adversity, one can overcome and prevail.

The Red Bank Borough Public Schools are comprised of over 1,400 students in grades Pre-K through 8. The Red Bank Middle School educates grades 4-8, the Red Bank Primary School educates grades Pre-K-3, and several off-site locations and providers house our free full-day Pre-K program for all children ages 3 and 4 in Red Bank. Our Mission Statement focuses on the unique needs of our children, encourages a balance of nurture and rigor, and demands a daily commitment to high quality instruction: Driven by the needs of our children, we provide a safe, nurturing, and challenging learning environment for every student, every day. For more information about our schools please visit www.rbb.k12.nj.us.

Red Bank – December 10, 2018