Barbara Cohen
Barbara (Schechter) Cohen was born in Bukaczowce, Poland (now part of Ukraine) in 1941. When Barbara was a baby, she and her parents were sent to live in a ghetto. They were able to escape with false papers and were hidden by a non-Jewish farmer in the area. Because she had blond hair and blue eyes, Barbara’s mother was able to pass as German and took Barbara to Germany where they stayed during the war. They ended up in a Displaced Persons Camp in Stuttgart, where they were reunited with Barbara’s father. The family arrived in New York in 1946 as refugees.
“In the survivor community, one of our fears is that we don’t want to be forgotten. We want our children to remember the legacy, where they came from, that we are survivors, that we are strong people.”
More Survivor Stories
Survivor Talk Sundays
Join us on Sundays at 12pm to hear first-hand accounts from Holocaust survivors that now live in Michigan.
Educator Workshop: Next Generation Speaker Talk With Roz Leiser
Hear from Roz Leiser, a child of a Holocaust survivor and docent at The HC. The Next Generation Speaker Series will be a monthly, virtual opportunity for educators to hear…
Life after the Holocaust: Postwar Survivor Experiences
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Escaping Genocide: Jewish Refugees During the Holocaust
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Spreading Hate: Propaganda and the Holocaust
Many people chose to support the Nazi regime during the Holocaust, and propaganda played a significant role in their thinking. Propaganda is false or biased information used to mold the…
Women and the Holocaust: Spotlighting Underrepresented Histories
The Holocaust was not a gender-neutral genocide. Women experienced the Holocaust differently and were targeted specifically as women. Explore women’s particular experiences under Nazi control through the stories of Jewish…
Understanding the Holocaust: The Escalation to Genocide
The Holocaust was one of the darkest times in human history, and many wonder how it could have happened. The Holocaust was the culmination of a decade-long, government-sponsored campaign of…
Special Next Generation Speaker: Dr. Charles Silow, Child of Survivors
The HC proudly hosts a Next Generation Speaker program, inviting descendants of Holocaust survivors to tell the personal stories of their families during the Holocaust. This speaker program also shines…
Special Sunday Talk: Jeff Cymerint, Son of a Survivor
The HC proudly hosts a Next Generation Speaker program, inviting descendants of Holocaust survivors to tell the personal stories of their families during the Holocaust. This speaker program also shines…