Congratulationsto Maricopa High School’sGraduating Class of <strong>2011</strong>Special Congratulations to ourgraduating Fry’s AssociatesOpal Vaughn • Shawn Groves • Latrincia LightnerNathan McClelland • Ryan Myers • Autumn Stafford
EDUCATION21 <strong>InMaricopa</strong>.<strong>com</strong> <strong>June</strong> <strong>2011</strong>Holocaust victim sharessurvival story with studentsBy John StapletonBorn on <strong>June</strong> 1, 1928, Magda Willingergrew up in the small town of KravaloNad Tisza in the Carpathian Mountainsof the modern day Czech Republic.Nazi forces invaded the town in 1939.“What happened was because ofhatred,” Willinger said, “and that’s aterrible emotion that can consume.”At the request of language artsteacher Kimberly Frankel, Willingercame to Maricopa Wells Middle Schoolto tell her story of the Holocaust.“We were no longer allowed togather. My non-Jewish friends, who Igrew up with, no longer wanted to bearound me, and we had to wear patchesthat identified us as Jews,” Willingertold hundreds of students.When Willinger was 15, her father,Solomon Weisberger, was in one of thefirst groups of Jewish men to be takento concentration camps, leaving hermother and two younger sisters andher to fend for themselves. At the time,it was believed the camps were justlabor for the Nazi army.Jews were segregated and laterisolated into buildings with one roomfor an entire family and very little foodto share. “One morning in 1944 wewoke up to the military surroundingus, and everyone was rounded up atgunpoint,” Willinger said.Willinger and her sisters, mother,grandmother and other women of thefamily were put on a train and sent totheir first camp.“It was a two-day ride, with nowater and no food. Eighty to 90 peoplejohn stapletonMagda Willinger brought the audience to tearswith her remarkable survival story.were crammed into each freight car,and some people did not make it out,”Willinger said. “And the babies, thebabies that were there; they seemed tohave an internal knowledge to not cry.They knew they had to be quiet. It’slike they knew what would happen.”Willinger reflected on the momentwhen her mother placed Willinger’s2-year-old sister, Lillian, in the armsof her grandmother. At the timeWillinger and her mother thoughtthose too young or too old to workwould be taken to a camp where theywould be cared for. It was not untillater that they discovered what reallyhappened.Willinger and her mother endedup in the Auschwitz concentrationcamp. Though at 16 she was too youngto work, she remained beside hermother, lying about her age and theirrelationship to avoid being separatedand sent to a different camp.Willinger was frail, and the womenof the camp survived on what shedescribed as a “starvation diet.” Herfrailty made her vulnerable on threeseparate occasions when the guardspulled her out of line.“Those unhealthy were taken out,never to be seen again. My motherpulled me back each time,” shesaid. “We were told they were beingexterminated. We didn’t want tobelieve it, but you smelled the burningflesh and saw the smoke rising. Deathhovered over your head all the time.”Willinger admitted there weretimes when she no longer wanted tolive. She said it was her mother whopushed her forward. “We lived for eachother.”Willinger and her mother returnedto their hometown after the war endedin hopes they would be reunited withother family members. “We would goevery day to the railroad to see whowould return. We thought my fatherwould have made it.”Her father, grandmother and sistersdid not survive.When Willinger finished her story,many students and faculty membershad to wipe away tears. Despiteher emotional memories, Willingergraciously took the time to answerstudents’ questions. She talked abouttolerance and the need to respecteach other. After receiving hugs anda bouquet of flowers, she presentedthe school’s library with a copy ofher mother’s book, “The EnduringSpirit,” which chronicles their story of“I had to <strong>com</strong>e hear her story,”said P.E. teacher Steve Pappas. His89-year-old father, James, served inWorld War II as a counter intelligenceofficer and was also involved in theliberation of a concentration camp.“As time goes on, these stories will nolonger be firsthand, and certain things“This was an amazing experienceand what affected me was how muchher mother cared for her,” 13-year-oldCrystal Turner, 14, added, “Thiswas one of the best privileges of mylife and not too many people get to bea witness to this. I am amazed thatMagda was able to move on past that“She made me want to be a better14. “The way her and her mom stucktogether makes me want to be closer to“I thought the kids were terrific,”said Willinger. “Despite what Hitlertried to do, we are still here to tell thestory. I want them to know we are allone people, and the day I came to thiscountry was the one of the best days ofsurvival.should not ever be forgotten.”Valeria Ortiz said.experience.”person,” said Tempest Fischbach,mine.”my life.”
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