My name is Michal Arend. I am a sociologist by education, currently retired. I belong to the “Second Generation,” a term referring to the descendants of concentration camp survivors. I was among the first to begin speaking in schools and at public forums about the experiences my parents and other Jewish ancestors faced before, during, […]
Historical articles
One of Many Life Stories – The Story from a Wooden Box
After liberation in 1945, Holocaust survivors sought to return to their homes and rebuild their lives within society. They returned to find their prewar worlds in ruins—few relatives had survived, and many had lost their entire families. In the years that followed, survivors often faced renewed manifestations of anti-Semitism and widespread indifference to their memories […]
Terezín – From War to Peace
In 2025, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, as well as the liberation of the Terezín Ghetto and the Gestapo Police Prison in the Small Fortress. Words such as “liberation” and “the end of the war” evoke positive feelings, symbolizing an end to the suffering endured by the prisoners […]
Reflections on War and Postwar Experiences…
Tired JoyMichal Flach So I have survived Out of my big heavy eyesI’m looking at the worldAnd my heart is heavy Hunger still sucks my strengthMy bones still hurt from yesterday’s blows So I have survivedSurvived? I look backAnd someone gives out milkAnd someone hands a towelAnd no one’s beating me if I can’t get […]
