Holocaust conference to feature survivor’s account of life journey

Holocaust survivor Sam Wachs will tell the story of his post-World War II migrations during the featured events of the 2021 Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Conference. Those two events will take place virtually April 8 and 13.

Wachs, as a boy, lost his parents to the Nazis but was rescued and after the war emigrated with an aunt to Argentina. He grew up there and had a career as an engineer. His wife died in 1988, and in 1991, he and their two sons moved to Israel, where he met a woman from his village who could fill in gaps in what he knew about his own story. He still lives in Israel. His talks are titled “A Survivor’s Journey: Present to Past to Future.”

Wachs’ pre-recorded presentation will be shown twice. At noon-1:30 p.m. ET April 8, it will be shown and followed by a live question-and-answer session with Wachs. At 7-8:30 p.m. ET April 13, it will be shown and followed by a Q&A with Wachs’ son, Juan Wachs, professor of industrial engineering at Purdue. Each follow-up portion will be conducted by Rebekah Klein-Pejšová, associate professor of history.

“Sam Wachs’ journey illustrates the diaspora experience of so many Jews following WWII,” says Sarah Powley, chair of the Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Committee. “It’s a story our conference hasn’t presented before, and we are pleased that Mr. Wachs will share his experiences with us on Yom HaShoah, April 8, Holocaust Remembrance Day around the world."

As usual, the Holocaust conference also offers a workshop for educators, this year titled “Spotlight on Contemporary Antisemitism.” This virtual event will be at 6-8 p.m. ET April 12. Registration is free and professional growth plan (PGP) points for teachers are available.

The 2021 conference marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of the Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Committee by Rabbi Gedalyah Engel and others. Purdue partners of the conference are the James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship and the Human Rights Program. Among others providing support are Purdue’s College of Education, Department of History, Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice Provost for Student Life.

Registration is free, and a fuller biographical summary of Wachs is provided on the GLHRC website.