San Antonio Public Library and The Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio present the 12th annual The Holocaust: Learn & Remember series from January 4 through 27.

SAPL commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27) with this series dedicated to honoring and remembering the victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

The 2024 theme, “Upstanders,” highlights individuals who recognized wrongs and took action to make them right. From Jan and Miep Gies who hid Anne Frank and her family to the Bielski Partisans who helped Jews escape from ghettos in Poland, there were many everyday citizens throughout the Holocaust who took action to push back against the hate perpetrated by the Nazis.

The Holocaust: Learn & Remember series is a collaboration between San Antonio Public Library and the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Jewish Federation of San Antonio, San Antonio Public Library Foundation,Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission, and Sharkmatic Advertising.

Program Schedule
 
Upstanders: Stories of the Righteous Among Nations
Tuesday, January 9 | McCreless Branch Library | 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, January 17 | Central Library | 11 – 12:30 p.m.

Robin Long
Righteous Among the Nations is an honor given by Israel to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. In this presentation, you will hear the stories of three rescuers through the voice of those that were saved.

 ”Jewish Resisters, Though”: Why There Has Been Reluctance to Apply the “Upstander” Label to Jews in the Holocaust
Friday, January 12 | Igo Branch Library | 10-11:30 a.m.

Dr. J.E. Wolfson

This presentation explores the reasons behind the bias against acknowledging Jews as upstanders, and examines case studies of Jewish resistance to the Nazi assault.

You Jump In and Help: The Irena Sendler Story

Sunday, January 14 | Parman Branch Library | 3-4 p.m.

Thursday, January 18 | Memorial Branch Library | 12-1 p.m.

Liz Reichman

Christian social worker Irena Sendler saved 2,500 Jewish children during the Holocaust. Her audacious actions resulted in her capture, imprisonment, and torture, but she was so valuable to the resistance, they paid a bribe to save her on the eve of her scheduled execution. Who was this remarkable young woman? What motivated her to risk her life for others? How is she remembered today?
Upstanders: Stories of the Righteous Among Nations

Wednesday, January 17 | Central Library | Latino Collection and Resource Center | 11 – 12:30 p.m.
Robin Long

Righteous Among the Nations is an honor given by Israel to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. In this presentation, you will hear the stories of three rescuers through the voice of those that were saved.

Protest and Resistance in Nazi Germany
Wednesday, January 17 | Online (Register Here) 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Dr. Edward Westermann
Dr. Westermann’s presentation discusses the opportunities and consequences related to acts of protest and resistance within Nazi Germany. It focuses on the role of the churches and private individuals and their acts of opposition to the Nazi regime during the Third Reich.

Closing Event
 
Dramatic Reading of Undesirable Secrets
Sunday, January 21 | Holzman Auditorium

12500 NW Military Hwy, 78231 | 2 – 4 p.m.

Join San Antonio Public Library, Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio, and the Anthony C. Acevedo Foundation for the premier dramatized stage reading of “Undesirable Secrets.” This captivating and emotionally charged theatrical experience that takes the audience on a transformative journey through the life of Anthony C. Acevedo, a survivor haunted by his past. Set against the backdrop of World War II and its aftermath, the story unfolds through a series of poignant encounters, revealing the depth of Anthony’s pain, resilience, and the hidden secrets