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Holocaust Survivor To Share Story

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By JOYCE McKENZIE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 5, 2007

TEMPLE TERRACE - Philip Gans describes his story as a graphic illustration of man's inhumanity to man.

He is a survivor of the Holocaust, in which it's estimated that 6 million Jews lost their lives to the Nazis' persecution under the leadership of Adolf Hitler.

The youngest of three children born to once-prosperous Jewish parents living in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Gans was 12 years old when the Germans invaded.

He witnessed firsthand the horrors of hiding out, being captured and submitting to the life of a slave laborer - first at a detention camp and later in the Auschwitz and Flossenburg concentration camps.

'Life in camp was hell - little clothing, cold weather, hard work, little food and, sometimes, beatings,' Gans said.

But what he remembers most is the murder of his mother, brother, sister and grandmother, who lost their lives at Auschwitz.

Gans plans to give an in-depth account of his life-changing ordeal at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Hutchinson Auditorium at Florida College. The event is free and open to the public.

'Unfortunately, this has prevailed from the beginning of time and continues today in many parts of the world,' the 79-year-old Clearwater resident said of man's inhumanity to man. 'It's my goal that those who witness me talking about it will become witnesses themselves and pass it along to their children.'

Douglas Barlar, the college's dean of student services, said Gans' presentation will be a great opportunity for students and other people in the community to hear from a Holocaust eyewitness and victim.

'Survivors, like Mr. Gans, are not going to be with us too much longer, and we don't need to have young people growing up unaware of the events that took place and the atrocities that were committed,' he said. 'History tends to repeat itself, and we have too many people in the world today who deny or are unaware of this.'

Ralph Walker, the school's public relations director, concurred.

'Years ago, we had on campus another Holocaust survivor, and the students were absolutely captivated,' he said. 'They've heard and read about it, but most have never heard from a firsthand survivor. This is the kind of thing we need to tell our young people in addition to the things that are going on around them.'

Gans never spoke publicly about his ordeal until 2001, when he was interviewed by film director Steven Spielberg. He has since given presentations at Walt Disney World, several area schools, the University of South Florida and St. Petersburg College.

Becky Barlar, chairwoman of Florida College's Life Enrichment Committee and the event organizer, is also delighted Gans will be on hand to enlighten guests about this time in the world's history.

'He'll talk about his experiences during the Holocaust as a way of teaching tolerance and preventing such a tragedy from ever happening again,' she said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: A program by Philip Gans, Holocaust survivor
WHERE: Hutchinson Auditorium at Florida College, 119 N. Glenn Arven Ave., Temple Terrace

WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday

HOW MUCH: Free

INFORMATION: Call (813) 899-6741.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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