“Memories of the Holocaust,” September 17

Thursday, September 17, 6 p.m.

Moline Public Library, 3210 41st Street, Moline IL

On September 17, a second-generation Holocaust speaker will share the remarkable story of her mother, Adela Goldberg, in the Moline Public Library program Memories of the Holocaust, Ruth Yablonsky speaking on one vital woman's life as a survivor, witness, and keeper of an important piece of history.

Through Yablonsky's presentation, audiences will learn about the Holocaust through the deeply personal experiences of one family. Yablonsky carries forward the memories her mother entrusted to her, ensuring that her mother Adela’s experiences are not lost as the generation of Holocaust survivors grows smaller.

Adela Goldberg endured Nazi persecution during the Holocaust and survived one of history’s darkest chapters. Her story is also connected to an extraordinary chapter of American military history: Adela was liberated by soldiers of the 761st Tank Battalion, the legendary African American unit known as the “Black Panthers.”

The 761st fought in Europe during World War II at a time when the U.S. military was still segregated. These soldiers battled Nazi Germany abroad while facing discrimination at home. Their courage and service make Adela’s liberation story especially powerful.

Through her mother’s memories, Yablonsky helps audiences understand the Holocaust not simply through dates and statistics, but through the experiences of an individual human being—what it meant to live under Nazi persecution, to survive, to be liberated, and to rebuild a life after the war. Yablonsky represents an increasingly important generation of Holocaust educators: the children of survivors who have become guardians of their parents’ testimony.

Ruth Yablonsky's Memories of the Holocaust will be presented at the Moline Public Library on September 17, participation in the 6 p.m. program is free, and more information is available by calling (309)524-2470 and visiting MolineLibrary.com.