Steven Frank Talk - 23rd September 2024
On the 23rd of September, Merchant Taylors’ was very pleased to welcome Mr Steven Frank, a Holocaust survivor, to give a talk about his life and experiences to staff and parents.
Mr. Frank had previously visited Merchant Taylors’ for last year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, when he spoke to both staff and students. He gave such a thoroughly engaging account of his life that it felt necessary to have him return.
Steven had a happy childhood in 1930s Amsterdam, when he would go ice skating and play with the other children in the neighbourhood. His father was a well-known Dutch lawyer, on the board of an advanced Jewish psychiatric hospital. His mother was the daughter of professional musicians. Although the family had the opportunity to flee Holland with the outbreak of war, Steven’s father wished to remain, in order to support his psychiatric hospital.
When the Nazis invaded though, everything changed for Steven and his family. His father joined the Dutch Resistance and helped people flee across the border, but he was betrayed, and taken in 1942 to Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was murdered in 1943.
Steven was eventually sent with his mother and two brothers to Barnevald camp, which was supposed to act as a safe alternative for prominent Dutch Jews. However, in September 1943 Steven and his family were sent to Westerbork camp, and eventually to Theresienstadt. Life as a child in Theresienstadt was very hard for Steven, and he told us in harrowing detail about his experiences of near-starvation, guard dog attacks, and disease.
However, after a very difficult few years in Theresienstadt, Steven and his family were liberated by the Russian Army in 1945. Once they had been returned to good health, they came at last to England.
It was wonderful to hear Steven speak about his life again, and to hear some of the details that he did not have time to tell last year. We hope to see Steven again for this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day.
