Historical artifacts are vital for telling the story of our history. But among the most valuable “artifacts” we have are the stories and experiences told by the individuals who lived through that period of history.
The Spungen Family Foundation is lucky to call numerous survivors of the Holocaust our friends – family, really! Many of them have shared their stories with us, and we have compiled them here.
Note: This webpage is a work in progress; it will continue to grow as we continue to put together our survivors’ stories in a meaningful way.
If you have any questions about this page, please email Mikayla Hoppe at: mikayla@spungenfoundation.org.
Doris Fogel’s life journey took her from Berlin to refuge in Shanghai and later the United States, where she dedicated herself to sharing her Holocaust story with future generations.
Ellie Grasse’s story traces her journey from Austria to Shanghai as her family fled rising antisemitism before and during the Holocaust.
Lotte Marcus’s journey follows a happy childhood in Vienna cut short by antisemitism, leading her family to flee Austria in 1939 and find refuge in Shanghai during the war.
Gary Sternberg’s story spans from surviving Nazi persecution in Germany and refuge in Shanghai to building a new life in the United States, where he later worked for decades as a blackjack dealer in Las Vegas.
Ellen Wolf’s story follows her escape from Nazi Germany after Kristallnacht to refuge in Shanghai, before ultimately rebuilding her life in the United States after the war.
