Holocaust Survivor and Author to Visit Ripon College

Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society

RIPON, Wis. – Henry Golde, a Holocaust survivor, will share his remarkable life story at a special Golden Hour presentation by the Office of Community Engagement, 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 17 in Todd Wehr 104 on the Ripon College campus. The public is welcome to attend.

Born in Plock, Poland in 1929, Mr. Golde was forced to live in two different ghettos with his parents before being separated from them in 1943. He was forced to work at a slave labor camp at Czestochowa, Poland before being transferred to Bruchenwald, and then Colditz, Germany, ending up in Theresienstadt, Czechoslovakia where he was liberated by the Russian Army in 1945. His parents were not so lucky. 

After being liberated, he spent seven years in England before moving to the United States. Today he lives in Appleton, Wis. and for the last several years has been dedicated to sharing his story with the communities around him, including talks at area schools.

Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society

Social justice can be understood through education and activism; Mr. Golde's story acts as a catalyst to begin the journey towards achieving justice in our society and world by sharing his firsthand knowledge and personal reflections of the Holocaust.

Through speakers like Mr. Golde, the Office of Community Engagement seeks to bridge the gap between those who have experienced a social injustice and those who are in a position to be activists alongside them: Solidarity of the human race starts with knowledge and education. The ensuing compassion we have and share with one another after becoming aware of an injustice spurs activism to work towards community solidarity around an issue. As we share our stories and viewpoints with one another, our understanding of each other increases and helps us bridge our differences and find a common connection.

Mr. Golde’s self-published book, Ragdolls, will be available for sale from the author directly after his speech.
For more information about Mr. Golde’s upcoming speech at Ripon College, please contact the Office of Community Engagement at 920-748-8153 or OCE@ripon.edu.

For a more complete biography of Mr. Golde, or to hear a recorded version of his oral history, check out the Wisconsin Historical Society's website. 

For more information about his book, Ragdolls, click HERE. 

Not able to attend the presentation on Tuesday but would still like to purchase a copy of the book? Not a problem! Books can be purchased online from Biblio.com for $17.00 including shipping.