Loyola University Chicago held a special program on November 11 that featured Professor George Otto, a 95 year old Polish survivor of World War II. The event, titled “The Traumas of Childhood in a Time of War,” gave people the chance to hear a firsthand account of life under the Nazi occupation.
Otto, who grew up in Warsaw, was only 9 years old when the war began. In the event, he described the sudden violence that entered his life, the separation from his family, and the fear he had when being taken away by German officers. One moment that stood out to many listeners was his description of being removed from his school without warning. He explained how he was then put on a bus, placed in a controlled environment where children were shown Nazi propaganda, and taught ideas meant to shape their beliefs. His calm but detailed storytelling made the history feel personal.
Loyola Professor and Chairman of the History Department, Brad Hunt, also spoke at the event and explained why testimonies like Otto’s are essential today. He said that the program also coincided with the anniversary of Kristallnacht, when more than 1,000 synagogues were destroyed and Jewish families were attacked. He encouraged students to learn from the past and recognize the danger of hatred.
Although Otto later moved to the US, and became a professor, he explained that he continues to share his story so that younger generations understand how quickly life can change during the times of conflict. He also hopes that students will take these lessons seriously and continue to speak out against hate and prejudice.
After attending this event, I feel it offered a rare opportunity to hear directly from a WW2 survivor. It served as a reminder that history is not only just studied in classes and textbooks, but also carried in the memories of those who lived through it.
