Steven Frank - “The Holocaust, a child survivor’s perspective"

Steven Frank will give this online lecture which is his story- “The Holocaust, a child survivor’s perspective."

Steven Frank, was born in Amsterdam in 1935 into a secular Jewish family. His mother, born in Eastbourne, UK had come to study in Amsterdam where she met her future husband, an up and coming young lawyer with a great legal future ahead of him.

With the German occupation, he became a member of the Dutch resistance, was betrayed, arrested in his office, tortured and finally transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where he was murdered on the 21st January 1943 at the age of 39.

In March 1943 Steven, his mother and two brothers were sent to the first of three camps ending up in Theresienstadt in the Czech Republic where they were liberated on the 9th. May 1945.

The family came to England in June 1945 and started to rebuild their lives.

About the speaker

When Steven retired, having worked for many years in the water supply industry as a chemist and bacteriologist.

Holocaust Education had recently been introduced into the school curriculum and he started going into schools in 1995 and talk about his experiences. He has given over 900 talks in schools, universities, adult organisations and government departments.

He was the first survivor to be filmed in 3D interactively for the “Forever Project” in the UK by the now National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Laxton, Notts.

In the Queen’s 2019 New year Honours he was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to Holocaust Education. In 2019 a film made with his 14 year old grand daughter of his war time journey with the BBC and broadcast for Holocaust Memorial day on CBBC, was awarded a BAFTA that year and in July 2020 an International Emmy in New York. In 2019 also he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Winchester for his work in Holocaust Education. He continues to give lectures today be they personally or online.

Steven Frank is married with 3 children, 3 step children 14 grandchildren and one great grandchild and lives in Hertfordshire