Ginette Kolinka, nearing her 100th birthday, is among the last survivors willing to share her harrowing story of survival during the Holocaust. With the world marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, her mission has never been more urgent: to educate the youth about the horrors of the past and to instill the importance of remembrance.
Having been forcibly taken to the infamous camp at the young age of 19, Kolinka was among the 1,500 deportees on April 13, 1944. She began her story at the Invalides, addressing eager students from the Saint-Paul College of Cherbourg. "Who here is under 15?" she called out, prompting all but one to stand. "You’re dead," she declared, emphasizing the stark reality of survival. This provocative statement drew young minds to reflect upon how history can feel distant yet remains dangerously relevant.
One of Kolinka's poignant memories recounts the moment she and her family arrived at Auschwitz, emphasizing the dehumanization experienced by the prisoners. "From the moment I arrived, I lost everything about my humanity. I was nothing. I was treated like an animal," Kolinka reflected, underscoring how the brutal process of being stripped of their dignity began immediately. "I told my father and younger brother to get on the truck, thinking it was to help them. Instead, it took them to their deaths. I carry this guilt, even though I know I am not to blame," she recounted, her voice steady but filled with emotion.
The intensity of her recollections made the room silent as her audience absorbed the weight of history. Kolinka has committed her later years to traveling and speaking, reminding each new generation of the significance of her past. "I do not want you to thank me. Instead, you must promise to be good custodians of memory,” she told her young audience. Kolinka implores them to share her story with their families, to carry the lessons learned from such atrocities, and to combat rising hatred.
“Hatred leads to Auschwitz,” she proclaimed, issuing a clarion call against the malignancy of antisemitism observed today. She reflected on the growing tensions and rising antisemitism across Europe, stating, "I am Jewish, and there are antisemites. I want to understand why they dislike us; unfortunately, many harbor prejudices born from ignorance."
Addressing students at Sciences-Po, where students gathered eagerly to hear from someone who lived through the horror, she expressed her frustrations as she noted the political discourse surrounding antisemitism. "Thank you for being here," she said, encouraging the audience to remain steadfast against the historical revisiting of hatred. "You must resist the temptation to fall for the fear mongering of political parties."
Kolinka’s dedication to preserving the memory of the Holocaust resonates deeply throughout her speeches. She often shares her tattoo, the number assigned to her upon arrival at Auschwitz: 78599. Now, rather than hide her tattoo as she did for decades, she wears it openly, stating, "The time has come to embrace this mark as part of my story."
Before she leaves the audiences, she issues another challenge. "Be good bearers of memory. Remember the past, as it will guide you to promote peace and tolerance among people. Hate breeds destruction, and the lessons learned must never fade away."
Her resilience is powerful—her presence, comforting. After her talks, she continues to sign books, always including her number alongside her name as if it were her badge of honor. "This is history. This is me, and I still have my story to tell."
Each student leaves carrying not just her words, but the weight of history, and hopefully, the conviction to propagate the lessons of the past. For Kolinka resonates as more than just a survivor; she stands as a stalwart defender of truth against the encroaching shadows of forgetfulness and indifference. Tomorrow she will do it all again, continuing her extraordinary work to keep history alive.