Concentration Camp Survivor Speaks at Florida College's Hutchinson Auditorium

NEW: Listen to the audio recording of Mr. Gans presentation with iTunes and the Florida College Events Podcast.

On Thursday evening, September 6, Hutchinson auditorium was host to a standing-room-only crowd as Philip Gans, Holocaust and concentration camp survivor, took the stage to speak of his suffering at the hand of the Nazis.

Mr. Gans was born in 1928 to a Jewish businessman and his wife in Amsterdam, Holland. His father owned a successful business manufacturing ladies clothing. After the Germans invaded Holland and began arresting other Jews, his family went into hiding in July of 1942 when he was 14 years old. On July 28, 1943, the day of his father’s birthday, his family was arrested by the Nazis. After a short time in a detention camp, he was moved to the well-known Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Later he was moved to Flossenberg and participated in the Death March for a week before the American Army liberated him at the age of 17 on April 23, 1945. During this time, he lost fifteen members of his family.

Mr. Gans urged the crowd to "erase hate," promote tolerance, and speak up when you see someone doing wrong before the chance to speak up is gone altogether.

Photos from the Event

A large crowd gathered to hear one of the few remaining survivors of a Nazi concentration camp retell his story.

Mr. Gans shows the audience where he and his family were taken.

Mr. Gans describes how he and his family were unloaded and separated at Birkenau, some sent to the gas chambers, others to forced labor.

Mr. Gans talks of the slave labor he was forced to do at Monowitz near Auschwitz.

Mr. Gans tells how he and his family were forced to work even when weak.

Mr. Gans describes his return to Holland.

After his presentation Mr. Gans took questions and even shared a few laughs with the audience.