St. Margaret’s students in the Upper School and Middle School, including those taking the Upper School’s Holocaust and contemporary genocide course, heard a powerful and moving first-hand account of the devastations of the Holocaust from a St. Margaret’s grandparent who survived it.

 

Ruth Hermann is 96 years old and the grandmother of an Upper School student and St. Margaret’s alumnus. She was a young Jewish girl in Stuttgart, Germany when a happy childhood abruptly transformed into a nightmare with the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party in the 1930s.

 

Her story was shared with students in the history class, as well as about 30 other students in the Upper School and Middle School who came to McGregor Family Theater to listen to Mrs. Hermann’s powerful account.

 

Mrs. Hermann took part in a question-and-answer session moderated by Upper School history teacher Chris Nordstrom, with students asking a number of questions about her experiences.

 

As the rise of the Nazi regime swept across Germany, Mrs. Hermann’s family became targets of discrimination and violence. Mrs. Hermann recalled Kristallnacht (The Night of the Broken Glass), in which Nazi soldiers came to her apartment and arrested both her father and her brother. Knowing that “there wasn’t a future in staying in Germany,” Mrs. Hermann was selected as part of the Kindertransport program and relocated to England when she was 11 years old.

 

Though the Kindertransport program saved Mrs. Hermann’s life, the rest of her immediate family died in the Holocaust. She never saw them again.

 

After six years in England, Mrs. Hermann permanently relocated to the United States to live with extended family. She eventually settled in New York, met her husband and raised a family. For years, Mrs. Hermann did not speak about her childhood, saying “at the time, I believed that once you close the door, the door is shut.”

 

Eventually, she recognized the value of sharing her story—first with her children, including St. Margaret’s parent Ira Hermann, and in her later years with students learning about the Holocaust.

 

It is the second time Mrs. Hermann has spoken to St. Margaret’s students in the Holocaust and contemporary genocide course, after first visiting in 2022. She stated that she would like to continue sharing her story with students as long as she is able to.

 

“It should never happen again,” Mrs. Hermann said of the Holocaust. “Young people should realize how bad it was. If I share my story, maybe somebody will speak up and say, ‘This should never happen again.’”

 

St. Margaret’s students asked insightful questions about her experience, and Mrs. Hermann shared stories of visiting Germany as an adult, how her difficult childhood shaped who she is (“I’m probably more sympathetic to other people’s situations, and I would like to think I’m a better person for it,” she said) and offered parting advice for those who listened to her moving story.

 

“I think there’s not enough respect in this world,” Mrs. Hermann said. “I believe we don’t know enough about each other and some of us don’t like a difference of opinion. If we could all practice respect, it would be a great thing.”

 

In addition to the students in attendance, several members of St. Margaret’s professional community listened to Mrs. Hermann speak, including Head of School, Dr. Jeneen Graham.

 

“It was such an honor to have Ruth Hermann share her story with our students here at St. Margaret’s,” Dr. Graham said. “Opportunities like these to hear a personal narrative related to a historic event help our students better understand and process the world around them, as they develop into future leaders who can make a positive difference. 

 

“When Ruth Hermann was invited to speak to students at St. Margaret’s earlier in the year, we knew the message would be timeless, but none of us knew how timely it would be. Her ability to articulate the horrific crimes perpetrated on the Jewish people while simultaneously holding space for human goodness and kindness and a path forward through mutual respect and dignity was remarkable.

 

“Ruth’s wisdom guides us to see that we can hold multiple thoughts at once. We condemn the violent attack perpetrated by Hamas, are horrified when innocent lives are taken, and simultaneously pray for goodness, kindness and dignity for all, as our Episcopal Identity calls us to do.

 

“I am consistently inspired by the wisdom of our Chaplains as they work to equip our students with hopeful messages to move us forward while recognizing pain in the world. Just this week in Middle School Chapel, Father Earl Gibson discussed the importance of all good deeds, including prayer. He said, ‘Every good deed you do—no matter how big or small—takes away space for evil.’  I am also grateful for the professional community members and the students who are sharing their voices through prayer, and classroom discussions and student-led TIDE talks. Our Upper School TIDE talks are optional gatherings designed to give older students a space to grapple with challenging topics in a safe and respectful environment.

 

“Our mission is to educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service. As I reflect on the world they are inheriting, I believe there is no greater work happening than that which we are doing with our young people. I am grateful for the ability to partner with all our parents in the hope for a better future for our children.”