Gena Turgel

"Let us hope for a better future where anti-Semitism and all hatred should be demolished, shouldn't be tolerated ... And I do beg you, don't forget those who are less fortunate than yourselves."

- Gena Turgel

Born in Krakow, 1923, as Gena Goldfinger, Turgel's early life was molded by the profound shadows of the Holocaust. The youngest in a family of nine, Gena's childhood was rooted in a Jewish family that ran a modest textile enterprise. However, the serenity of her life was shattered in 1939 when, at the tender age of 16, the Nazis commandeered Poland, leading to her family's business being abruptly seized.

As the dark cloud of the Holocaust loomed over Europe, Gena's family was forcefully relocated to a dilapidated ghetto in 1941 and later to the Plaszov camp near Krakow. This brutal displacement cost Gena dearly—two brothers vanished, one being brutally executed by the SS, and a beloved sister along with her spouse met their tragic end trying to sneak food into the camp.

Fate had more trials in store for Gena. 1944's winter saw her and the remnants of her family ushered from Plaszov to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Here, she faced a harrowing ordeal where she, stripped of clothing and dignity, stood with scores of others in what they later discovered was a gas chamber. Miraculously, due to an unforeseen turn of events—perhaps equipment malfunction—the deadly Zyklon-B gas wasn't unleashed, granting Gena and those with her a miraculous escape from death's clutches.

Subsequent weeks brought more shifts: from Auschwitz to Buchenwald and finally to Bergen-Belsen. Here, Gena's compassionate nature shone brightly as she tenderly cared for a gravely ill Anne Frank, who eventually succumbed to typhus.

The gloom of captivity was pierced by a ray of hope in April 1945 when Bergen-Belsen was liberated. It was here that Gena's path intertwined with Norman Turgel, a British Intelligence Corps soldier. Their love story, blossoming amidst the devastation, culminated in a poignant wedding, with Gena's dress—now displayed at London's Imperial War Museum—crafted from the silk of a British Army parachute. This union, soon making headlines as a testament to love triumphing over unspeakable adversity, led the couple to settle in England, where they started a family.

Gena's resilience was not just in surviving but in ensuring that the memories of the Holocaust lived on. She became an indefatigable voice, sharing her poignant experiences, especially with young minds in schools, emphasizing the atrocities' gravity. Karen Pollock, from the Holocaust Educational Trust, aptly encapsulated the impact of Gena's recounting, highlighting her unwavering spirit.

Her memoir, "I Light a Candle," penned in 1987, provides a deep dive into her tumultuous journey. Even in her 90s, Gena's dedication to Holocaust education remained fervent. In April 2018, mere months before her passing, she graced London's Holocaust Remembrance Day event. Reflecting on her life, former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, observed, "Gena was not just a beacon for our community but a tireless educator, ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust were neither forgotten nor repeated."