[TEXT: Irene Weiss survived religious persecution at the hands of Nazi Germany. She and her family were taken from their Hungarian home to Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944.]
[Irene Weiss] My mother and two younger brothers were off to one side.
My father and older brother were off to the side with a man.
My older sister was 17, was motioned to a side where young adults were going.
I remained. I was 13 years old; I had a sister of about 12.
I remained standing there with her, holding her hand, and then he separated me from her, sent me where the young adults went.
And I was stunned by that because it seemed like I belonged with her and that she was alone.
But, of course, we had no idea that the women and the children and the elderly were walked immediately to the gas chambers,
and they were dead within a half hour to 45 minutes.
[TEXT: Among her parents and five siblings, Irene and her older sister Serena were the family’s only survivors.]
You know in Eastern Europe, Central Europe, anti-Semitism was prevalent.
We lived with it. It wasn't always overt.
But people separated us because we prayed in a different way, in a different place.
We had different customs, and that was enough to be isolated in some ways.
[TEXT: The gradual spread of lies and propaganda against the Jews and several other religious and ethnic groups led to the murders of up to 17 million people.]
And so, it starts with the governments in each country. And they'll make laws that favor one or the other. That is a tremendously important part to being with
because as soon as the population gets a hint that there are differences, then people dare to push those differences.
So we need to have a government that stands up for freedom of religion for all people.
So. And beyond that, I think the religious leaders have to preach to their flock
this kind of concept too that we can — there is one father in heaven, so we hope, and that he does not discriminate.
And nevertheless, we can all pray our very special way to him, and we will understand. And that we all belong to the human race,
that we should have empathy for each other, and that we do not set out to hate and in the end kill each other for the sake of our differences.
I think my faith in men has been shaken far more than my belief in religion or God
because it really is quite incredible how people — what people can do to each other in the name of being different,
in the name of propagandas that teaches them to do, you know, to disrespect and humiliate others, who are a little different.
And so, when we have meetings like this and we compared each other's past and each other's religious beliefs,
that people will learn, that people will understand each other and not feel that their way is the only way and their way is the best.
So, I'm hoping.
[TEXT: Irene moved to the U.S. in 1953 where she became a teacher and raised a family. She continues to volunteer at the United States Holocaust Museum, sharing her story with all who visit.]
[TEXT: For more on the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, visit share.america.gov. Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom]
[TEXT: Produced by the U.S. Department of State]