Conversations with a survivor: John Grushka

“My last farewell with my mother took place at the Prague railway station in February 1939, when I was just about to turn 15. It never dawned on me that this could be the last goodbye.”

Holocaust survivor, John Grushka’s idyllic childhood in Czechoslovakia was destroyed when Nazis invaded in 1939. John was sent to live with a distant relative in England, while his father and sister went to Palestine. His mother stayed put to care for his grandmother.

John reflects on his final moments with his mother in 1939, right before he left for England. He never saw her again. She would be transported to Theresienstadt in 1942, and to Auschwitz in 1943, where she was murdered at the age of 53.

Join us in the Museum for an inspiring conversation between John and Museum Educator Sandy Hollis. You’ll hear about John’s escape from Nazi-occupied Europe and the fate of his relatives.

This event is the first of our Conversations with a Survivor series for 2023. Please note that the survivor speaking at this event may change should unforeseen circumstances arise. We will endeavour to keep you informed if this is the case.