Our 8th graders had the privilege of deepening their learning about the Second World War by meeting with Dr. Alfred Münzer, who kindly visited ASH to share his story as a Holocaust survivor.

Dr. Alfred Münzer was born in The Hague in 1941 just after the war breaking out in the Netherlands. Once the persecution of Jews began, Dr. Münzer’s family decided to split up in order to protect themselves from fatality. He was saved by a Dutch-Indonesian family, who risked their own safety to protect him. At age 4, he was reunited with his biological mother and learned that he had lost his father and both sisters in the Holocaust. Today, he is a doctor and spends his time sharing his story to combat hate speech. 

We asked Dr. Alfred Munzer how he feels about our strategic ambitions:

About Learning That Matters
“I think it is very important for students to learn more than what it is in textbooks. They should learn about life experiences, and that is why I tell the story about what happened to my family during the Holocaust. This story contains very important lessons for the future of individuals, but mostly the future of humanity. I know that sharing my story does have an impact on the students. I know that one of the great opportunities at ASH is exposure to a variety of people of different nationalities, religions, cultures. And that is very useful for our future.”

About Stronger Together
“I think one of the failures that led to the Holocaust is that many people were bystanders. The family that rescued me was an exception. But had there been many others like them, the Holocaust might not have happened. Because ASH has such a diverse community, it can set the example of the power of community.”

About Joyful Learning Environments
“What I remember most about the family that rescued me was the love I received. Creating a nurturing environment under terrible conditions was a tremendous challenge. We were all hungry at times, but I mostly remember us being joyful. The same feeling was carried with me to many different places and social environments. The community has left a real imprint on how I function as a doctor, how I function as a human being. The emphasis was on ethics and doing the right thing.”

About Being Well, Doing Well
“Wellbeing and happiness to me mean ‘relationships’ - my partner who I met 41 years ago and has created a loving environment, the friends I seek out and maintain, the students I meet when I share my story. And of course, keeping links to the Madna family. I lost my father and my sisters, but I acquired other people.”

About his ASHexperience
“This is my second time at ASH, so it is special. This really feels like coming home. Firstly, because of the ceremony of Yad Vashem that took place at ASH, in which the family who saved me was honored with the Medal of the Righteous Among Nations. Secondly, because it is the first time that I told my story in The Hague, my hometown.” 

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