Dr. STEPHEN M. BERK

Dr. Stephen M. Berk will present “The Destruction of Hungarian Jewry: A Commemoration” on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Golub Center, 184 Washington Avenue Ext., Albany. The free talk is co-sponsored by the Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial and the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York.

Eighty years ago, on March 19, 1944, Germany invaded Hungary, Operation Margarethe (Unternehmen

Margarethe). Hungarian Jews believed that they were safe; anti-Semitism existed in Hungary, but Jews, according to speech organizers, felt that the Hungarian government, even under German occupation, would not betray them. They were wrong.

Hungarian government officials, police and military personnel collaborated with the Germans, and over 600 thousand Hungarian Jews were murdered. From the end of April 1944 to early July 1944, between 5,000 and 10,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered at Auschwitz daily.

There was an attempt to save Hungarian Jews, but it failed. That rescue attempt is controversial.

Prof. Stephen M. Berk, distinguished Henry and Sally Schaeffer professor of Holocaust and Jewish studies at Union College in Schenectady, and former chairman of its department of history, is a speaker, often lauded for his dedication to educating others about the Holocaust and its lessons for today. He has traveled the globe, addressing critical issues such as anti-Semitism, Israel and the Middle East, the Holocaust, and Russian history. His work has earned him accolades, including the Citizen Laureate from the University at Albany Foundation.

Those who wish to attend the event must pre-register at www.jewishfedny.org/CDJHM-event. Registration will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29. There is no cost to attend.

The Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial is a registered 501©3 not-for-profit organization

dedicated to building a permanent memorial in the New York State Capital that will honor the memory of some of the ancestors of New Yorkers, ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten, educating students and the general public about what can happen when hate and prejudice go unchecked, and connecting people with the lessons of history so they will not be repeated.