This was an introductory interview between Gidon Ariel from Root Source and Holocaust survivor Rosian Zerner, who was born in Kaunas, Lithuania in 1935 and currently lives in Dallas, Texas. The conversation covered Rosian’s early life in Lithuania before World War II, her family’s background as secular Jews with a long line of rabbis, and how her father’s career as a lawyer was restricted due to anti-Jewish laws. They discussed her experiences during the Holocaust, including her realization in 2000 that she had blocked out her childhood memories, which led her to return to Lithuania and visit the houses that she lived in and the ghetto where she was interned. Rosian shared her post-war journey, including living in Italy for six years and later moving to Boston, where she attended Columbia University and later worked to honor Holocaust victims through various organizations. The conversation revealed multiple personal connections between the two participants, including Gidon’s wife’s connection to Boston University and Rabbi Polack, and Rosian’s son’s attendance at Boston University Medical School.

Eastern Europe Geography Discussion

Gidon and Rosian discussed the geography of Eastern Europe, focusing on Lithuania where Rosian was born. They explored the location of Kaliningrad, which was previously Königsberg and has personal significance for Rosian as her mother’s birthplace. Rosian provided insights about Lithuania’s size, population, cultural history, and unique characteristics including its ancient language and claim to having been the last country to abandon paganism.

Jewish Family Background Discussion

Gidon and Rosian discussed their family backgrounds and experiences with Judaism. Rosian shared that she was born in Lithuania to a secular family with a long line of rabbis, and her father was unable to practice law due to Jewish restrictions before World War II. They discussed how different Jewish communities coexist, with some being very religious while others are secular, similar to communities in the United States. The conversation touched on how Rosian’s father had to switch from law to business, including exporting wool internationally, as a result of anti-Semitic restrictions.

Lithuania’s WWII Experience and Memories

Gidon and Rosian discussed Lithuania’s early involvement in World War II due to its border with Poland, and how Rosian’s father, despite graduating from law school, was unable to practice due to anti-Jewish laws both under Russian and later German occupation. Rosian shared that her family had a relatively privileged life before the war, including owning one of the first cars in Lithuania, but everything changed dramatically when the war began in 1941 when Rosian was about 5-6 years old. Rosian revealed that in 2000, she realized she had completely blocked out her childhood memories.

Lithuania Holocaust Reconnection Journey

Rosian discussed retracing steps in Lithuania, including visiting the ghetto where she was interned and reconnecting with rescuers. She explained her efforts to obtain her uncle’s musical scores, which were kept as national treasures in a Lithuanian museum, though some were later performed in the United States. Rosian described her involvement in a multi-year legal battle regarding the scores, which ultimately ended without resolution.

Holocaust Survivor Family Connections Discussion

Gidon and Rosian discussed her personal history, including her escape from Lithuania after the war, her time living in Italy, and her eventual move to Boston and her subsequent attendance at Columbia University. They discovered multiple connections between their families, including Rosian’s husband attending Boston University Medical School and Gidon’s wife studying psychology at Boston University under Rabbi Polack. Rosian shared her ongoing work with Holocaust education and survivor support, including her upcoming speaking engagement at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. The conversation ended with plans to continue their discussion at a later time, after Rosian’s upcoming speaking engagements.