A Holocaust Survivor Shares How He Survived Concentration Camps and Death Marches in a Heartbreaking Reddit AMA

By | August 29, 2016

A 92-year-old Holocaust survivor held a Reddit AMA, in which he answered questions about his harrowing experience, how he survived the ordeal, and how he has come to terms with the world after World War II.

Henry Flescher, originally from Vienna, Austria, took to Reddit — with the assistance of his grandson — to help share the story of the Holocaust through the lens of a survivor of the tragedy. Flescher's answers, although at times difficult to read, are more vital than ever as fewer Holocaust survivors are still alive.

We have shared some of the most powerful elements of Flesher's story below.

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After being sent to Drancy, Flescher, was brought to multiple camps and forced to experience death marches:

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During this time, Flescher noted that he and his fellows were forced to take drastic means to survive:

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In response to how it felt to be liberated, Flescher wrote:

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He then went on to clarify: "I have two birthdays. March 14th, and April 11th."

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When asked how he managed to stay alive throughout the Holocaust and not give up hope, Flescher wrote:

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In response to a question about how accurate Holocaust movies presented the experience, Flescher shared his own anecdote of the brutality of the camps:

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Ultimately, Flescher wants the stories of the Holocaust to be preserved and told exactly as they were so that the world can continue to understand what happened:

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Read his the full Reddit AMA thread here.