Holocaust survivor describes his experiences for eighth-graders

About 15 years ago, Kildeer's Sam Harris said he heard about a book claiming the Holocaust never happened.

He took a closer look, and said he found numerous books with the same message.

It was then that Harris, formerly known as Szlamek Rzeznik, decided it was time to start sharing his stories of what it was like being a child forced to live in concentration camps in Nazi-occupied Poland, while watching all his family and friends killed by the Nazis.

"I feel like I owe it to share with people what happened," Harris said.

Harris took his message to Barrington recently for a presentation to eighth-graders at Barrington Middle School Prairie Campus.

Speaking to the students gives Harris the opportunity let them know, from someone who was there, that the murder of 6 million Jews between 1933 and 1945 did indeed happen.

"By the time I am through, they are saying 'I am going to make sure my children and grandchildren know what happened,'" Harris said.

When Harris was just 4 years old, in September 1939, Nazis invaded his hometown of Deblin, Poland.

He would spend nearly four years in concentration camps, watching nearly all his family killed around him, before finally being liberated in January 1945.

Prairie teacher Michele Kandl said having Harris speak to the students was a great way to wrap up their study of the Holocaust.

"Mr. Harris brought everything they have learned about the Holocaust to life for them," Kandl said. "

Having had to fight for his survival on a daily basis, Harris said he was very lucky to have been able to walk out of the concentration camps and go on to lead a great life.

"I have been blessed to have been saved," Harris said. "Life has been very good to me."

Kandl said Harris kept the students very engaged.

He is the type of man that when he starts speaking, you are lost in his story," Kandl said.

After listening to Harris, Kandl said she hopes the students take away his message of trying to persevere through whatever tough times may come their way.

"I really would like them to see how, if you have determination and a desire to survive, you can overcome any obstacle that you encounter," she said.

Harris is the president of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie.