Holocaust Education Resource Council - HERC

Today would have been Anne Frank's 97th birthday.

On June 12, 1942 Anne received a red-checked diary for her 13th birthday. On the cover page she wrote: "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support."

Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany on June 12, 1929 and died at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany in February or March 1945.

Today, June 4th, is Holocaust Survivor Day, which was initiated by the JCC (Jewish Community Centre) Krakow to recognize the contributions that survivors have made to society and to honor their legacies. Whereas International Holocaust Remembrance Day and Yom HaShoah focus on the lives of those who perished, Holocaust Survivor Day celebrates the lives and accomplishments of survivors.

Sadly, there are many inaccurate facts about Holocaust survivors circulating on the internet, including the untrue rumor that the last Holocaust survivor has died. According to new data released by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) in January 2026, there are an estimated 196,600 Jewish Holocaust survivors globally, living across more than 90 countries.

Holocaust Survivors are witnesses, but the responsibility of passing on the legacy of their testimonies lies with everyone who encounters them.

Image 1: Leon County Schools administrators with Holocaust survivors Mary Eckstein and Hershel Greenblat at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. on June 3, 2025.

Image 2: Claims Conference Holocaust Survivor Fact Sheet, January 2026.

HERC is happy to support The Tallahassee Senior Center as they host a movie screening and discussion about the film "Two Regimes - Two Genocides" on April 29th at 5:30pm.

Please see below for information and make sure to click on the provided link to reserve your tickets.

https://www.tallahasseeseniorfoundation.org/events/two-regimes-two-genocides-film-and-panel-discussion/

Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a day of commemoration of the approximately six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust by N**i Germany and its allies - and for the Jewish resistance in that period.

HERC would like to thank all attendees and Temple Israel of Tallahassee for hosting this important day prayer.

HERC would like to thank everyone who attended the Tallahassee State College History Festival this past weekend! It was wonderful to connect with the community and highlight the importance of experiencing history through exhibits and interactive activities. HERC would also like to express appreciation for the visitors who stopped by our table to pick up free books and discuss Holocaust education.

*HISTORY FESTIVAL*
HERC is very excited to invite you to attend the 5th Annual Tallahassee History Festival, this Saturday, April 11 at the TSC Intramural Fields from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
Don’t forget to stop by the HERC exhibition table to learn more about the Holocaust and pick up some free books.