The meaning of America to a suvivor of the Holocaust

by Martha Heinemann Bixby · 2009-07-03 15:27:00 UTC
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Peter A. Zuckerman, a Holocaust survivor with a wonderful personal website, tells this story of his arrival in America:

After receiving my immigration papers I boarded the Marine Marlin, one of the 900 passengers that had a chance to start a new life in America.

Like millions of other immigrants to America, I experienced the elation of seeing the Statue of Liberty looming up at the entrance of New York Harbor. After the stormy crossing of the Atlantic the skies cleared as if by magic. The ship floated over the smooth surface of a suddenly tranquil sea. It seemed as if the elements themselves became subdued by the torch lifted high, promising freedom to the oppressed masses of humanity.

For me and my fellow survivors the words of Emma Lazarus -- carved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty -- were especially appropriate. Our ship indeed carried the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." I experienced the exultation and emotions of joy as we disembarked in Ellis Island, the gateway for millions of immigrants to America. My sufferings came to an end. The promise of the New World, at one time unattainably distant, now became a reality. I even received a brief recognition, as the New York Herald Tribune reported our arrival (January 25, 1947).

As Americans celebrate our independence this weekend it's interesting to reflect on the many meanings of our country to survivors of genocide - those we have fought for, those we have advocated for, and those we have forgotten.

Martha Heinemann Bixby
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