Holocaust Survivor To Speak At Benson Museum Of Local History

The Benson Museum of Local History and the Mary Duncan Public Library will sponsor a special presentation from Holocaust Survivor Renée Fink on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 3:00pm.

The program will consist of a 30 minute documentary film of Renée Fink’s life story, followed by an in-depth Q&A and conversation with the audience. This event will be free and open to the public.

Born in the Netherlands, Renée Fink went into hiding at the age of four. She was fortunate in being able to stay with a Catholic Dutch family until after the war ended, when she was eight. Reunited with her grandmother, they lived in another Dutch town until she came to the U.S. with her grandmother in 1948. Sadly, Renée and her grandmother were unable to live together, and she was sent to yet another family in the Adirondack Mountains.

Although Renée had to live in an occupied and heavily bombed part of Holland during World War II, she shares with students why those times turned out to be her best years until she married. In her talks, Renée likes to stress the resistance, goodness, and courage of people in those times and why those traits remain so important.

Renée has spoken to students from fifth grade through university as well as to adult groups. She has been the keynote speaker at the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust’s annual commemoration and the Catawba Valley Interfaith Council. Renée has spoken at Duke University, the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and community colleges in various NC counties.

“We are honored to host Renée Fink in Benson, and we are certain that her story will resonant with our community. The story of the Holocaust remains such a profound and tragic turning point in human history, and we cannot afford to forget the causes and the suffering endured by so many people. Having a first-person account from someone who experienced these monumental world events share her experience is an invaluable educational opportunity for Benson. Renée’s story will create a vivid impression of a moment in world history that we cannot afford to forget” stated Terry Hobgood, Cultural Arts Director.

For additional information about this event please contact the Town of Benson’s Cultural Arts Director, Terry Hobgood at (919) 894-3724 or email thobgood@townofbenson.com.