Childersburg High School
Childersburg, Alabama
October 2007
On October 11, 2007, 84 year-old Jack Bass stood before a crowd of 700 people in the gymnasium of Childersburg High School. On a large screen behind him, paintings and photographs from the “Darkness into Life” exhibit rotated in six-minute intervals. These visuals captured his memories and imposed upon the audience the magnitude of his words. He stood confidently as he told of the horrific experiences he had endured at the hands of the Nazis, only pausing to look down when recalling friends and a love he had lost. “I had such wonderful friends that were killed in the Holocaust,” said Jack Bass. He advised students to stay in school and never feel one race of people is inferior to another. He spoke of a time when reality became so unbearable he had to disassociate from his body. “It was the only way I could survive.” As his thick German accent echoed throughout the room, faces young and old listened intently. This was the first time this community had ever heard a Holocaust survivor speak.
The idea for this program came after Duncan Crowder, President of the Childersburg Kiwanis Club, and Sylacauga resident, John Tomlin, toured the Holocaust exhibit “Darkness into Life” created by Becky Seitel and Mitzi Levin in Birmingham this past summer. The desire to provide a unique educational opportunity for their community inspired them to take action. The plan was set in motion when Anthony Wilkinson, Principal of Childersburg High School, agreed to host the event. Dr. Cindy Elsberry, Superintendent of the Talladega County School Board, invited and offered to sponsor every high school in Talladega County. Dr. Elsberry encouraged teachers to reschedule nine week exams so students could attend. CHS Key Club Coordinator, Naomi Blair, assisted while the Childersburg Kiwanis Club sponsored the event.
In attendance were eleventh graders and Key Club members from Lincoln, Munford, Talladega County, Childersburg, Fayetteville, Winterboro, Vincent, Coosa Valley Academy , B.B. Comer Memorial, The Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, members of the community, Kiwanis members, and members of the Birmingham Holocaust Education Committee.
Dennis Tomlin, Multimedia Specialist, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, video taped the program for use in their resource library. As Mr. Tomlin presented Jack Bass with a Commandant’s Coin he stated, “Each military organization generally has two coins: an Organizational Coin and a Commander’s Coin. The Commander’s Coin is awarded to individuals that have gone above and beyond for their organization, their country, or to a very select few that have shown extreme courage.” I spoke to Lt. Col. Raymond Staats, Commandant, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, prior to giving Mr. Bass a coin that had been presented to me by a prior commander. He agreed with me that Mr. Bass had earned our CCAF Commandant’s Coin for extreme courage during and after WWII, for his courage to survive and excel after the war, and more importantly for his courage to share his story with others in hopes to prevent future atrocities. “It was my honor to present it to Mr. Bass and I deeply thank you for the honor,” stated Dennis Tomlin.
“The Childersburg experience was incredible in so many ways: the cooperation of the Superintendent of Talladega County Schools and the planners who made this happen, the experience of watching 40 children from the Alabama School for the Deaf following so intently as their teacher signed for them, and then asking questions following Jack’s presentation,” stated Phyllis Weinstein, Chairman of the Birmingham Holocaust Education Committee.
“I was impressed by the enthusiasm, warmth and support that radiated from this community. I want every school system in Alabama to experience what the Talladega school system experienced today. We will work to make that happen,” said Mitzi Levin.
Jack Bass stated, “This is a day I will remember the rest of my life, the people were beautiful and nice. The students were polite and seriously listened. They gave me confidence. In Judaism the belief is if you mention a person their spirit comes alive. Six million spirits came alive today, can you imagine?”
The “Darkness into Life” Holocaust exhibit depicts nine Birmingham Holocaust survivors through art and photography. Becky Seitel and Mitzi Levin donated the exhibit to the Birmingham Holocaust Education Committee to be used in schools and other venues. Their vision of this reaching a wide audience as a unique educational tool is being realized.
By Mitzi Levin, Artist, “Darkness into Life”
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Page last updated: February 21, 2011