95-year-old Holocaust survivor tells story through book, educational foundation

TYLER, Texas (KLTV/Gray News) - Nearly 80 years since the concentration camps in Nazi Germany were liberated, Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser continues to share his story.

Lesser was born in Poland in 1928. He would survive four concentration camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau, before being liberated in Dachau.

“What my eyes have seen in Auschwitz, I can’t sleep at night,” Lesser said. “I can’t believe that human beings are capable of doing that.”

Over 6 million Jewish people were killed during the Holocaust, according to the United States Holocaust Museum.

While in Nazi captivity, Lesser went on a seven-week death march, was stabbed by an inmate and saw many die with his own eyes.

“My barrack was one barrack away from the fiery pit. And day and night, we hear the screams,” he said.

Now, at 95 years old, Lesser uses Zoom to enter classrooms to share his story.

Lesser’s memoir, called “Living a Life that Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream,” was released in 2012.

In 2009, Lesser created the Zachor Foundation to educate people on the Holocaust.

The foundation provides pins with the word “zachor,” which is Hebrew for “remember.”

Lesser said he has provided almost two million pins so far and hopes to give out 6 million to remember the Jewish people who died during the Holocaust.

“Each pin has a very special meaning,” he said.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, anti-semitic incidents in the United States increased by approximately 337% year-over-year between October 7, 2023 and December 7, 2023, following Hamas’ attack against Israel.

“Hatred has to stop,” he said. “Hitler and the Nazis did not start with killing. It all started with hate, hate and propaganda.”

Lesser said we should learn to live side by side and appreciate our differences.

“We’re all human beings, and we should all learn from each other rather than hate,” he said.