Letter from Howard Reich (Chicago Tribune) to Prof. Wiesel

Elie Wiesel writes a brief letter to President Clinton on March 1, 2007, expressing his gratitude for "warm words of support and encouragement." He states that their friendship means much to him and he wants President Clinton to know that. The letter is written on Boston University letterhead, where Wiesel is listed as University Professor and Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities. It concludes with "With profound respect" and Wiesel's handwritten signature.

This letter, dated March 15, 1995, is from Louie Freeh, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to Elie Wiesel. Freeh expresses his deep gratitude for Wiesel's "extremely moving remarks" made before the Nobel Committee upon receiving his Nobel Peace Prize on December 11, 1986. He states that he was particularly touched by Wiesel's personal inscription. Freeh reflects on Wiesel's words, agreeing that there are no plausible answers to the existence of evil, but emphasizes the crucial role of "heroes like you" in providing a chance to remember and to find hope beyond despair. He concludes with warm personal regards.

This multi-page brochure announces and provides details for the 15th Annual Holocaust Art & Writing Contest, organized by Chapman University and its affiliated centers, including the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education. The contest invites students from middle and high schools to submit original works of art, film, or writing based on Holocaust survivor testimonies. The document outlines the contest rules, submission guidelines, prizes (including a study trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.), and the awards ceremony scheduled for March 7, 2014. It emphasizes the theme "Memories Spoken and Heard: Intersecting Perspectives of the Holocaust," exploring how oral testimony shapes understanding and memory of the Holocaust. The background section discusses the importance of survivor testimonies, referencing the story of Oskar Schindler, Leopold and Ludmila Page, Thomas Keneally's novel 'Schindler's List', and Steven Spielberg's film adaptation as examples of how memory is transmitted and interpreted. The brochure also lists various sponsors, partners, and contributors to the event, providing contact information for inquiries and submissions.

Hans Braun was born in Hanover, Germany on June 3, 1923. His family were German Sintis (a gypsy tribe). They had a small carnival and traveled around Germany during the summer and lived in Bernau in the winter. Nazi persecution started in 1939 and they had to wear a patch with the letter "Z". In 1941 Hans and his father were forced to work for the German army in the armament industry. Hans was suspected of sabotage after accidentally breaking a machine. To escape arrest by the Gestapo, he fled to his grandfather's home in Berlin. Pursued by the Gestapo, he went into hiding, first with friends in Berlin then with an uncle in Eger, and finally with Sintis in Luxemburg who gave him false papers. He was arrested and jailed when he returned home but escaped. Hans describes subsequent arrests and escapes-using disguises and false papers-in great detail. After his final capture he was put on a transport to Auschwitz with other Sinti families. He was put into the Birkenau Gypsy camp where he was reunited with his family. He describes conditions in the Gypsy camp, his work loading and unloading the dead at the crematorium, and his beatings by guards. One by one his entire family died of typhus and starvation. After he got typhus, he was experimented on in the hospital barracks. He describes how Dr. Mengele tortured children and used them for his medical experiments. Hans was sent to Flossenbürg Labor Camp where he was again beaten. He was on a death march with surviving inmates for four days and nights just before liberation. Hans and two other men escaped and hid in a village which was defended by the SS. They were liberated by the Americans. Hans lived in Germany after the war and emigrated to Canada in 1980.

This document is a short, handwritten note from Colin L. Powell to an individual named Elie. The note expresses gratitude for a received note and thanks Elie for their "love and confidence." It concludes with a personal closing, "All the Best," and a signature from Colin L. Powell. The name "COLIN L. POWELL" is pre-printed at the top, serving as a letterhead.