The Experiences of Women During the Holocaust
Our Second Distinguished Lecturer will present on November 6th, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Dr. Katie Chaka Parks, Director of Education at Zekelman Holocaust Center in Michigan, brings forward the overlooked stories of women and how their experiences during the Holocaust were shaped by gender. Her presentation explores how Holocaust research and teaching have too often centered on men’s experiences. Drawing on her dissertation research, which examines gender and sexuality during the Holocaust, and the representation of women in museum exhibits across the United States, Dr. Parks offers a deeper understanding of this history—one that amplifies women’s voices and perspectives.
The program is free to attend and accessible by Zoom, Registration is required as space is limited. Educators can earn two CEU credits. Register here.
Three Community Programs
Mindbridge’s Disrupt & Reclaim: This program is presented by the Mindbridge Institute, is a three-part live course that explores how identity and belonging interact with power to shape social structures, sustain the status quo, and how to craft counter-narratives rooted in dignity, care, and resistance. This program is free to HHRC’s community due to HHRC’s generous sponsorship. The next two sessions, on November 5th and 19th at 3:30, guide participants through the design of counter-narratives and practical interventions to entrenched power. Together, the three workshops offer a deeper awareness and tangible toolkit for disruption grounded in joy, connection, and purpose. Register here.
Dismantling Democracy: 53 Days in Nazi Germany. Building on our educational mission, the HHRC is introducing a one-hour presentation and Q&A that examines how Hitler and the Nazi party rose to power in Germany and then quickly and legally dismantled its democracy. Through a look-back at history, participants will discuss the fragility inherent in all democracies. After presenting the program to Maine lawmakers over the past two years, we are offering libraries across Maine the opportunity to host the program, free of charge.
Witness to History Project: Another initiative continues our mission to connect students with personal testimony through our Witness to History Project. In partnership with the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, we are offering presentations by Holocaust survivors, liberators, and resisters in schools, online, or at the Michael Klahr Center. These testimonies expose the results of hatred, bigotry, and systemic violence.
Behind the Lens
A conversation with Jack Montgomery
We are delighted to present a new exhibit, Behind the Lens, featuring the photography of Jack Montgomery who, for more than two decades, has documented the lives and stories of Maine Holocaust survivors. His portraits capture moments, expressions—glimpses of the humanity and resilience of those who endured unimaginable loss but survived and rebuilt their lives with family, meaningful work and close friendships. These 'out-takes' from the formal portraits on display in the Michael Klahr Center are a celebration of our founders.
Drawn from Jack’s original proof sheets, the portraits reveal moments of reflection, laughter, and connection between Jack and his subjects. They invite visitors to engage with history personally, reflecting on the power of photography to capture an essence.
We are hosting an exhibit opening on November 18th at 5:00 in the Michael Klahr Center. Jack’s newly published book, From the Holocaust to Maine: Testimonies of Survivors showcases his arresting portraits and survivor stories. Says Jack, “The things we save can become the means for our recovery. I am moved by every aspect of these stories … And I am forever grateful to the survivors for giving us this record, which no amount of denial or historical revisionism can ever erase. We are in their debt.” Register here.
Our Educational Programs
The HHRC offers seventeen carefully curated educational programs, designed by our experienced educators, free of charge to schools in Maine. The programs can be at a school, during a visit to the Michael Klahr Center, or online. Each session includes a slideshow and presentation, followed by class discussion and interactive activities. Individual sessions, depending on the program, range between sixty and ninety minutes and can be combined for more extensive, in-depth experiences for the students. Our programs are as follows: Anti-Bias Exploration: Identity, Diversity, Inclusion • Hate Speech in Schools • Speak Up At School • Understanding and Confronting Bias • Antisemitism Past & Present • HHRC Anti Bias Toolkit • Human Rights: Civil Rights in America • Yearning to Breathe Free • Finding Your Voice • Black Mainers • Maine’s WWII POW Camp • The Holocaust/Shoah: Foundations of Antisemitism • Jewish Resistance • Decision Making in Times of Injustice • Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass • The Message Matters • Jewish Life Before the Holocaust.
To learn more, please fill out the intake form so we can discuss your school and students, what programs would be best suited, grade levels and subject, scheduling, and other ways we can collaborate to bring your students the very best educational experience. We look forward to working with you!
Students, do you want to win a scholarship?
Learn about our Awards & Scholarships Program. Has the Holocaust affected your view of the world? Do you think it’s important for others to learn about it too? If you answered yes, consider writing an essay about that experience and win a $1,000 scholarship.
As a student, think about the two prompts below. Do they elicit a memory, emotions, maybe some family interactions or personal experience? Have you discovered ways to create a more welcoming, connected school community? We hope you will explore these questions by writing an essay, painting a picture, composing a song—or some other artistic medium you enjoy. The Spiegel Award asks for a personal essay; the Schlossberger Award invites an art form that best conveys your thoughts and feelings. See the descriptions below.
The Lawrence Alan Spiegel Remembrance Scholarship ($1,000) is awarded annually to the high school senior who authors the prize-winning, original essay on the prompt: “Learning about the Holocaust affected my view of the world and it is important for others to learn about it too.” Criteria: originality of voice and viewpoint, structure, command of language and mechanics. Learn more at hhrcmaine.org
The Mathilda Schlossberger Outstanding Student of the Year Award recognizes an exceptional piece of original writing, fiction or non-fiction, or an unusually expressive piece of visual or performance art relating to human rights. The award was created by Florence and Kurt Strauss of Portland in memory of Kurt’s maternal grandmother, who was murdered at Theresienstadt. Learn more at hhrcmaine.org.
A Celebration of Friendship and Innovation
We gathered on September 16th to celebrate 40 years of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center. The evening was memorable as founders, survivor families, executive directors, friends, and colleagues gathered to reminisce, catch up, and thank the people who built the organization. On the sunny afternoon guests mingled on the patio while the Casco Bay Tummlers kept toes tapping with spirited music. A silent auction with 18 items and experiences invited guests to bid, and check back often on their choices. The first two hours enjoying drinks and good friends was a perfect beginning to the evening. During the program many incredible people were acknowledged and thanked for their decades of visions and determination. Gerda Haas’ son David spoke movingly about his mother, describing her as a loving wife and mother—and inspiring, effective organizer and leader. The 2025 Gerda Haas Award recipient, Maulian Dana Bryant, spoke with love and admiration about her grandmother, who offered Maulian and so many others a role model in creating change through trust, tradition, and family. To experience so many of the founders, builders, executive directors, and close friends reconnect for an evening reminded us all of why the HHRC was created, and how it has survived and evolved for forty years. See some photos here.
Were The House Still Standing
Your generous contribution supports our work: building brave and welcoming communities by promoting universal respect for human rights through education, outreach and cultural experiences. This ambitious goal takes many forms. We offer sixteen educational programs to Maine students, sponsor talks and performances, curate exhibits, house valuable archives, showcase multi-media stories from survivors, and invite all visitors into the beautiful Michael Klahr Center. To preserve the oral testimonies of Holocaust survivors and liberators living in Maine, In 2005 the HHRC commissioned Sculptor Robert Katz to create an 80-minute multimedia installation, a centerpiece of the Michael Klahr Center, entitled Were the House Still Standing. For 18 years visitors have been moved by the stories of personal trauma, tragedy, bravery and resilience told by the survivors, many founders of the HHRC. Now it needs a significant upgrade. We need donations and grants to fulfill this goal. Can you help us?. Please donate here.
A Teacher’s Guide
At the Holocaust & Human Rights Center, we believe that history comes alive through the voices of those who lived it. That’s why we are committed to uplifting Holocaust survivor testimonies and making them accessible to students across Maine and beyond. This year, our Holocaust Scholar and Education Coordinator, Erica Nadelhaft, has been leading an ambitious project: a Teacher’s Guide to accompany Jack Montgomery’s book From Maine to the Holocaust: Testimonies of the Survivors. We know that the study of the Holocaust can be overwhelming. Students can get lost in the numbers, dates, and places, but survivor testimonies transform statistics into real lives filled with stories of resilience, courage, and the enduring human spirit. These first-person accounts do more than teach history. They foster empathy, understanding, and a connection to the past that no textbook alone can provide. With generous support from the Sam L. Cohen Foundation, we have made tremendous progress. Over the next nine months, we will expand the guide to include all nineteen survivors in the book.
Exploring Juneteenth
Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their freedom, following the arrival of Union troops and the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. A few years ago we became curious about this important date, listened to a podcast, read some articles and essays, and discussed it as a group. Questions emerged. Why for so many years hadn’t people heard about something so important to Black Americans? Why wasn’t it taught in schools? What brought it into our national consciousness after 150 years, becoming a federal holiday in 2021? We each shared a ‘What surprised me most’ observation for discussion. In a spirit of humility, we shared our questions and eagerness to discover about this consequential holiday. Read it here.
Hours & Directions
We are open from 8:00–4:00 Monday through Friday and welcome visitors.
Please call ahead to be sure we are open when you arrive. The Center calendar aligns with the University of Maine at Augusta, so check for holidays and inclement weather closures on the UMA website.
We are housed in The Michael Klahr Center located at the University of Maine, Augusta. Our address is 46 University Drive, Augusta, Maine. Click on the map image for a detailed map of the UMA campus.
From the South: Take I-295 N/US-1 North toward Augusta. Take exit 112A, stay right at the intersection to merge onto ME-8 South. Tavel 0.6 miles then turn right onto University Drive. At the top of hill, bear right and into the parking lot.
From the North: Take 95 South toward Augusta. Take exit 112, merge onto ME-8 South. Travel 0.7 miles then turn right onto University Drive. At the top of hill, bear right and into the parking lot.
For instructions to access the Michael Klahr Center by elevator, click here.
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