In March 2000, a suitcase taken from a pile at the Auschwitz museum, arrived at the Tokyo Holocaust Education Resource Center in Japan, inscribed: Hana Brady, born May 16, 1931, Waisenkind (orphan)
It inspired much conversation among the children at the Center. All we knew about Hana was her name, her birthday, and that she arrived in Auschwitz in October 1944 and was sent to the gas chamber on that same day.
The children visited the suitcase and began writing stories about what Hana might have been like as a child. Their interest prompted us to find out more. Eventually, we found her only surviving family member, who provided us with a glimpse of her life and her personality, and some photographs.
Hana’s suitcase has become a bridge to a beautiful little girl named Hana.
“Hana’s Suitcase”, is now a multi-award winning book by Karen Levine and a film by Larry Weinstein.
Australians will now be able to meet Fumiko Ishioka, from the Tokyo Holocaust Education Resource Center and Lara, Hana’s niece, who will share the universal messages of the consequences of hatred, and our responsibility today, to promote tolerance.
See “What’s On?” for details