Liliana Segre

 

Liliana Segre: A Life Story

Early Life

Liliana Segre was born on 10 September 1930 in Milan, Italy, into a Jewish family. She lived with her father, Alberto, and her grandparents. Her mother died when Liliana was very young. In 1938, due to fascist racial laws, she was expelled from school because she was Jewish.

Arrest and Deportation

On 8 December 1943, when Liliana was 13 years old, she and her father tried to escape to Switzerland. They were caught at the border and arrested. After being held in Varese and Como, they were sent to San Vittore prison in Milan. On 30 January 1944, Liliana was deported from Platform 21 at Milan’s Central Station to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. She was separated from her father, who later died in the camp.

Survival and Return

In Auschwitz, Liliana was assigned the number 75190, tattooed on her left arm. She was forced to work in a munitions factory. In January 1945, as the Soviet army approached, she was moved during a death march to other camps. She was liberated on 1 May 1945 from Malchow, a subcamp of Ravensbrück. Out of 776 Italian children under 14 deported to Auschwitz, only 25 survived; Liliana was one of them.

Life After the War

After the war, Liliana returned to Milan and lived with her maternal grandparents. For many years, she did not speak about her experiences. In the early 1990s, she began sharing her story, especially with young people, to educate them about the Holocaust. In 2018, she was appointed Senator for Life in Italy for her commitment to remembering the Holocaust.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1. Where was Liliana Segre born?
2. What happened to Liliana’s mother when she was a child?
3. Why did Liliana have to leave school in 1938?
4. What happened on 8 December 1943 to Liliana and her father?
5. What is San Vittore and why is it important in Liliana’s story?
6. What was Platform 21 used for during the war?
7. What number was tattooed on Liliana’s arm in Auschwitz?
8. How did Liliana survive the Holocaust?
9. Why did Liliana begin to talk about her story in the 1990s?

Books by Liliana Segre

1. Fino a quando la mia stella brillerà (2015)
   Scritto con Daniela Palumbo, è un libro per ragazzi che racconta la vita di Liliana prima, durante e dopo la deportazione ad Auschwitz.
2. La memoria rende liberi. La vita interrotta di una bambina nella Shoah (2015)
   Conversazione con Enrico Mentana, in cui Liliana riflette sulla sua esperienza e sull’importanza della memoria.
3. Scolpitelo nel vostro cuore. Dal Binario 21 ad Auschwitz e ritorno: un viaggio nella memoria (2018)
   Un libro che ripercorre il viaggio della deportazione e il ritorno, con l’obiettivo di trasmettere la memoria alle nuove generazioni.
4. La sola colpa di essere nati (2021)
   Dialogo con Gherardo Colombo, in cui si affrontano temi di giustizia, memoria e impegno civile.
5. Ho scelto la vita. La mia ultima testimonianza pubblica sulla Shoah (2021)
   Contiene il discorso pronunciato da Liliana Segre a Rondine, un messaggio di speranza e responsabilità per i giovani.
6. La stella polare della Costituzione. Il discorso al Senato (2023)
   Raccoglie l’intervento di Liliana Segre al Senato, in cui sottolinea l’importanza della Costituzione e dei valori democratici.
7. Uno strano destino
   Un’opera che approfondisce la sua storia personale e il significato della memoria.
8. Il mare nero dell’indifferenza
   Riflessione sull’indifferenza della società di fronte alle ingiustizie e alle persecuzioni.
9. Non siate indifferenti
   Un appello a non voltarsi dall’altra parte di fronte al dolore e alla sofferenza altrui.
10. Scegliete sempre la vita. La mia storia raccontata ai ragazzi
    Un racconto della sua esperienza pensato per i giovani, per educarli alla memoria e alla responsabilità.
11. Come una rana d’inverno
    Conversazioni con Daniela Padoan, Goti Bauer e Giuliana Tedeschi, in cui Liliana condivide la sua testimonianza insieme ad altre due sopravvissute.
12. Voci dalla Shoah. Testimonianze per non dimenticare
    Raccolta di testimonianze di sopravvissuti alla Shoah, tra cui quella di Liliana Segre.
13. Liliana e la sua stellina. La storia di Liliana Segre raccontata ai bambini
    Un libro illustrato per bambini che narra la vita di Liliana in modo accessibile ai più piccoli.

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1. La memoria rende liberi (2015) – Memory Makes Us Free
2. Fino a quando la mia stella brillerà (2015) – Until My Star Shines
3. Sopravvissuta ad Auschwitz (2005) – Survivor of Auschwitz
4. Come una rana d’inverno (2004) – Like a Frog in Winter 

Interviews and Testimonies

• Interview at the Shoah Memorial in Milan
• Euronews: Liliana Segre talks about her experience
• UN Interview with Barbara Faedda
• YouTube: Liliana Segre, an Italian Holocaust survivor 

ESEMPI DI POSSIBILI RISPOSTE ALLE DOMANDE SUL TESTO 

1. Where was Liliana Segre born?

• Liliana Segre was born in Milan, Italy.
• She was born in the city of Milan in 1930.

2. What happened to Liliana’s mother when she was a child?

• Her mother died when Liliana was very young.
• Liliana lost her mother as a little girl.

3. Why did Liliana have to leave school in 1938?

• She had to leave school because she was Jewish.
• Liliana was expelled from school because of the racial laws.

4. What happened on 8 December 1943 to Liliana and her father?

• They were arrested when they tried to escape to Switzerland.
• On that day, Liliana and her father were caught and taken by the police.

5. What is San Vittore and why is it important in Liliana’s story?

• San Vittore is a prison in Milan where Liliana was taken before deportation.
• It is important because Liliana stayed there before going to Auschwitz.

6. What was Platform 21 used for during the war?

• It was used to deport Jewish people to concentration camps. Liliana left from Platform 21 to Auschwitz.

7. What number was tattooed on Liliana’s arm in Auschwitz?

• The number 75190 was tattooed on her arm.
• In the camp, Liliana received the number 75190.

8. How did Liliana survive the Holocaust?

• She survived because she was young and strong.
• Liliana survived the camps and the death march until she was freed.

9. Why did Liliana begin to talk about her story in the 1990s?

• She wanted to help young people remember the Holocaust.
• Liliana began to speak to teach others about what happened.
• Liliana began to speak because she wanted people to understand what happened during the Holocaust.
• She started to tell her story to help young people remember the past and learn from it.