Holocaust Stories of
Champaign-Urbana and Beyond
Season 4
A special thank you to Elizabeth Hess and Robin Goettel, without whom this project would not be possible.
Episode 1: Amy Wolff
Listen in as Amy Wolff, senior academic advisor at the University of Illinois College of Media, shares the story of her grandparents, both Holocaust survivors, and the impact their experiences had on her family. Amy talks about growing up knowing she was a descendant of Holocaust survivors, learning more about her grandparents' lives as she got older, and the close relationship she developed with her grandfather. She also discusses generational trauma, the importance of perserving family stories, and why remembering the Holocaust means understanding the people and lives behind the history.
Episode 2: Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko
Hear Listen in as Dr. Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate College at the University of Illinois, shares the remarkable story of his uncle, Jerzy Lerski, a courier for the Polish Underground State during World War II who was later recognized by Yad Vashem as one of the Righteous Among the Nations. Chodzko-Zajko talks about Lerski's dangerous missions carrying information about the Nazi occupaton and the destruction of Jewish communities to Allied leaders, his family's connection to the story, and why preserving the history and personal stories of the Holocaust is more important than ever.