Memoirs Presented to Holocaust Museum
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 2005 – With his family by his side, Old Lyme resident John Fried traveled through the dark halls of the Holocaust Memorial Museum that tells the history of the Nazi occupation of Europe. As a young boy Fried saw Hitler up close when the German leader visited Fried’s hometown of Linz, Austria. Now as Fried passed walls of pictures of prisoners and videos of the German leader, he placed his hand over his face.
Fried was in Washington Wednesday to present his memoirs and an oral history to the museum , turning his memories, which he had kept private most of his life, into a permanent part of history.
This was the first time Fried, now 80 years old, has spoken publicly about growing up in Austria and escaping the Nazi occupation in 1939.
“It was a lot easier to talk about than I thought,” Fried said. “I will always answer questions when people ask.”
Fried said he talked from the heart, which shows in his face. He unleashes his smile when talking about his family, specifically finding his Uncle Leo who he thought died. But his eyes sadden as soon as he discusses the Holocaust, or events related to it. He said he often doesn’t sleep at night.
Wednesday he relived his haunting memories when he walked through the halls that illustrated the past he lived, occasionally resting in a wheelchair.
“I don’t want fame out of this,” Fried said. “I am here because I want to help other people.”
And that is why he wrote the memoir that consists of three thick binders holding items such as old letters, pictures and passports.
Marilyn Fried, his wife of 54 years, said that he chose this format because he didn’t want publicity; this is also why the event at the museum consisted primarily of friends and family.
He wrote his memoirs, “Why Not Me?”, with the help of his family and his good friend Linda Kidder. In fact, according to Marilyn Fried, their grandchildren inspired his work. He wrote the memoir for them, and planned the day at the museum for them as he and his wife explained the museum artifacts to the children.
Jennifer Kane, 8, said of her grandfather, that she “couldn’t believe he wrote the whole book.” Although she didn’t understand what was in it, she listened intently as she joined her family throughout the exhibit, learning about his past.
Fried has two other grandchildren, Stephanie and Justin, 10, who are all the children of his only child, Debbie Kane, 48, and her husband, who live in Florida
Kane remembered traveling back to Czechoslovakia with her father when he found his uncle, and also to his hometown in Linz, Austria. She said this was a powerful experience for her and now she wants her children to share these experiences.
Yesterday was the beginning as Fried gave each child a personal copy of his book. Anyone else who wants to read it can find a copy in the museum library and oral history division.
“Today was a special event for him,” Kane said.
Fried’s wife agreed, describing it as the end to his “painstaking research.”
Currently, the Fried family is loaning the museum its original copy and will decide at a later date whether the original will be donated, Kane said.
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