By: Jasmine Antriasian, 2027
On January 21st, BHS students had the honor of listening to the childhood experiences of Janet Singer Applefield. Janet was a survivor of the Holocaust, being just 4 years old when World War Two began. During this time, she faced many losses and experienced much heartbreak, one of the most significant being the loss of her mother. Despite the many hardships, she feels it’s important to talk about them to further educate students on the Holocaust. But Janet doesn’t just speak about her experiences; she writes about them, too.
In her memoir, Becoming Janet, she discusses her journey and experiences during World War Two. She recalls the many family members she lost in concentration camps, simply because they were Jewish. She remembers the many caretakers that took her under their wing; some much nicer than others. But the most prominent theme in the book is her changing identity. Janet, born Gustawa, was forced to have three different names throughout her lifetime in order to keep her true Jewish identity hidden. Throughout the book, Gustawa Singer changes her name to Krysia Antoszkiewicz, and later Janet.
During her time speaking at BHS, Janet discussed similar themes in her book while expanding upon memories and details, and sharing photos for visual guidance. She told stories of her life before, during, and after the war. And while some of these stories were more heartbreaking than others, she spoke passionately about them all.
It was incredibly educational to hear of the first-hand experiences of a Holocaust survivor. Now 89 years old, Janet continues to educate children and speak in schools around the Massachusetts area to not only inform them of the Holocaust, but to remind them to be brave and kind.
