Generations After

Auckland Second Generation Group
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Email at:  akldsecondgen@orcon.net.nz

The Auckland Second Generation Group began in 1994 and has a mailing list of over 100 people. This also includes a number of Second Gen who live outside of Auckland. We meet approximately every 6 weeks either in person or on zoom. The group is open to sons and daughters of Holocaust survivors, anyone with one or two parents impacted by the Holocaust in the period 1933-1948. The parent may have been a camp survivor or may have fled Europe as a refugee prior to or during the Second World War. We feel a real bond with each other which makes the group so important.

Our  Auckland group produced our own book, Mixed Blessings: New Zealand Children of Holocaust Survivors Remember, edited by the late Debbie Knowles  and published by Tandem Press in 2003. The book consists of nineteen chapters written by second generation people, mostly by members in Auckland but also with chapters from Wellington. The book includes family recipes, acknowledging the importance of food to our heritage. It also bears witness, honouring the legacy of the lost and of those who survived to carry on.

Michael Alford, a former Aucklander and known to many of our members, was our most recent speaker. Michael spoke to us on Zoom from Spain about his book  “What’s Luck Got to do with it?” which tells his family story. The book focuses on his father’s youth in Upper Silesia and his migration to New Zealand in 1939. It also touches, among other things, on the impact of the holocaust on Michael’s family, his uncle’s role in staging the premiere of the Three penny Opera in Weimar Berlin, the pre-war NZ refugee policy, experiences of migrants integrating into New Zealand in the ‘40s and his experience as child of refugees growing up in New Zealand. This was one of our best attended meetings.

Naomi Johnson
Co-Leader
​Updated 23 June 2021

At this link below Deborah Knowles explains what it means to be a member of the Second Generation. Her personal view first appeared in the book, "Mixed Blessings: New Zealand children of Holocaust survivors remember" published by Tandem Press in 2003.

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Wellington Second Generation Group

Email at:  info@holocaustcentre.org.nz for further information.

​The Wellington Second Generation Group started in May 2018. Since then it has grown to a membership of over 50 and holds meetings every second month. It was formed for the “Second Generation”, the children of Holocaust survivors, anyone of parents impacted by the Nazi regime during WWII, to get together and talk about the unique set of circumstances of their upbringing. For example, it was typical for our refugee parents never to mention the Holocaust to us and many in the group are only now researching and learning about the horrific events which brought our parents to New Zealand.

On May 30th the Wellington Second Generation Group had an afternoon of remembering our parents through their baking. It was a warm and nostalgic afternoon. Each “ baker” brought a cake their parents used to make and talked about the memories evoked.
​The photo  (left) shows the food we recreated and thoroughly enjoyed eating. The other photo (right) captures our parents generation in 1980. Many thanks to Kathy Kerry for initiating and organising this event. We are collecting the recipes from this event and enquiries about these are welcome.

Irene Buxton
Coordinator
​Updated 23 June 2021

Read more personal stories from Generations After Auckland members:

HANNAH BRODSKY
​Avrom-Osher and Beila: The Missing Link of my Soul

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DEBORAH KNOWLES
Joe Grossman: 'Don't talk silly, darling'

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CLAIRE BRUELL
Frank and Alice Briess

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DIANA WICHTEL
Daddy Mad Face and Daddy Angel Face
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read more

IAN MORRISON
Morris Morrison: Father and Son            

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NAOMI JOHNSON
Hans Johnson

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HCNZ Generations After  - Facebook group

Created in October 2014, HCNZ Generations After is a closed Facebook group that provides a forum for Holocaust survivors, their descendants and others impacted by the Holocaust to connect.
If you would like to be added to the group, submit your request to the group's administrator on Facebook: Join HCNZ Generations After group.