Magda Brown was born in 1927 in a Jewish-Hungarian family living in Miskolc, Hungary. In 1944, when Magda was 17 years old, her family was transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. Immediately upon arrival she was separated from her parents, relatives, and friends. It was the last time she saw them as they were sent directly to the gas chambers. After several months, Magda was one of a thousand Jewish-Hungarian women “selected” to work at Allendorf, Germany, making bombs. In March 1945, Magda and her group were sent on a death march to Buchenwald concentration camp. Magda and other prisoners escaped by hiding in a barn. Discovered and helped by American soldiers two days later, Magda was able to witness the end of the war. She moved to the United States in September 1946. With the help of the US government, she was able to return to Hungary and search for survivors in her family. Out of an extended family of 70, only 6 had survived.
Magda Brown frequently speaks and meets with students at the Holocaust Museum in Skokie, IL. In 2014, she received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Aurora University in honor of her dedication to sharing her Holocaust experience with students. More about Magda Brown can be found at www.magdabrown.com.
For questions about this event, please contact Dr. Elena Gabor (egabor@fsmail.bradley.edu; 309-677-3621)
Department Supporting the Event: Department of History
Student organization supporting the event: Bradley University Hillel (Exec. Director – Dr. Seth Katz)