This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Legislators Reunite Former Concentration Camp Survivor with WWII Soldier Who Liberated Camp

New City (November 7, 2013) – Rockland County Legislators Aron B. Wieder and John Murphy reunited a former prisoner of a WWII Nazi concentration camp in Gunskirchen, Austria with a soldier who was a member of the infantry division that liberated the camp in May of 1945.   Rockland County resident and World War II veteran Alan Moskin was an 18-year-old soldier in the 71st Infantry Division, serving in General George Patton’s Third Army when his unit liberated the 15,000 Jews imprisoned in the forced labor camp. One of the Hungarian Jewish prisoners liberated on that day was Rosia Schwartz Farkas, who is the grandmother of Legislator Wieder.  Mrs. Farkas traveled from her home in Brooklyn to meet Mr. Moskin and to participate in a ceremony held in their honor prior to the Wednesday evening meeting of the County Legislature.

Legislators Wieder and Murphy discovered the connection between Mrs. Farkas and Mr. Moskin when they happened to meet Mr. Moskin at a veteran’s event.  By further coincidence, explained Legislator Murphy, Mr. Moskin is one of the 1.3 million U.S. Army troops shipped to Europe from Orangeburg’s Camp Shanks, the largest WWII port of embarkation in the United States processing Army and Air Corps personnel overseas.  

 “Absent the will, fearlessness and patriotism of American soldiers like Mr. Moskin, the world could be a different place today,” said Legislator Murphy.  “To witness these two people, each having survived the brutality of the war, meeting after 70 years, a lifetime for many, is a surreal and a very emotional experience.”  

Find out what's happening in New Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“If not for bravery of Mr. Moskin and his fellow soldiers,” said Legislator Wieder,  “my grandmother, along with the 15,000 Jewish prisoners would have been killed in the gas chambers and been turned in to ashes by the barbaric Nazi regime. If not for Alan, my entire family and I would not be alive today.  I thank Mr. Moskin for liberating my dearest grandmother and her family members.  He is a true American Hero.”    


Find out what's happening in New Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?