Holocaust Museum Re-Opens

by Ken Molestina

EL PASO — After five years of waiting, a newEl Paso Holocaust Museum finally opened its doors to the public Saturday.

The opening of the museum began with a poem dedication and a candle lighting ceremony with more than a dozen local Holocaust survivorspresent.

The old museum was destroyed by a fire back in 2001 and many believe its reopening is long overdue. “This is the only way the generations after the holocaust can find out what happened,” said Tibor Schaechner.

Schaechner, 79, who is deeply involved with the museum,is one of 15 Holocaust survivors living in El Paso.

He said the museum is a way to tell his horrific story without having to say a word. “You really don’t want to talk too much about problems thatI had as a young boy because people don’t really like to listen to sad stories,” he said.

The walls of the museum are filled with pictures, displaysand memorabilia that detail the entire history of the Holocaust.

Schaechner says being able to tell his story is proof that they were the lucky ones who beat the Nazi army in Europe. “We won the battle.I have grandchildren who really are the product of people who rose from the ashes,” he said.

He also said he won another battle here in El Paso afterthe museumrebounded from the blaze that left it in ruins.

Museum administrators said theyraised the two million dollars it took to build the new museum through donations and fundraisers.