Bass Public Affairs Hosts Promise Vigil Remembering 70th Anniversary of 1st Transport to Auschwitz

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar. 20, 2012 - Bass Public Affairs joins the Rena’s Promise Foundation in remembering the 70th anniversary of the first transport to Auschwitz. That first transport was almost entirely young women between the ages of 16 and 22; they were numbered from 1000—1999.    

Rena Kornreich Gelissen was on that first transport and her memoir Rena’s Promise; Two Sisters In Auschwitz (co-authored by Heather Dune Macadam) tells of surviving for over 3 years in the death camps.  Kornreich’s dynamic tale of courage and compassion reminds us of the resiliency of the human spirit, and the power of people to help one another in unimaginable circumstances, be they Gentile or Jew, German or Pole, kapo or prisoner.

Macadam will be making a pilgrimage in honor of the first transport of women, by recreating their journey and sharing it through social networks like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Starting on March 24 in Bratislava, she will retrace Rena’s journey by train across Slovakia from Poprad, where the first transport of women originated, to Oswiecim, via the Carpathian Mountains. Upon arrival in Oswiecim, Macadam’s party will walk with their luggage to the gates of Auschwitz and spend the following day at the site, remembering and honoring those first 999 young women, who arrived in Auschwitz 70 years ago.

WHAT:    Bass Public Affairs joins organizations across the world by hosting a Promise Vigil to remember the 70th anniversary of the first transport to Auschwitz.  
   Sylvia Lanier, daughter of Rena Kornreich Gelissen will share her mother’s brave story as one of the 999 women on the first transport.  Names of Holocaust survivors will be read.  
   
WHO: Special Guest Sylvia Lanier – Daughter of Rena Kornreich Gelissen

WHEN: Monday, March 26, 2012 – 6:00pm – 8:00pm

WHERE: St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub 2300 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301

CONTACT: Deana Bass – 202.409.3667

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About Rena’s Promise Foundation: Rena’s Promise; Two Sisters In Auschwitz is the memoir of Rena Kornreich Gelissen, co-authored by Heather Dune Macadam. The Rena’s Promise Foundation furthers the vision of Holocaust survivor Rena Kornreich Gelissen to create a more ecumenical world unhindered by prejudice, racism or hatred by bringing young people together from all walks of life together during a summer creative writing camp. The Foundation provides them with a place to develop the cultural and creative voices of Generation NEXT.

About Bass Public Affairs: BPA is dedicated to using hybrid research and creative public relations tools to help clients understand trends, develop and implement strategies and build strategic coalitions.