2023 First Person Series: Josie Traum

In 1942, amid looming danger for Jews in Belgium, two women with the resistance movement pulled Josie Traum, screaming and crying, from her mother, Fanny. Before sending her only child with the women, Fanny caught one last glimpse of three-year-old Josie’s soft, blonde curls. She did not know if Josie would be safe hidden away in a secret location…or if she would ever see her daughter again.

Watch to learn what happened next to Josie and her mother, and discover if they ever reunited after their painful goodbye.

Watch live at youtube.com/ushmm. You do not need a YouTube account to view USHMM's program. After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on USHMM's YouTube page.

First Person is a monthly hour-long discussion with a Holocaust survivor and is made possible through generous support from the Louis Franklin Smith Foundation, with additional funding from the Arlene and Daniel Fisher Foundation.