A Dangerous Blessing: Pregnancy and Motherhood in the Holocaust

Two months pregnant, Priska Löwenbein clung to her husband inside the railcar. In a last act of hope, they named their baby before arriving at Auschwitz. Once there, Priska managed to hide her growing belly, while Nazi officials sent other obviously pregnant women and mothers with young children directly to their deaths in the gas chambers.

During the Holocaust, pregnancy and having small children decreased the already slim chance of survival for Jewish women. Even in hiding, a child crying could threaten everyone around them.

Join the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to meet Hana Berger Moran, Priska's miracle baby, born just before liberation.

Guests
Dr. Lindsay MacNeill, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Dr. Hana Berger Moran, Holocaust survivor and Priska Löwenbein’s daughter

Host
Dr. Edna Friedberg, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Watch live at facebook.com/holocaustmuseum. You do not need a Facebook account to view USHMM's program. After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on the USHMM’s Facebook and YouTube pages.