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The 92-year-old Holocaust survivor, former Afghanistan Peace Corps director and strategic planning consultant has seen many parts of the world like France, China, Belgrade and Moscow. But for Walter Blass, one of the best places to be is in front of a class teaching – and he will travel the globe to do it. 

Blass arrived in Springfield on Sunday, April 3 for his Southern Illinois University (SIU) System campus visits. He toured and delivered presentations at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield on Monday, April 4, SIUE on Tuesday, April 5, the SIUE East St. Louis Center on Wednesday, April 6 and SIU Carbondale on Thursday, April 7. It was evident from his visits that while Blass has been a recipient of hate, ignorance and cruelty, he is a model of love, wisdom and kindness. 

“On behalf of the SIU System, I reached out to Walter Blass to share his rich insights with SIU campuses, local high schools and community members,” said Sheila Caldwell, EdD, SIU System vice president for Antiracism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and chief diversity officer. “Mr. Blass brilliantly used storytelling as a medium to convey his experiences as a Holocaust survivor, refugee, business executive and entrepreneur. First-hand accounts about the horrors of World War II are scarce. Therefore, I affirm that his narrative provides critical context to connect listeners to the past, while improving their knowledge and understanding of historical events.” 

“Let me tell you about my journey,” Blass began in his talk to a group of SIUE Upward Bound (UB) and SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) students. “I was born in Germany almost 100 years ago in 1930. My father was a patent attorney and had a good income. But in 1933, Adolph Hitler was elected as the chancellor or president of Germany. He was very aggressive. He wanted to change Germany. Germany was a democracy, and he said it didn’t work. He said Germany needed a strong leader.” 

“Hitler hated Jews,” Blass continued. “When he came into power, he said no Jews could serve in professions such as medicine and law, at universities, in the military and more.” 

On each campus he visited, Blass recalled when his father lost his job and the family fled to Belgium, when his father was sent to a French concentration camp, when his mother was forced to go to a concentration camp in Gurs, when he was sent to a home for delinquent children at the age of 10, and when he arrived in the U.S. at the age of 11 not knowing a word of English. Blass is now fluent in English, French and German. His fluency in Farsi has waned over the years.

“Things didn’t go well for us, but I survived,” said Blass to the UB and CHS students. “Have your lives been one smooth road, or have there been ups and downs so far in life?” 

Several students offered varied challenges, and then UB scholar Ajah Jones, a senior at Cahokia High School, asked, “How have you kept a good mindset despite all of your ups and downs in life?” 

“It’s a complicated answer,” Blass prefaced. Then he went on to talk about how he overcame survivor’s guilt after rescuing a two-year-old girl from drowning in a pool. “I felt like God and I were even. He saved my life, and I saved the little girl’s life. She was a German, the same nationality that kicked us out of the country and persecuted people like me.” 

“It was truly a humbling experience and an honor to host Mr. Walter Blass on the SIUE campus,” said Lindy Wagner, SIUE assistant vice chancellor for Inclusive Excellence, Education and Development. “Dr. Sheila Caldwell created a powerful, impactful experience for the SIU System by having Mr. Blass visit multiple campuses.” 

“As a survivor of the Holocaust, Mr. Blass is a piece of history,” Wagner continued. “It could have been a once in a lifetime experience for those who attended the sessions. He has lived in many places, served in many roles, and seen so much, that it gives him tremendous wisdom and experience. Mr. Blass made his experiences and wisdom relevant to things currently happening in our world. He discussed war and refugees; diversity, equity, and inclusion; dehumanization; technology; medical advancements; and much more.” 

“Mr. Blass gave the SIUE East St. Louis Center program directors and leadership the benefit of his vast knowledge and expertise in examining the importance of strategic planning,” said ESLC Executive Director Timothy Staples, EdD. “He discussed the benefits of strategic planning, such as having a clear statement of goals, having a perspective on how the entire organization functions and having knowledge of required resources. Our team will reference his ideas as we continue to craft our strategic planning.” 

“I love how he recalls the past, relates to the present and references the future in light of history and hope,” added Staples. “His visit was invaluable for our staff and students.” 

“Both SIUE and SIUC have missions focused on creating, exchanging, and expanding knowledge to shape the future,” said Caldwell. “Mr. Blass was an eyewitness to an evolving world after the Holocaust. His travels across the globe and fluency in several languages were the direct result of learning how to navigate new realities after Hitler’s invasion. His resiliency and accomplishments are formidable examples of the power of the human spirit.” 

To view Blass’ sessions on the Edwardsville campus, visit tiny.cc/HubChannel. 

The Southern Illinois University System – where learning comes first, where students are valued and encouraged to explore new ideas, and where progress is complemented by tradition. SIU’s influence can be felt far beyond the locations of its great campuses. While it serves as an economic engine for southern Illinois, it more importantly is a quality institution of learning for the citizens of Illinois, the nation, and the world. Chartered in 1869, Southern Illinois University, first known as Southern Illinois Normal University, opened its doors for instruction in Carbondale in 1874 in a one-building teacher training institution. In 1947, the name was changed to Southern Illinois University (SIU), reflecting the institution’s expanding academic mission. The two institutions that constitute SIU today - Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with a School of Medicine in Springfield and partnership in the University Center of Lake County, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, with a School of Dental Medicine in Alton and an East St. Louis Center – reach not only from the Shawnee National Forest to the bluffs of the Mississippi River, but also through the flatlands of central Illinois, to the shores of Lake Michigan. 

Photos:
Walter Blass, 92-year-old Holocaust survivor, former Afghanistan Peace Corps director and strategic planning consultant, visited Southern Illinois University System campuses from April 4-7. 

Blass speaks in the Conference Center on the SIUE campus. 

Blass is shown with staff and group of SIUE Upward Bound students at the SIUE East St. Louis Learning Resource Center on the SIUE East St. Louis campus.