July 22, 2008

The Nevada Historical Society will host a free presentation by Holocaust survivor Stephen Nasser on Thurs., July 24 at 2:00 p.m. The Historical Society is honored to present this special program for adults and young adults.

Mr. Nasser will discuss his book, My Brother’s Voice: How a Young Hungarian Boy Survived the Holocaust, which tells how his brother’s words inspired him to live after he and his family were sent to the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.

Mr. Nasser was thirteen years old when the Nazis whisked him and his family away from their home in Hungary to Auschwitz. Of twenty-one family members, he was the only one to survive. His memories of that terrifying experience are still vivid, and his love for his brother Andris still brings a husky tone to his voice when he remembers the terrible ordeal the endured together.

“While Mr. Nasser endured through one of the most horrifying experiences imaginable, his message is one of hope and optimism,” said Mella Harmon, curator of history. “He spreads he belief that with enough love, determination and will power there is always a better tomorrow.”

He was brought to Canada by the Canadian Jewish Congress in 1948, and in 1958 he immigrated to the United States. In 2003, Stephen Nasser wrote and published My Brothers Voice. His story is painstakingly unembellished so that people will know what really happened.

The Nevada Historical Society was founded in 1904 and is the oldest state museum. Programs include an active exhibition schedule, public programs and docent-guided tours. The museum’s research room, with its extensive collection of Nevada information and photographs, is open to the public from 12 to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The exhibit galleries and museum store are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Admission is $3 for adults ages 17 and over; $2 for seniors; children and members are free.

The Nevada Historical Society is one of seven museums managed by the State Division of Museums and History, an agency of the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs. The Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs serves Nevada’s citizens and visitors through cultural and information management, presentation and promotion of cultural resources, and education. The Department also includes the State Office of Historic Preservation, Nevada State Library and Archives and the Nevada Arts Council. For more information on the Department of Cultural Affairs, please call the Public Information Officer at (775) 687-8323 or visit the department’s website at www.nevadaculture.org.