How One Boy Survived Auschwitz and Found His Dog

Jill speaks with Kari Alterman about the extraordinary life of her father, Emery Grosinger, a Holocaust survivor who lost his parents and his home in the Holocaust. Born in a small village in Hungary, Emery survived Auschwitz, endured a death march, and was ultimately liberated from Mauthausen just before his 13th birthday, May 8, 1945, Victory in Europe Day. Kari shares the story of his survival, resilience, and legacy, and how it inspired her life and work through Good Name Advisors.What We DiscussedEmery’s idyllic childhood in Transylvania and the close-knit community he grew up inHow scarlet fever and a delayed hospital discharge upended the family’s chance to hide from the NazisLife in the ghettos and the horrific conditions aboard cattle cars to AuschwitzSlave labor at Auschwitz, including the senseless task of building walls to be torn down each dayEmery’s separation from his parents, and the small moments of reconnection with his mother through a fenceA narrow escape from death thanks to Kari’s father following a group of Polish boys to another barracksThe brutal death march and train transport to MauthausenLiberation on his 13th birthday, and the train journey back to his villageThe miraculous survival of Emery’s family dogThe journey to the United States, including fake passports, a six-week visa, and overstaying to build a life in DetroitHow Kari’s father’s values, humor, and resilience live on in her family, and inspired her business, Good Name AdvisorsA brief explanation of the Claims Conference and symbolic reparations for Holocaust survivorsResources & LinksThe Zekelman Holocaust Center in MichiganAunt Clara’s video interviewEmery Grosinger’s family dogConnect with Kari Alterman:Website: GoodNameAdvisors.comEmail: [email protected] to Kari’s email newsletter here. Connect with Jill:Website: DeathReadiness.comEmail: [email protected] to receive news and updates.Love this episode? Please rate and review in the Apple podcasts app!Submit a question for Tuesday TriageDid you enjoy this episode? Share it with someone you care about. This podcast provides estate planning guidance for women and discusses real, practical issues, from caregiving, pre-planning a funeral, how to avoid probate using beneficiary designations, planning for individuals with special needs (and special needs trusts), whether you need a professional fiduciary (trustee or executor), how the estate tax works and how to preserve your legacy. Tuesday Triage episodes answer questions from listeners like you, from powers of attorney, healthcare advance directives (and whether they work when you’re pregnant), what a Last Will and Testament really is, whether you need a trust, how Medicaid works and how to have senior and elder care conversations and how to care for aging parents. Disclaimer: This podcast and all related content are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established here. Use of this information without careful analysis and review by your attorney, CPA, and/or financial advisor may cause serious adverse consequences. For legal guidance tailored to your unique situation, consult with a licensed attorney in your state.