After starting his journey in Greece, being transported to Auschwitz, escaping from Nazi fire and becoming becoming an underground soldier, a survivor of an event that killed nearly 11 million people moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1949.
Albert Rosa, 91, will be speaking at Colorado State University Wednesday in the Lory Student Center Theater at 7 p.m. He now lives in Los Angeles, California.
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Rosa spent some time doing labor in Greece, where he is originally from, before he boarded a train bound for Auschwitz, a death camp in Poland used by Nazi Germany in World War II.
“When (the Nazis) took me in, I was 15 years old,” Albert Rosa said. “It was my teenage education — I saw people being killed every day.”
Rosa is one of the few who were able to escape from the camp in Poland and find their way to allied fighters.
“70 members of my family died,” Albert Rosa said. “I’m the only survivor.”
Rosa said he has been speaking to audiences for about 20 years. He speaks to students, at-risk youth, military veterans and disabled people, among others.
“The younger generation doesn’t know what happened 70 years ago,” Albert Rosa said. “People take things for granted.”
Albert Rosa talks to others about his experience to inspire his audience to never give up, according to his daughter, Yvette Rosa.
“It makes one realize what we’re all capable of,” she said. “His persistence is really important for me. He just never gave up.”
Albert Rosa will be speaking about his journey of escape Wednesday. Tickets are not required for the event.
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Collegian Reporter Megan Fischer can be reached at news@collegian.com or via Twitter @MegFischer04.
