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Grandfather’s Efforts to Save Jews During WWII to be Revealed

(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)March 21, 2013

(MAHWAH, NJ) – “Jews Saving Jews During WWII:  The story of Gilel Storch” will be the title of a talk to be given by Robert Molander at Ramapo College of New Jersey on Thursday, April 18 from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. in Room B224. A native of Sweden, Mr. Molander will relate the story of his grandfather’s efforts, under extraordinary circumstances, to save his fellow Jews from the Nazi killing machine. The program will be sponsored by the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and is re-scheduled from March 7.
 
Having narrowly escaped from occupied Latvia to Stockholm Sweden, Gilel Storch pursued a multi-pronged effort to rescue his fellow Jews from the Holocaust.  These included negotiating directly with leading Nazis, securing food for starving concentration camp inmates, helping orchestrate Raul Wallenberg’s effort in saving Hungarian Jews, and seeking to ensure that camps would be turned over intact to the Allies.

In 1998, an award-winning drama documentary was released called “Stateless, Arrogant and Lunatic”. This is what British authorities called Gilel Storch, in 1945 when he was preparing to go to Berlin to negotiate with Heinrich Himmler, head of the Nazi SS, about saving Jews. During his presentation, Molander will show segments of the film.

Robert Molander grew up with his grandfather and heard the story of his well-documented rescue efforts first-hand. He will forever carry loving respect and admiration for what this persistent man, against all odds, was able to accomplish.

Mr. Molander resides with his wife Sabina and two sons Alexander and Paul in New Jersey.  He originally came to the United States through the Sweden-American Foundation to pursue college studies in Economics and International Studies, and went on to earn his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.  Currently with Novartis Consumer Healthcare, Robert is the company’s Global Head of New Growth Opportunities.

The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information or to reserve a seat, please call 201.684.7409.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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