12 Years That Shook the World

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Torn down, heartbroken, and losing hope, Zvi, Miriam and Leon face even more loss. Then in Spring 1944, Eyshishok is liberated. They return home and face the question, with their world destroyed, what happens now?

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The threat only grows: suspicious neighbors, ghetto massacres, and violent attacks. Miriam, Leon and Zvi go on the run — hiding, resisting, and fighting to stay alive.

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Nazi killing squads have descended onto the shtetl, attempting to destroy all traces of Jewish life. Leon witnesses the terror, and Zvi comes face-to-face with a Nazi killer. 

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Zvi, Miriam and Leon are preparing to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, when suddenly, more armed men arrive in Eyshishok. Terror ensues, and Eyshishok begins to unravel.

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It’s June 1941. Nazi Germany invades the Soviet Union, and German soldiers arrive in Eyshishok. Zvi, Miriam and Leon’s lives are flipped upside down.

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From the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, welcome to 12 Years That Shook the World. This season is a six-part series: the true story of three young Jews who face the Nazi reign of terror in their hometown: Zvi Michaeli, Miriam Kabacznik, and Leon Kahn — three young Jews from a town called Eyshishok. Featuring historians from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum: Dr. Edna Friedberg, Dr. Lindsay MacNeill, and Dr. J. Luke Ryder. 

It’s 1938. In Eastern Europe, life is bustling for three young Jews growing up in their vibrant Jewish community. Miriam Kabacznik, Leon Kahn, and Zvi Michaeli. But soon, the Nazi threat emerges on the horizon. 

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When the Nazis boycott Jewish-owned businesses in Lorrach, Germany, Bernard Loeb’s neighbors turn on him. When the Nazis attack Jews, his neighbors burn his synagogue. And when the Nazis deport Bernhard, his neighbors watch it happen. So who are these neighbors? And what role did they play in Nazi crimes? Featuring Museum curator Kassandra LaPrade Seuthe. Please be advised: This podcast contains stories that listeners may find disturbing. Listen with caution.

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Thank you for listening. What did you think of the show? Take a quick survey, send your comments via email to [email protected].

In 1943, amid the American Jim Crow era, a young Black American named Leon Bass enlists in the Army to fight Nazi Fascism. But once Leon enters WWII and becomes a witness to the Holocaust, he discovers something that will forever change his perspective on his home in the US, and on the world. Featuring Museum educator Lynn Williams. Please be advised: This podcast contains stories that listeners may find disturbing. Listen with caution.

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Thank you for listening. What did you think of the show? Take a quick survey, send your comments via email to [email protected].