Mark Klempner

Website: www.hearthasreasons.com
Niskayuna, NY 12309

Biographical information

Mark Klempner is a folklorist, and oral historian. The son of an immigrant who barely escaped the Holocaust, Klempner spent nearly a decade talking with and getting to know the Dutch rescuers in order to write The Heart Has Reasons, the book his presentation is based on. Described by Rabbi Harold Kushner as "a book to restore one's faith in the possibility of human goodness," it has also been praised by Holocaust historian Christopher R. Browning, who writes: "Like no other work I have read, Klempner's deeply moving book puts a human face on the Holocaust rescuers."

Klempner grew up in New York, and attended Cornell University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1997, and winning a J. William Fulbright Fellowship. In 2000, he received an M.A. in folklore from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His articles have appeared internationally in publications such as The Oral History Reader, as well as in periodicals such as Tikkun and the National Catholic Reporter. He has also been featured as a commentator on Morning Edition, and has been interviewed on Air America, NPR, Prime Time Radio, and other broadcast media.

Discussion topics

The Heart Has Reasons: Holocaust Rescuers and Their Stories of Courage

• Mark Klempner sought out some of the last surviving Dutch rescuers of Jewish children to better understand how and why they made their courageous choices. Inspired by their willingness to risk everything to help others during the war, he became deeply interested in what they have done with their lives since, and where their moral compasses point today. In this presentation, he describes his encounters with the rescuers, and shares some of their stories and wisdom. Audio excerpts from the interviews allow the audience to hear the rescuers, in their own words, reflect on their lives and deeds. What emerges is both a window to the past and an insight into the present, as Klempner explores not only their heroism during the Holocaust, but their continuing activism, and their thoughts on contemporary issues. If the rescuers could remain committed to making a difference while under the boot of the Nazi regime, they surely have something to teach us today about taking a stand against injustices, maintaining an open heart, and never giving up.

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