Overview

Discover a poignant journey through history and memory in A Shortage of Grandparents: A Memoir of Loss and Discovery. This memoir brings to life the hidden stories of the Meier family, a Jewish family from Gengenbach, a picturesque village in Germany's Black Forest, whose lives were forever altered by the Holocaust. For over 70 years, fragile letters and postcards written in delicate German handwriting remained unread, shrouded in mystery and fear. They held the untold stories of Sophie and Berthold Meier-grandparents who perished in the Holocaust-and Arthur Meier, a father whose brief life bore the scars of a world torn apart by hatred and persecution. The author takes readers on an emotional journey, from her first steps out of a ""Cave of Avoidance"" to discovering her grandmother's grave at Camp de Gurs in France, to standing before Stolpersteine in Regensburg, Germany, and finally, to finding an ""angel"" in Dr. Martin Ruch, who helped translate the letters and unveil their secrets. This powerful narrative, illustrated with photographs, letters, and documents, is more than a family history-it is a testament to resilience, remembrance, and the enduring impact of the Holocaust. Through vivid storytelling, the author transforms fear into understanding, honoring her grandparents and father by becoming the voice for those who were silenced. A Shortage of Grandparents is an inspiring story of loss, discovery, and the importance of remembering the past so it may never be forgotten. Perfect for readers of Holocaust memoirs, family histories, and those seeking to understand the lasting effects of history on personal lives. Never forget-we must become the voice of those who have been silenced.

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9781956381603

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Susan Meier Moss Katz was born and grew up in what she calls the ""Reading Railroad"" area of Pennsylvania. In her late 20's, with her husband and son, she moved to Miami, Florida, where she has since lived for over 50 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from West Chester University and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership degree from Barry University. Susan taught elementary education in public schools for six years and then for 22 years at Temple Beth Am Day School, where she also served as the Curriculum Coordinator and the Director of the Writing Program. In 1994, she became the founding Head of the Gordon Day School at Beth David Congregation. In 2001, she became the Director of Academics at St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School, where she worked for 12 years until her retirement in 2013. Children's writing was always her passion, and she founded writing programs in four elementary schools in Miami. The author has a son Adam from her marriage to her first husband, Lawrence Moss, and two step-daughters, Laura (Brian Weissbart) and Paige, from her marriage to her late second husband, Irwin Katz. She has two grandchildren, Sydney Katz and Tucker Weissbart.Susan has many hobbies; a visit to her home would reveal her love of collecting-from pink house paintings to shoes. Her most prized collection, perfectly fitting for a schoolteacher, consists of hundreds of apples, many received as gifts-from a handmade clay apple made for her many years ago by one of her former students and his grandmother to a Lalique crystal apple her dear friend Mimi gave her. Susan also enjoys reading and traveling. She is still surprised at a series of events encountered on some of her trips, that led her, as though down an unseen, unknown path, guided by a series of unforeseen people and events, to have the experiences that allowed her to write this book.

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