Holocaust survivor and educator David Schaecter, March of the Living in Auschwitz 2023 (Ziv Koren)

David participated in several March of the Living journeys in Poland & Israel

The International March of the Living mourns the passing of Holocaust survivor and educator David Schaecter, who died at the age of 96. David participated in several March of the Living journeys in Poland and Israel, where his story deeply touched the hearts of thousands of young people.

Born in a small town in Slovakia, David was deported to Auschwitz in 1942 as a young boy, together with his mother, two little sisters (ages 7 and 5), and his older brother Yakov (Hacobo), age 15. All of them perished in the Shoah. David was the sole survivor among 105 members of his family.

In an interview during the 2023 March of the Living at Auschwitz, David shared:

“For the last 50 years of my life, I speak to all the Jewish kinder. And I ask three things of them: I want them to know who they are. I want them to know what happened to our people. But mostly I want them to become my mouthpiece when I’m no longer here.”

Earlier this year, David spoke in the U.S. Congress about the rise of antisemitism, saying: “Antisemitism has been a problem and is still a problem. We must do everything possible to educate our young people.”

In addition to his work with the March of the Living, David helped establish the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach in 1989, together with other survivors.

Scott Saunders, CEO of the International March of the Living, said: “David’s memory will live on in the hearts of the many young people who were privileged to hear his story and who pledged to accept the torch of memory and always remember the lessons of the Holocaust.”