The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County recently held a program “Rescue Beyond War: Unknown Military Heroes,” featuring Seymour Kaplan, of Brooklyn.
He spoke during the program about his experiences as one of the liberators of the Dachau concentration camp, according to a press release from the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.
At 17-years old, Seymour enlisted in the Army and left Brooklyn to fight against Nazi Germany.
He became a machine gunner with the 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion attached to the 42nd Infantry Division.
In April 1945, he was one of the first American soldiers to enter Dachau.
With his knowledge of Yiddish, Seymour served as a translator between Holocaust survivors and the Army.
When he returned home, he established a garment manufacturing company, eventually retired, and then began a second career as a teacher.
He is a mental health advocate and has been honored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
For more information, call (516) 571-8040, visit www.hmtcli.org or find us on social media at Facebook.com/HMTCNY and Twitter.com/HolocaustTolCtr.
Liberator to speak at center
