World War II

Schonwetter was five years old when the war started. He lived happily as a farmer in a small Polish town with his little sister and parents. His father was head of the Jewish community, and his family was highly involved in their town’s events. 

As the war approached, the Gestapo (German Police) came to his town looking for Jews. His father was taken, leaving him with his little sister and mother. 

The three of them decided to run away to a ghetto with nothing but each other. Conditions there were harsh, and there was little food, no space, and no freedom. Schonwetter and his family spent months in the ghetto until they realized they’d soon be sent to a concentration camp. So, they ran miles away on foot until they found a man who took them in.

Schonwetter and his family stayed hidden in the man’s home for months until they were kicked out and forced to live in the woods, where they learned and adapted to the harsh conditions.

Schonwetter says the worst part about living in the woods is the wintertime. They’d go out at night, searching for somebody who might take them in during these cold months. Schonwetter’s mother struggled to find a place for them to stay, however, they prevailed.

Eventually, they found a kind man who took them in. He dug out a small hole in a pigsty for the three of them to live in. Schonwetter and his family would spend months in this small ditch, with no space to move.

Towards the end of the war, Soviet Soldiers found him and his family and shared the good news: the war was over, and the Jews had been freed.

Time in America

Schonwetter spent many years in Communist Poland until the 1960s, when he reached out to his family in America and decided to emigrate to New Jersey, marking the start of his new life. 

Schonwetter started a family in America and has two loving daughters with whom he travels to many schools and communities to share his story.

The Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation

Schonwetter wanted to spread inclusivity and kindness to the world, so he decided to make a change. Not only has Schonwetter spread his story to make an impact, but he also created his foundation named, the “Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation.” This non-profit organization helps to empower Jewish individuals and educate many young minds on the events of the Holocaust.

This foundation has made an incredible impact on the world and ensures that these horrific events will not be forgotten or repeated.