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Officials spotlight distracted driving People urged to commit to road safety all year long By Christy Steadman
csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Ben Lesser, seated on the left, addresses STEM students after a presentation of his Holocaust survival on March 30. Lesser gave two presentations at the Hilton Garden Inn in Highlands Ranch. Photos by Christy Steadman
Holocaust survivor urges world to fight injustice
Movement calls for people to shout out against injustice
csteadman@colorado communitymedia.com
Ben Lesser would like the entire world to shout out against injustice. It begins with one community, he said, then spreads throughout the world. Go global, go viral, the 86-year-old Holocaust survivor said. “Just you and I won’t matter,” Lesser said, “but millions of people can make a difference.” Lesser came to Highlands Ranch on March 30 and 31 to give presentations to STEM School and Academy middle-schoolers and their families. Both nights boasted a maximum-capacity crowd of 240 people. Lesser was invited to speak because the language arts and history units are covering WWII, said sponsoring STEM teacher Erin Christian.
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Ben Lesser points out his family during a presentation of his Holocaust survival on March 30.
‘Evil lurks in human beings. We have to be careful not to let it surface. Let’s appreciate what we have and respect each other. We live side-by-side. It’s so simple. There is one race in this world — it’s the human race.’ Ben Lesser
Holocaust continues on Page 6
ONE MAN’S HOLOCAUST TIMELINE
OCT. 18, 1928
BY THE NUMBERS
4.6
By Christy Steadman
Ben Lesser was born in Krakow, Poland to Shaindel and Lazar Lesser. He had two sisters: Goldie and Lola, and two brothers: Moishe and Tuli. Of the seven family members, Lola and Ben were the only two to survive the Holocaust.
Data shows there are far too many deaths and injuries from motor vehicle crashes that involve distracted driving, said Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman Sam Cole. In Colorado, about one life is lost every week from a distracted driving crash, he said. “The ultimate goal,” he added, “is zero deaths.” National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April “presents a unique opportunity for people to commit to driving distractionfree,” Cole said. Although cell phone use, including texting, — is the most troubling, Number of drivers Cole said, distracted in the U.S. using a driving is not limited cell phone or other to that. Distracted drivelectronic device ing, he said, can be any while driving at task that can divert atany given daylight tention away from the moment. primary task of driving. It includes, but is — Number of not limited to, eating seconds a driver’s or drinking; engaging eyes are diverted with passengers, kids while sending or or pets in the vehicle; receiving a text grooming, such as message. This is applying makeup or enough time to shaving; reading a map drive the length of or programming a GPS a football field at 55 device; and adjusting mph. the radio, CD player or MP3 player. — As part of bringing Number of people awareness to the danwho were killed in gers of distracted driv2013 in distracted ing this month, CDOT driving crashes and the Colorado State nationwide. Patrol have partnered to help ensure traffic — Number of safety through addipeople in Colorado tional education and who were killed in enforcement cam2013 in distracted paigns. driving crashes. “Driving is serious business,” said Colo— rado State Patrol chief Number of people Col. Scott Hernandez in Colorado in a media release, “and who sustained should be the main serious injuries in focus of every driver distracted driving when they are behind crashes in 2013. the wheel.” The No. 1 categoSource: www. ry of complaints the distraction.gov. Douglas County Sheriff’s Office receives from the public is related to traffic, spokesman Ron Hanavan said. In an effort to help ensure the safety of the motoring public, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office’s traffic unit recently implemented its Strategic and Tactical Analysis of Crime and Crashes program, Hanavan said. STACC deputies concentrate on areas that are “notorious for a high incidence of crashes and dangerous drivers,” he said, which allows road patrol officers to apply their time to more immediate patrol duties. Providing the public with resources on traffic safety, education and awareness is something Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock is committed to, he said. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to drive in a safe and prudent manner,” he said. “By doing so, you could be saving the life of your neighbor, family member or even your own.”
Germans invade Hungary. Ben was loaded into a Nazi cable car, which was used to transport Jewish people to concentration camps. By this time, he has been separated from most of his immediate family. He arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau, a concentration camp, with his uncle and cousin. Ben receives his new identity, number 1212. The three were eventually relocated to a rock quarry labor camp in Durnhau, near the Czech border, and eventually, he and his cousin, Isaac, were forced to go on a Death March to Buchenwald. The next day, however, Ben and Isaac were transported to Dachau, a four-week journey via Death Train.
SEPT. 1, 1939
MARCH 1944
Germans invade Poland. The Lesser Family was able to avoid being forced to move to the Krakow Ghetto, as Lola’s suitor, Mechel Lieber, made arrangements for the family to relocate to a settlement outside of the city in Niepolomice. Later, the Nazis invaded Niepolomice, and the family was sent to the Bochnia Ghetto. However, Lola was able to help the family by telling Nazi officials that she, and the rest of the family, were born in Munkacs, Hungary, and the family relocated to Hungary and stayed with extended family.
APRIL 29, 1945
Ben arrives in America. He married his wife, Jean, circa 1950. They now reside in Las Vegas. They raised two daughters, and have four grandchildren and one greatgrandchild.
SEPT. 21, 1947
Liberation. “Isaac and I barely stood there hanging on to each other, too numb to move and too stunned to even think. We watched as two young, clean and healthy American soldiers approached us. We didn’t even know what to think or feel. They tried to mask their horror at the sight of us with friendly smiles.” Isaac came down with dysentery, and did not survive. He died in Ben’s arms. Ben and Lola were reunited.
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