Samuel Pisar facts for kids

Samuel Pisar (born March 18, 1929 – died July 27, 2015) was an important lawyer and writer. He was also a Holocaust survivor, meaning he lived through the terrible events of the Holocaust. He was from Poland and later became an American citizen.

Early Life and Survival

Samuel Pisar was born in Białystok, Poland. His parents, David and Helaina Pisar, were Jewish.

During the Holocaust, Samuel's parents and younger sister, Frieda, were killed. Samuel was sent to several concentration camps. These included Majdanek, Bliżyn, Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, and Dachau.

At the end of World War II, Samuel escaped during a difficult march. He found safety in a US tank. Samuel was the only one of 900 children from his Polish school to survive the Holocaust.

After the war, Samuel spent time in Germany. He was later helped by an aunt living in Paris. An uncle then sent him to Melbourne, Australia, where he continued his education.

Samuel Pisar's Education

Samuel went to George Taylor and Staff School in Australia. He then earned a law degree from the University of Melbourne in 1953.

After getting better from an illness, he moved to the United States. He earned another law degree from Harvard University. He also had a doctorate from the Sorbonne in France.

Samuel Pisar's Career

Working for Governments

In 1950, Samuel Pisar worked for the United Nations in New York and Paris. Later, in 1960, he returned to Washington, D.C. He joined a special team for President John F. Kennedy. This team focused on economic and foreign policy.

Samuel also advised the US State Department. He gave advice to important committees in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Being a Lawyer and Author

As a lawyer, Samuel Pisar worked with many large companies. He also advised well-known business leaders.

Samuel wrote a book called Of Blood and Hope. In this book, he shared his story of surviving the Holocaust. The book won an award in 1981.

He also wrote a special story for Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 3, known as "Kaddish." This story was based on his own experiences.

After the attacks on the World Trade Center, Samuel wrote Dialogue with God. This work showed his worries about the future of humanity. In 2009, he read his poem at a performance in Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Israel.

Other Important Work

Samuel Pisar helped start Yad Vashem-France. This organization remembers the victims of the Shoah. He was also a director for the Foundation pour la Mémoire de la Shoah. He was a trustee for the Brookings Institution in Washington.

Family Life and Awards

Samuel Pisar was married twice and had three children. He had two daughters with his first wife, Norma Pisar. He had one daughter, Leah Pisar, with his second wife, Judith. Leah worked in the White House for President Bill Clinton.

Samuel's stepson, Antony Blinken, is Judith's son. Antony Blinken was appointed Secretary of State by President Joe Biden.

Samuel received many important awards. He was made a Grand Officer of the French Legion of Honour in 2012. This was given to him by then-President Nicolas Sarkozy. He also received the Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. In 1995, Queen Elizabeth made him an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia. This was for his work in international relations and human rights.

Death

Samuel Pisar passed away from pneumonia on July 27, 2015. He was 86 years old.