Marga Silberman Randall Publications - Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh

Publications by Marga Silberman Randall (z”l)

How Beautiful We Once Were:
A Remembrance of the Holocaust and Beyond

Threads in Time Unbroken

Marga Silbermann Randall is a Holocaust survivor who was born in Lemforde, Germany in 1930. She fled to America with her immediate familiy in 1941, where she learned to speak English and later attained U.S. citizenship. She married, had a family, and worked most of her life in the public sector. After 45 years, Marga returned to her home town in Germany to regain her past, and since 1981 she had devoted her life to educating people about the Holocaust. She has made hundreds of presentations at universities, public and private schools, conducted Holocaust workshops and seminars, and spoken to community and civic organizations. She has written and lectured on the subject of the Holocaust, produced a documentary for National Public Television, and has been interviewed for and featured on television and radio. This is her second book.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Threads of Time Unbroken from the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, contact us at 412-421-1500 or email jgaetano@hcpgh.org.

Marga Silbermann Randall Papers

Born in Lemforde, Germany, on March 20, 1930, Marga Silbermann Randall and her family experienced Nazi persecution before fleeing to the United States and settling in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Some of the members of her immediate family survived the war and were reunited, but most of her extended family perished. Marga Silbermann Randall married, had a family, and was active in the Jewish community, including as the president of Women’s American Organization for Rehabilitation through Training (ORT) in the 1960s. In 1981, she returned to Germany to begin to piece together her family’s history and confront her own memories. She spent the rest of her life teaching and lecturing about her personal experiences in the Holocaust both locally and abroad.

The collection primarily consists of articles and correspondence. The collection includes an extensive documentation about Women’s American Organization for Rehabilitation throught Training (ORT) during the time Marga Silbermann Randall was president of the South Hills Evening Chapter. The documents include attendance and membership, events, programs, newsletters, newspaper clippings, reports, and speeches. Also included in the collection is materials related to Dr. Hedwig O. Pregler, principal of Colfax School, and the woman Marga Silbermann Randall credited. These materials include articles, biographical material, and correspondence, between her and Dr. Pregler. The collection has documentation related to Marga Silbermann Randall’s return trips to Germany, speeches, and presentations. Some of these materials are in German. A VHS video cassette using narration and photographs, documentation her return trips to Lemforde, Germany, photographs of her family’s table which she donated to Heinz History Center museum, and archival documentation related to these museum artifacts are included in the collection. Also included is a book commemorating the German Jewish soldiers that died during World War I.

Historic Pittsburgh

Marga Silbermann Randall Photographs

The collection consists of digital reproductions and reprints of photographs depicting family gatherings, events, and portraits from approximately 1921 until 1942. Photographs of both Lemforde and Schermbeck, Germany are also in this collection. Included with the majority of the photographs are captions, explainations, and dates. Other photographs in the collection inlcude Marga Silbermann Randall’s involvement in Women’s American Organization for Rehabiitation through Training (ORT) in the 1960s and photographs of Dr. Hedwig O. Pregler, former principal of Colfax School.