Katrina Shawver

When Katrina Shawver met the eighty-five year old Henry Zguda, he possessed an exceptional memory, a surprising cache of original documents and photos, and a knack for meeting the right people at the right time. His stories of arrest in Kraków, near-death in Auschwitz and Buchenwald, and ultimate triumph tell a narrative that has been overlooked and calls out to be told – that of millions of ordinary Poles caught in the deadly vise between Germany and Russia. Henry’s path of resiliency and the power of connection are as relevant today, as they were in World War II. Expect to cry at Henry’s tragedy, laugh at his wry humor, and find inspiration in his signature optimism voiced by this quote “Hope was the only incurable disease of Auschwitz.”