Haven or Hell? Jews in the Philippines During WWII

Program held Tuesday, November 10, 2020.
For years, Sandy Lanman knew her grandmother Elise had escaped Germany to the Philippines, only to lose her husband Gunther before the brutal Battle of Manila. Only recently did Lanman learn the story of her family-and 1,300 other mostly German Jews-and the terrors they faced under Japanese rule during World War II.
Lanman shares these stories in her presentation “Haven or Hell? Jews in the Philippines During WWII,” which will be presented virtually by the East Brunswick Public Library on Tuesday, November 10, at 7:00 pm.
Aside from a few photos and family stories, she knew little else about her grandmother's time in the Philippines. In 2019, a serendipitous encounter on Facebook led her to Gunther’s great-nephew and a trove of photos of Elsie and Gunther in Manila. The discovery sparked her interest in the history of this little-known Jewish sanctuary. Through film, pictures and Elsie’s own words, this presentation tells the story of the Jews who fled Europe only to find themselves in the middle of the Pacific theater of war.
An award-winning writer and public relations professional, Lanman began her career as a staff writer for The Home News in New Brunswick. She has also worked in public relations for Crossroads Theatre Company, New Jersey Network and Rutgers University, and as a consultant serving clients in higher education, the arts and nonprofit sector. Lanman is on the boards of the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission and Central Jersey Jewish Historic Society.
This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the East Brunswick Library.