Second Generation

Sol (Salik) and Tola Rosenberg arrived in the small Louisiana town of Monroe in December 1949 via a military ship from Poland with no English and few skills. Settling into a small Jewish community there, with no surviving family but themselves, they were alone raising five children.

Jeannie Wermuth was the fourth child of the tight-knit family that found happiness in every opportunity rather than living in the past. There was little mention of the atrocities her parents had suffered in the camps until the release of the movie Schindler’s List in 1993, when Sol decided to tell of his experiences.

In memory of Sol’s immediate family who all perished, the book Sol’s Story: A Triumph of the Human Spirit, written by University of Louisiana professor Richard Chardkoff, was released in 2002.

Born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana, Jeannie came to Houston in 1985 as a Registered Nurse. She is married to Gary Wermuth, who also happens to be a second-generation survivor. Jeannie and Gary are parents of four beautiful children and three grandchildren. While raising her family, Jeannie remembered the ideals of her mother to educate young people about strong values and Jewish heritage, and this inspired her to get involved with Holocaust Museum Houston.

Jeannie participated in the Second Generation discussion group organization with other offspring of Survivors and hopes to re-establish the Holocaust Museum Houston’s Through Their Eyes program by telling her parents’ stories. For the Survivors, it was such a hard story to tell, and she feels that the second generation, including herself, carry part of their parents’ experience with them through all aspects of their lives. Bearing this responsibility, they live life to the fullest, educating and helping others.

“We can never forget our heritage,” Jeannie says. “The Survivors’ legacy and lessons from the Holocaust must be taught now and to the next generation.”

Moved by her father’s trait of philanthropic giving, Jeannie has donated generously to Holocaust Museum Houston for over 20 years and supported the capital campaign. Now she has established the Wermuth-Meicler Endowment Fund in memory of Sol and Tola. The endowment supports changing exhibitions at HMH that bring to light not only the lessons and history of the Holocaust, but also human rights, ongoing global genocides and impactful activists such as Nelson Mandela.

By establishing the Wermuth-Meicler Endowment Fund in memory of Sol and Tola, Jeannie promotes respect through the generations and keeps alive the legacy of her parents and the stories of the Survivors.

“Every gift is important, no matter how big or small.”

Like Jeannie, you too can make a lasting impact by supporting Holocaust Museum Houston through planned giving. To learn more, please contact Colton Larsen at 713-527-1612 or clarsen@hmh.org today.