From Ashes: The CANDLES Museum's Story of Resilience

In 2003, a domestic terrorist firebombed the CANDLES Holocaust Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana, painting swastikas on the walls. The museum's founder, Auschwitz survivor Eva Mozes Kor, had a simple response: "I've had worse days." Within two years, she rebuilt stronger than before.

The CANDLES Museum tells Eva's story as a "Mengele Twin"—one of the children subjected to horrific medical experiments at Auschwitz. But the museum's mission extends beyond historical horror to something more powerful: teaching forgiveness as a path to healing and reclaiming personal power after trauma.

Eva's controversial decision to forgive Josef Mengele, Adolf Hitler, and even the Nazi doctor she befriended challenged Holocaust survivor communities worldwide. Some called it inappropriate—how can you forgive the unforgivable? Others saw it as liberation. Eva saw it as the only way to stop being a victim and start living free.

Discover how one woman transformed unimaginable suffering into a global teaching moment. New episodes every Tuesday.

Episode Summary

In Part 2 of our CANDLES Holocaust Museum series, Executive Director Troy Fears takes us deeper into Eva Mozes Kor's remarkable story of resilience and forgiveness. After surviving Josef Mengele's twin experiments at Auschwitz, Eva dedicated her life to Holocaust education—only to face another attack in 2003 when a domestic terrorist firebombed her museum. This episode explores how Eva rebuilt, why she chose to forgive her tormentors, and how CANDLES continues her mission today.

Key Locations

CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center

1532 South 3rd Street

Terre Haute, Indiana 47802

Historical Context:

• Original museum destroyed by arson in 2003
• Rebuilt and reopened in 2005 at same location
• Current facility hosts 15,000 visitors annually
• Museum name: CANDLES = Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors

Auschwitz Concentration Camp (Historical)

Eva and her twin sister Miriam were imprisoned here 1944-1945 as subjects of Josef Mengele's medical experiments.

Key Dates & Timeline

1944-1945: Eva and Miriam Mozes imprisoned at Auschwitz, subjected to Mengele's experiments

1945: Liberation from Auschwitz; estimated 300 of 3,000 twin survivors remain alive

Late 1980s: Josef Mengele reportedly dies in Brazil (never confirmed to Eva's satisfaction)

1993: Eva meets Nazi doctor Hans Münch in Germany; this encounter leads to her forgiveness decision

1995: CANDLES Museum founded by Eva Mozes Kor in Terre Haute, Indiana

2001: Timothy McVeigh executed at federal penitentiary in Terre Haute

November 2003: Museum firebombed by domestic terrorist; swastikas and "Remember Timmy McVeigh" spray-painted on walls

2005: Museum rebuilt and reopened in same location

Present: Museum hosts 15,000 annual visitors, 50% school groups

Featured Guest

Troy Fears

Executive Director, CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center

Troy discusses the museum's mission, Eva's forgiveness philosophy, educational programming, and how CANDLES continues Eva's legacy of turning personal trauma into teaching moments about human rights and resilience.

The Artifacts That Survived

Despite losing many items in the 2003 fire, CANDLES Museum currently houses:

• Male prisoner jacket from Auschwitz
• Personal letters written by Josef Mengele to his wife (chilling for what they don't mention—no reference to experiments)
• Various Nazi artifacts brought back by U.S. soldiers
• Fire-damaged items from the 2003 attack, now displayed as evidence of resilience

Eva's Forgiveness Philosophy

Eva's decision to forgive Mengele, Hitler, and Nazi perpetrators remains controversial. Key points:

What forgiveness meant to Eva:

• Personal choice and personal power—not condoning actions
• Way to stop being a victim and reclaim agency
• Healing mechanism: "I have the power to choose how I react"
• Not forgetting history or saying actions were acceptable

How it developed:

• 1993: Asked to bring Nazi doctor to Boston medical ethics conference
• Met Dr. Hans Münch in Germany (gas chamber administrator)
• Realized she could get along with former Nazi
• Decided forgiveness would be her "thank you" gift
• Extended forgiveness to all Nazi perpetrators

The controversy:

• Some Holocaust survivors and families felt forgiveness inappropriate
• Critics argued: "Not your place to forgive for murdered millions"
• Supporters saw it as powerful personal liberation
• Eva maintained: This is about individual healing, not universal justice

Educational Mission

CANDLES serves approximately 15,000 visitors annually:

• 50% school field trips (middle and high school primarily)
• Age recommendation: 12 and older (museum avoids graphic imagery for younger students)
• Teacher workshops and professional development
• Holocaust library with 1,500+ books (free checkout)
• Monthly speaker series on Holocaust, human rights, and genocide studies
• Emphasis on Eva's story of survival and healing rather than graphic horror

Museum Philosophy

Unlike many Holocaust museums, CANDLES focuses on:

• Personal survivor testimony over mass tragedy documentation
• Hope and resilience over horror
• Educational empowerment: "If Eva can overcome, you can too"
• Limited graphic imagery to make content accessible to middle school students
• Forgiveness as tool for healing bullying, trauma, domestic violence

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