[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 106 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF HERBERT KALINER

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 17, 2021

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and 
solemn remembrance that I rise to pay tribute to a great man, Herbert 
Kaliner, who passed away on June 1st at the age of 94.
  Herb was a cherished member of the Miami community. One of the last 
living survivors of Kristallnacht and the SS St. Louis, Herb was widely 
known and respected for his decades of engagement with community 
groups, schools, churches, and synagogues. He was a ubiquitous presence 
as a teacher and docent at the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach, where 
he spent every Saturday leading tours and educating generations of 
visitors about the Holocaust.
  Born in Germany, Herb was just 12 when he and his family fled the 
Nazi regime on ``the Voyage of the Damned,'' the tragic ocean liner 
which was forced to return to Europe in 1939 after being turned away 
from the United States, Cuba, and Canada. When the ship returned to 
Europe, about 250 of the passengers were killed in the Holocaust, 
including Herb's parents and two sisters. ``We were so close to Miami 
Beach, I could see it,'' Herb told the Miami Herald in 1997. ``I said 
to my parents, `Someday, I'll come back here.' ''
  Despite the odds, Herb survived the Nazi invasion of France by hiding 
in the woods and working under false papers. In 1949 he immigrated to 
Miami and would go on to serve admirably in the Korean War, open a 
bakery, marry the love of his life, and raise a wonderful family.
  Herb dedicated much of the latter part of his life to advocating for 
the rights, interests, and needs of Holocaust survivors, especially 
those living in poverty. As a member of the Holocaust Survivors 
Foundation USA Executive Committee, he often met with elected national 
political and communal leaders, even testifying before Congress to 
ensure the rights of Holocaust survivors to live in dignity. Despite 
the tragedy he endured, Herb never let his commitment to justice waiver 
and is an enduring example of commitment, leadership, and service. He 
will be deeply missed.
  Herb is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Vera; his daughters 
Debbie and Michelle; son-in-law Amir; and three grandchildren, Jessica, 
Zachary, and Jonah.

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