Daughter of Naftali and Rose Krauthamer
We are sad to learn of the recent passing of Suzanne Gurwitz, aged 86, who found temporary refuge in Saint-Martin-Vésubie in 1943. Her life embodied resilience, dignity, and quiet strength.
Born on May 22, 1939, in Paris, France, Suzanne Krauthamer came into the world on the eve of one of history’s darkest chapters. As a young Jewish child during the Nazi occupation of France, her life was marked by constant danger. In their desperate search for safety, Suzanne’s family fled to the south of France, arriving in Nice, then under Italian military control. There, they found temporary refuge in the mountain town of Saint-Martin-Vésubie — a fragile sanctuary for Jews escaping deportation.
But this brief shelter would not last. When the Germans advanced, Suzanne, still a young child, crossed the Alps on foot with her family — alongside other Jewish families and retreating Italian soldiers — making a harrowing journey into Italy in a fight for survival. It was a defining passage in her life, one that captured the courage of her parents and the unfathomable strength of the human spirit.
While in Italy, Suzanne was hidden with her mother in a monastery. The Mother Superior, concerned for their safety and future, approached Suzanne and asked her to speak with her mother about converting to Christianity. Suzanne delivered the message, but her mother firmly and calmly refused. They would not abandon their Jewish faith or heritage — not even in the face of fear and uncertainty. That moment of quiet resistance stayed with Suzanne throughout her life, a lesson in courage, conviction, and identity.
In 1944, Suzanne and her family were brought to the United States aboard the Henry Gibbons as part of a special group of 982 Holocaust refugees given sanctuary at the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter in Oswego, New York. Many years later, at the 80th anniversary of the Oswego refugee camp, Suzanne was honored as a guest of distinction. Among the memorials stood a statue of a young girl holding a suitcase. To everyone’s amazement, it was Suzanne — captured in bronze as the child who once arrived seeking hope and safety.
Suzanne rebuilt her life in New York with grace and purpose. She met her beloved husband Marvin Gurwitz there — originally dating one of Marvin’s friends, until Marvin found his moment and asked her out. Their partnership grew into a joyful and devoted marriage. Marvin, a skilled negotiator and longtime purchasing manager, always made her laugh, even without words. On her deathbed, he said softly, “It was a great marriage. We never had a fight.” They went everywhere together and raised a proud Jewish home, filled with Jewish symbols, traditions, humor, and deep love.
She was a passionate educator and a proud Bat Kohen, the daughter of a father who carried the Torah with him over the Alps. Suzanne took on that torch with dignity — not only remembering the past but living it with purpose.
She passed away peacefully on May 23, 2025 — the day after celebrating her 86th birthday, surrounded by her beloved family. She leaves behind her husband Marvin, three devoted children — Yaakov, Sharon, and Paul — 14 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. Each one a continuation of her legacy, each one a living testament to her strength, values, and love.
Naftali Gurwitz
