By Bessie King and Meghan Colloton

Three days after his liberation from the Auschwitz camp, Charles Papiernik began writing his book.

“Unbroken: From Auschwitz to Buenos Aires,” Papiernik’s third book about the horrors he endured, has been translated to English, and the 87-year-old spoke at two different events at Northeastern to share his life experiences.

Three generations of Papiernik’s family spoke in a round table discussion last Thursday afternoon in the Sacred Space. Papiernik, his wife, Micheline, two daughters, Elena and Francis, and his granddaughter, Avital Epstein, were panelists for the discussion.

“We wanted [the audience] to see how memories are shaped and reshaped by different countries and generations,” said James Ross, an associate Stotsky professor who presented and moderated the program.

Papiernik was born and educated in Poland and became a young activist in socialist movements when he moved to Paris with his brothers. He was deported by the Nazis during World War II and sent to concentration camps including Beaune-la-Rolande, Birkenau, Auschwitz and Sachenhausen.

Papiernik said five of his seven siblings were lost in the concentration camps during the Holocaust. He and his brother survived the camps and moved to Uruguay, where his remaining sister lived. Papernik’s brother died shortly after their arrival in Uruguay.

After the war, he became a businessman and prospered for 25 years. Then, due to political and economic problems, he and his family moved to Argentina where he again had financial success.

He retired and focused on traveling the country to teach people about the horrors of the Holocaust and soon after traveled to other nations to spread his message. Today, he is a well-known speaker and his written accounts exist in French, Spanish, German and English.

“Even today, I don’t know what I am doing here. It could be that God picked me because someone had to tell. But I do not want to make you sad, I just want you to understand that no matter how bad things get there is always a way to make things better, without violence,” Papiernik said as translated from Spanish by Northeastern modern language professor Stephen Sadow.

Papiernik was a major force in Uruguay and Argentina, speaking at churches, schools and Jewish organizations about the Holocaust and remaining constantly on the move, Sadow said.

Francis, Papiernik’s youngest daughter, spoke about her life in Uruguay.

“Little was understood about the Holocaust in Uruguay. I felt very alone with [my parents’ memories]. I tried to make others know about the memories,” she said.

Avital Epstein, Papiernik’s granddaughter, spoke about his legacy, and said it is very exciting to see her grandfather’s life objective of leaving a document for others, especially the young, being completed.

“My abuelo is an idol to me and this accomplishment has made me see once again how special he truly is,” Epstein said.

James Weiss, a Northeastern adjunct professor of history and co-chairman of the committee that put the discussion together, said he would like to see more international symposiums of this type held.

“We hope that this will be the foundation for further [such events],” Weiss said.

The idea for the Holocaust discussion came from Christina Braidotti, who put the discussion together along with Weiss. The group wanted to bring Papernik’s book outside of Argentina and Uruguay. After Sadow translated Papernik’s book, they realized an event like this would broaden the lecture’s horizons and give it more exposure, Weiss said.

Cassandra Hamilton, a sophomore international affairs major, came to the lecture because her teacher, Sadow, made it sound very “intriguing.”

“[Papiernik] traveled all over the world and has had so many experiences,” Hamilton said.