The son of Markéta and Karel Brady and brother of Hana Brady, George Brady lived an ordinary childhood in interwar Czechoslovakia until March 1939, when Nazi Germany took control of Bohemia and Moravia.
After that, his Jewish family encountered increasing restrictions and persecution by the German occupiers. By 1942, Brady's parents had been separated from their children and sent to prisons and Nazi concentration camps, perishing in Auschwitz before the end of the Second World War. For a short time, George and Hana stayed with an aunt and uncle; the uncle not Jewish, and thus the couple was a "privileged" mixed marriage and not subject to deportation.
However, further disaster struck in to Theresienstadt, a ghetto-camp not far from Prague, Czechoslovakia, set-up by the Nazis in an old fortress town. Hana was 11 and George 14.
George and Hana remained in Theresienstadt until 1944, when they were sent in separate convoys to Auschwitz — George in September to the work camp and Hana in October, where she was soon executed in a gas chamber.
George was transferred from Auschwitz to Gleiwitz I subcamp, where he worked repairing damaged railway cars.
In January 1945, just one month shy of his 17th birthday, George escaped during a death march towards Germany. He returned home to Nove Mesto only to find that his parents had been killed. He held on to hope for Hana’s return but shortly thereafter learned of her tragic fate.
After the Communist coup in 1948, he escaped to Austria in 1949 and moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, two years later.
Brady made a living in the plumbing trade, in which he had trained in Theresienstadt Ghetto. Early in 1951, he established a plumbing company in Toronto with another Holocaust survivor. He married and became a *father to three sons and a daughter.
The family resided in Toronto and later on he was made a member of the Order of Ontario in 2008.
In 2016, he was supposed to receive an award for his lifelong campaign for Holocaust remembrance from Czech President Miloš Zeman on the state day of 28 October. Ultimately, the president decided against conferring the honor on him after Brady's relative, Czech government minister Daniel Herman, met exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama against the president's wishes.
Among his many lifetime honors, he was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
George Brady died of heart failure in Toronto on 11 January 2019 at the age of 90.
Hanna's Suitcase:
Hana and George’s story might never have been told, except for the efforts of a Japanese woman, Fumiko Ishioka, who helped set up an educational center about the Holocaust which received objects on loan from the Auschwitz museum. When she was sent an old brown suitcase with a name written on it, she wanted to know about the young girl, Hana Brady, to whom the case had belonged. While trying to learn more about Hana, she discovered Hana’s brother and realized he had survived the war and was living in Canada. Fumiko’s research has been published as an educational book for children (Hana's Suitcase, Flammarion, 2002) to explain about the Holocaust and the dangers of racism and anti-Semitism.
Read More: https://www.hanassuitcase.ca/?p=19
From his obituary:
*...[sic] Blessed with 4 children (or as he would say, 3 kids and a girl) he pursued life with great vigor. World renowned for his tenacity and generosity, for George there were no problems, only challenges for which he could always find solutions. He helped hundreds of new Canadians find jobs, homes, and pursue their dreams. He had no time for naysayers or laziness. Our father lived larger than life - from using dynamite to blast rocks at the cottage, to igniting Czech democratic protests in 2016. George's early years are well known through the story of Hana's Suitcase, which follows George and his sister Hana's journey from their Czech home to Terezin and finally to Auschwitz. In George's case - he believed that he survived due to his perseverance and a little bit of luck. He was liberated from the Death March in January of 1945 and returned home to find out that he was the sole survivor of his family. George felt that he should not dwell on the past and chose to make a new life in Canada honouring the legacy of his parents. Three years later, he met a fellow survivor, Joe Seidner, and together they founded Brady & Seidner. As he established the business, George began a busy family life with his first wife Carol and their 3 boys, Douglas, Paul and David. He impressed upon his boys the values he had grown up with, including a spirited appreciation for cottage life and family time. Guests were frequently lulled into a false sense of relaxation with weekend invites to a 'Rock Festival' or 'Woodstock', neither of which had anything to do with music, but rather the literal translation. When he was no longer able to swing a chainsaw, his favourite pastime was to direct others including his kids and grandkids as they cut trees, used the leaf blower, and moved rocks. At 54, George expanded the family by marrying a second time and together with Teresa had a daughter, Lara Hana. The family continued to grow with badly trained but much loved dogs. The arrival of Fumiko Ishioka into George's life in 2000 heralded the next chapter, sharing the story of his sister, and that of his own as a member of the underground magazine at Terezin called Vedem. George believed that these stories transcended faith and belief; encouraging kids and adults alike to explore history and learn more about the consequences of hatred and intolerance. Having, impacted many lives, his story continues to touch people in every corner of the world. George's proudest achievement was his family and their success. He often commented that his parents would have been so proud to see how the Brady clan had expanded after suffering such hardship during the war. Not one to hold a grudge, this was his vindication; that he won out in the end. George was a member of the Order of Ontario, and received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal, keys to Prague and Nove Mesto (his home town), the highest German civilian Order of Merit: the 'Verdienstkreuz am Bande', the Masaryk Society award, the Czech House of Commons award, Post Bellum award, honor from Palace University, and various other honors. He was also very proud of achieving 1st, 2nd and 3rd place (in the same race) for the over 80 category at the Devil's Glen Ski Club Championships. George's legacy is carried on by his wife Teresa; children Douglas (Carol), Paul (Joyce), David (Robin), Lara (Mark) and his grandchildren; Adam, Daniel, Cameron, Everest, Sierra, Nirvana, Khoi, Grace, Isaiah, Elijah, Aaron and Theodore. Special thanks to Teresa for her miracles in keeping George healthy, despite his best efforts to do otherwise and to Marty for those weekly lunches. Forever with a twinkle in his eye, George will be deeply missed. George was the world's biggest optimist - always seeing the glass more than half full. At Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, 2401 Steeles Avenue West (three lights west of Dufferin) for service on Wednesday January 16, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. Shiva to be observed privately. In George's honor, and to continue the important cause he believed in - please consider a donation to the Tokyo Holocaust Education Center in lieu of flowers.
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/31868
After that, his Jewish family encountered increasing restrictions and persecution by the German occupiers. By 1942, Brady's parents had been separated from their children and sent to prisons and Nazi concentration camps, perishing in Auschwitz before the end of the Second World War. For a short time, George and Hana stayed with an aunt and uncle; the uncle not Jewish, and thus the couple was a "privileged" mixed marriage and not subject to deportation.
However, further disaster struck in to Theresienstadt, a ghetto-camp not far from Prague, Czechoslovakia, set-up by the Nazis in an old fortress town. Hana was 11 and George 14.
George and Hana remained in Theresienstadt until 1944, when they were sent in separate convoys to Auschwitz — George in September to the work camp and Hana in October, where she was soon executed in a gas chamber.
George was transferred from Auschwitz to Gleiwitz I subcamp, where he worked repairing damaged railway cars.
In January 1945, just one month shy of his 17th birthday, George escaped during a death march towards Germany. He returned home to Nove Mesto only to find that his parents had been killed. He held on to hope for Hana’s return but shortly thereafter learned of her tragic fate.
After the Communist coup in 1948, he escaped to Austria in 1949 and moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, two years later.
Brady made a living in the plumbing trade, in which he had trained in Theresienstadt Ghetto. Early in 1951, he established a plumbing company in Toronto with another Holocaust survivor. He married and became a *father to three sons and a daughter.
The family resided in Toronto and later on he was made a member of the Order of Ontario in 2008.
In 2016, he was supposed to receive an award for his lifelong campaign for Holocaust remembrance from Czech President Miloš Zeman on the state day of 28 October. Ultimately, the president decided against conferring the honor on him after Brady's relative, Czech government minister Daniel Herman, met exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama against the president's wishes.
Among his many lifetime honors, he was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
George Brady died of heart failure in Toronto on 11 January 2019 at the age of 90.
Hanna's Suitcase:
Hana and George’s story might never have been told, except for the efforts of a Japanese woman, Fumiko Ishioka, who helped set up an educational center about the Holocaust which received objects on loan from the Auschwitz museum. When she was sent an old brown suitcase with a name written on it, she wanted to know about the young girl, Hana Brady, to whom the case had belonged. While trying to learn more about Hana, she discovered Hana’s brother and realized he had survived the war and was living in Canada. Fumiko’s research has been published as an educational book for children (Hana's Suitcase, Flammarion, 2002) to explain about the Holocaust and the dangers of racism and anti-Semitism.
Read More: https://www.hanassuitcase.ca/?p=19
From his obituary:
*...[sic] Blessed with 4 children (or as he would say, 3 kids and a girl) he pursued life with great vigor. World renowned for his tenacity and generosity, for George there were no problems, only challenges for which he could always find solutions. He helped hundreds of new Canadians find jobs, homes, and pursue their dreams. He had no time for naysayers or laziness. Our father lived larger than life - from using dynamite to blast rocks at the cottage, to igniting Czech democratic protests in 2016. George's early years are well known through the story of Hana's Suitcase, which follows George and his sister Hana's journey from their Czech home to Terezin and finally to Auschwitz. In George's case - he believed that he survived due to his perseverance and a little bit of luck. He was liberated from the Death March in January of 1945 and returned home to find out that he was the sole survivor of his family. George felt that he should not dwell on the past and chose to make a new life in Canada honouring the legacy of his parents. Three years later, he met a fellow survivor, Joe Seidner, and together they founded Brady & Seidner. As he established the business, George began a busy family life with his first wife Carol and their 3 boys, Douglas, Paul and David. He impressed upon his boys the values he had grown up with, including a spirited appreciation for cottage life and family time. Guests were frequently lulled into a false sense of relaxation with weekend invites to a 'Rock Festival' or 'Woodstock', neither of which had anything to do with music, but rather the literal translation. When he was no longer able to swing a chainsaw, his favourite pastime was to direct others including his kids and grandkids as they cut trees, used the leaf blower, and moved rocks. At 54, George expanded the family by marrying a second time and together with Teresa had a daughter, Lara Hana. The family continued to grow with badly trained but much loved dogs. The arrival of Fumiko Ishioka into George's life in 2000 heralded the next chapter, sharing the story of his sister, and that of his own as a member of the underground magazine at Terezin called Vedem. George believed that these stories transcended faith and belief; encouraging kids and adults alike to explore history and learn more about the consequences of hatred and intolerance. Having, impacted many lives, his story continues to touch people in every corner of the world. George's proudest achievement was his family and their success. He often commented that his parents would have been so proud to see how the Brady clan had expanded after suffering such hardship during the war. Not one to hold a grudge, this was his vindication; that he won out in the end. George was a member of the Order of Ontario, and received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal, keys to Prague and Nove Mesto (his home town), the highest German civilian Order of Merit: the 'Verdienstkreuz am Bande', the Masaryk Society award, the Czech House of Commons award, Post Bellum award, honor from Palace University, and various other honors. He was also very proud of achieving 1st, 2nd and 3rd place (in the same race) for the over 80 category at the Devil's Glen Ski Club Championships. George's legacy is carried on by his wife Teresa; children Douglas (Carol), Paul (Joyce), David (Robin), Lara (Mark) and his grandchildren; Adam, Daniel, Cameron, Everest, Sierra, Nirvana, Khoi, Grace, Isaiah, Elijah, Aaron and Theodore. Special thanks to Teresa for her miracles in keeping George healthy, despite his best efforts to do otherwise and to Marty for those weekly lunches. Forever with a twinkle in his eye, George will be deeply missed. George was the world's biggest optimist - always seeing the glass more than half full. At Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, 2401 Steeles Avenue West (three lights west of Dufferin) for service on Wednesday January 16, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. Shiva to be observed privately. In George's honor, and to continue the important cause he believed in - please consider a donation to the Tokyo Holocaust Education Center in lieu of flowers.
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/31868
The son of Markéta and Karel Brady and brother of Hana Brady, George Brady lived an ordinary childhood in interwar Czechoslovakia until March 1939, when Nazi Germany took control of Bohemia and Moravia.
After that, his Jewish family encountered increasing restrictions and persecution by the German occupiers. By 1942, Brady's parents had been separated from their children and sent to prisons and Nazi concentration camps, perishing in Auschwitz before the end of the Second World War. For a short time, George and Hana stayed with an aunt and uncle; the uncle not Jewish, and thus the couple was a "privileged" mixed marriage and not subject to deportation.
However, further disaster struck in to Theresienstadt, a ghetto-camp not far from Prague, Czechoslovakia, set-up by the Nazis in an old fortress town. Hana was 11 and George 14.
George and Hana remained in Theresienstadt until 1944, when they were sent in separate convoys to Auschwitz — George in September to the work camp and Hana in October, where she was soon executed in a gas chamber.
George was transferred from Auschwitz to Gleiwitz I subcamp, where he worked repairing damaged railway cars.
In January 1945, just one month shy of his 17th birthday, George escaped during a death march towards Germany. He returned home to Nove Mesto only to find that his parents had been killed. He held on to hope for Hana’s return but shortly thereafter learned of her tragic fate.
After the Communist coup in 1948, he escaped to Austria in 1949 and moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, two years later.
Brady made a living in the plumbing trade, in which he had trained in Theresienstadt Ghetto. Early in 1951, he established a plumbing company in Toronto with another Holocaust survivor. He married and became a *father to three sons and a daughter.
The family resided in Toronto and later on he was made a member of the Order of Ontario in 2008.
In 2016, he was supposed to receive an award for his lifelong campaign for Holocaust remembrance from Czech President Miloš Zeman on the state day of 28 October. Ultimately, the president decided against conferring the honor on him after Brady's relative, Czech government minister Daniel Herman, met exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama against the president's wishes.
Among his many lifetime honors, he was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
George Brady died of heart failure in Toronto on 11 January 2019 at the age of 90.
Hanna's Suitcase:
Hana and George’s story might never have been told, except for the efforts of a Japanese woman, Fumiko Ishioka, who helped set up an educational center about the Holocaust which received objects on loan from the Auschwitz museum. When she was sent an old brown suitcase with a name written on it, she wanted to know about the young girl, Hana Brady, to whom the case had belonged. While trying to learn more about Hana, she discovered Hana’s brother and realized he had survived the war and was living in Canada. Fumiko’s research has been published as an educational book for children (Hana's Suitcase, Flammarion, 2002) to explain about the Holocaust and the dangers of racism and anti-Semitism.
Read More: https://www.hanassuitcase.ca/?p=19
From his obituary:
*...[sic] Blessed with 4 children (or as he would say, 3 kids and a girl) he pursued life with great vigor. World renowned for his tenacity and generosity, for George there were no problems, only challenges for which he could always find solutions. He helped hundreds of new Canadians find jobs, homes, and pursue their dreams. He had no time for naysayers or laziness. Our father lived larger than life - from using dynamite to blast rocks at the cottage, to igniting Czech democratic protests in 2016. George's early years are well known through the story of Hana's Suitcase, which follows George and his sister Hana's journey from their Czech home to Terezin and finally to Auschwitz. In George's case - he believed that he survived due to his perseverance and a little bit of luck. He was liberated from the Death March in January of 1945 and returned home to find out that he was the sole survivor of his family. George felt that he should not dwell on the past and chose to make a new life in Canada honouring the legacy of his parents. Three years later, he met a fellow survivor, Joe Seidner, and together they founded Brady & Seidner. As he established the business, George began a busy family life with his first wife Carol and their 3 boys, Douglas, Paul and David. He impressed upon his boys the values he had grown up with, including a spirited appreciation for cottage life and family time. Guests were frequently lulled into a false sense of relaxation with weekend invites to a 'Rock Festival' or 'Woodstock', neither of which had anything to do with music, but rather the literal translation. When he was no longer able to swing a chainsaw, his favourite pastime was to direct others including his kids and grandkids as they cut trees, used the leaf blower, and moved rocks. At 54, George expanded the family by marrying a second time and together with Teresa had a daughter, Lara Hana. The family continued to grow with badly trained but much loved dogs. The arrival of Fumiko Ishioka into George's life in 2000 heralded the next chapter, sharing the story of his sister, and that of his own as a member of the underground magazine at Terezin called Vedem. George believed that these stories transcended faith and belief; encouraging kids and adults alike to explore history and learn more about the consequences of hatred and intolerance. Having, impacted many lives, his story continues to touch people in every corner of the world. George's proudest achievement was his family and their success. He often commented that his parents would have been so proud to see how the Brady clan had expanded after suffering such hardship during the war. Not one to hold a grudge, this was his vindication; that he won out in the end. George was a member of the Order of Ontario, and received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal, keys to Prague and Nove Mesto (his home town), the highest German civilian Order of Merit: the 'Verdienstkreuz am Bande', the Masaryk Society award, the Czech House of Commons award, Post Bellum award, honor from Palace University, and various other honors. He was also very proud of achieving 1st, 2nd and 3rd place (in the same race) for the over 80 category at the Devil's Glen Ski Club Championships. George's legacy is carried on by his wife Teresa; children Douglas (Carol), Paul (Joyce), David (Robin), Lara (Mark) and his grandchildren; Adam, Daniel, Cameron, Everest, Sierra, Nirvana, Khoi, Grace, Isaiah, Elijah, Aaron and Theodore. Special thanks to Teresa for her miracles in keeping George healthy, despite his best efforts to do otherwise and to Marty for those weekly lunches. Forever with a twinkle in his eye, George will be deeply missed. George was the world's biggest optimist - always seeing the glass more than half full. At Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, 2401 Steeles Avenue West (three lights west of Dufferin) for service on Wednesday January 16, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. Shiva to be observed privately. In George's honor, and to continue the important cause he believed in - please consider a donation to the Tokyo Holocaust Education Center in lieu of flowers.
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/31868
After that, his Jewish family encountered increasing restrictions and persecution by the German occupiers. By 1942, Brady's parents had been separated from their children and sent to prisons and Nazi concentration camps, perishing in Auschwitz before the end of the Second World War. For a short time, George and Hana stayed with an aunt and uncle; the uncle not Jewish, and thus the couple was a "privileged" mixed marriage and not subject to deportation.
However, further disaster struck in to Theresienstadt, a ghetto-camp not far from Prague, Czechoslovakia, set-up by the Nazis in an old fortress town. Hana was 11 and George 14.
George and Hana remained in Theresienstadt until 1944, when they were sent in separate convoys to Auschwitz — George in September to the work camp and Hana in October, where she was soon executed in a gas chamber.
George was transferred from Auschwitz to Gleiwitz I subcamp, where he worked repairing damaged railway cars.
In January 1945, just one month shy of his 17th birthday, George escaped during a death march towards Germany. He returned home to Nove Mesto only to find that his parents had been killed. He held on to hope for Hana’s return but shortly thereafter learned of her tragic fate.
After the Communist coup in 1948, he escaped to Austria in 1949 and moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, two years later.
Brady made a living in the plumbing trade, in which he had trained in Theresienstadt Ghetto. Early in 1951, he established a plumbing company in Toronto with another Holocaust survivor. He married and became a *father to three sons and a daughter.
The family resided in Toronto and later on he was made a member of the Order of Ontario in 2008.
In 2016, he was supposed to receive an award for his lifelong campaign for Holocaust remembrance from Czech President Miloš Zeman on the state day of 28 October. Ultimately, the president decided against conferring the honor on him after Brady's relative, Czech government minister Daniel Herman, met exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama against the president's wishes.
Among his many lifetime honors, he was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
George Brady died of heart failure in Toronto on 11 January 2019 at the age of 90.
Hanna's Suitcase:
Hana and George’s story might never have been told, except for the efforts of a Japanese woman, Fumiko Ishioka, who helped set up an educational center about the Holocaust which received objects on loan from the Auschwitz museum. When she was sent an old brown suitcase with a name written on it, she wanted to know about the young girl, Hana Brady, to whom the case had belonged. While trying to learn more about Hana, she discovered Hana’s brother and realized he had survived the war and was living in Canada. Fumiko’s research has been published as an educational book for children (Hana's Suitcase, Flammarion, 2002) to explain about the Holocaust and the dangers of racism and anti-Semitism.
Read More: https://www.hanassuitcase.ca/?p=19
From his obituary:
*...[sic] Blessed with 4 children (or as he would say, 3 kids and a girl) he pursued life with great vigor. World renowned for his tenacity and generosity, for George there were no problems, only challenges for which he could always find solutions. He helped hundreds of new Canadians find jobs, homes, and pursue their dreams. He had no time for naysayers or laziness. Our father lived larger than life - from using dynamite to blast rocks at the cottage, to igniting Czech democratic protests in 2016. George's early years are well known through the story of Hana's Suitcase, which follows George and his sister Hana's journey from their Czech home to Terezin and finally to Auschwitz. In George's case - he believed that he survived due to his perseverance and a little bit of luck. He was liberated from the Death March in January of 1945 and returned home to find out that he was the sole survivor of his family. George felt that he should not dwell on the past and chose to make a new life in Canada honouring the legacy of his parents. Three years later, he met a fellow survivor, Joe Seidner, and together they founded Brady & Seidner. As he established the business, George began a busy family life with his first wife Carol and their 3 boys, Douglas, Paul and David. He impressed upon his boys the values he had grown up with, including a spirited appreciation for cottage life and family time. Guests were frequently lulled into a false sense of relaxation with weekend invites to a 'Rock Festival' or 'Woodstock', neither of which had anything to do with music, but rather the literal translation. When he was no longer able to swing a chainsaw, his favourite pastime was to direct others including his kids and grandkids as they cut trees, used the leaf blower, and moved rocks. At 54, George expanded the family by marrying a second time and together with Teresa had a daughter, Lara Hana. The family continued to grow with badly trained but much loved dogs. The arrival of Fumiko Ishioka into George's life in 2000 heralded the next chapter, sharing the story of his sister, and that of his own as a member of the underground magazine at Terezin called Vedem. George believed that these stories transcended faith and belief; encouraging kids and adults alike to explore history and learn more about the consequences of hatred and intolerance. Having, impacted many lives, his story continues to touch people in every corner of the world. George's proudest achievement was his family and their success. He often commented that his parents would have been so proud to see how the Brady clan had expanded after suffering such hardship during the war. Not one to hold a grudge, this was his vindication; that he won out in the end. George was a member of the Order of Ontario, and received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal, keys to Prague and Nove Mesto (his home town), the highest German civilian Order of Merit: the 'Verdienstkreuz am Bande', the Masaryk Society award, the Czech House of Commons award, Post Bellum award, honor from Palace University, and various other honors. He was also very proud of achieving 1st, 2nd and 3rd place (in the same race) for the over 80 category at the Devil's Glen Ski Club Championships. George's legacy is carried on by his wife Teresa; children Douglas (Carol), Paul (Joyce), David (Robin), Lara (Mark) and his grandchildren; Adam, Daniel, Cameron, Everest, Sierra, Nirvana, Khoi, Grace, Isaiah, Elijah, Aaron and Theodore. Special thanks to Teresa for her miracles in keeping George healthy, despite his best efforts to do otherwise and to Marty for those weekly lunches. Forever with a twinkle in his eye, George will be deeply missed. George was the world's biggest optimist - always seeing the glass more than half full. At Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, 2401 Steeles Avenue West (three lights west of Dufferin) for service on Wednesday January 16, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. Shiva to be observed privately. In George's honor, and to continue the important cause he believed in - please consider a donation to the Tokyo Holocaust Education Center in lieu of flowers.
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/31868
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