Bella Mischkinsky Memorial Lecture

Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 11 am – 12:15 pm

11:00 am – 12:15 pm – Presentation    |    12:15 pm – Light Refreshments for In-Person Guests

This is a hybrid event, and light refreshments will be provided for in-person attendees.

In-Person Registration: Walk-Ins Welcome

Virtual Registration

Each year, the Bella Mischkinsky Memorial Lecture Series hosted by the Paul Peck Humanities Institute brings a scholar, journalist, or advocate to Montgomery College – to deepen our understanding about the history of the Holocaust—and to help students make relevant connections across time, across disciplines, and to their own lives and actions. This series is supported by a generous gift from Bella’s estate.

Click here to learn more about the Bella Mischkinsky Memorial Lecture Series at Montgomery College

Frank Cohn was born on August 2, 1925, in what was formerly Breslau, Germany. Violent anti-Semitism impacted Frank’s family, particularly after the Nazi Party came to power in 1933. The family fled their homeland, ultimately reuniting in the United States in late October 1938, only days before the state-sponsored anti-Jewish violence that swept through Germany beginning on November 9 (also known as Kristallnacht). In 1943, Frank was drafted into the US military, where he ultimately served for 35 years, achieving the rank of Colonel. During World War II, he fought in the European campaign, playing a role in obtaining military intelligence, assessing captured documents, and interrogating prisoners, especially in the interest of prosecuting Nazis war criminals.

After the war, Frank learned that 11 members of his extended family were killed during the Holocaust. To honor the memories of those who died, he volunteers at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and speaks to audiences throughout the Washington, DC area.

Guest Speaker

Frank Cohn
Holocaust Survivor
Colonel, US Army (Ret.)