In Memoriam: Renee Hartman

It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Renee Hartman on January 6, 2025. Our hearts go out to her children, David and Liz, and to all her family and the many friends who loved and admired her.

Renee was born in 1933 in Bratislava and survived the war with her younger sister Hertha. She came to the United States in 1948 and eventually settled in New Haven. Renee was one of the first four survivors to give testimony to the Fortunoff Archive's predecessor organization, the Holocaust Survivors Film Project (HSFP), in May 1979. A consistent supporter of the archive and its work, Renee participated in many archive events over the years, most recently the opening of the Fortunoff Archive's exhibit in September where she read two of her poems.

It is hard to believe that she is gone. In the coming weeks we will share more about Renee and her remarkable life, but for now we mourn her loss.

May her memory be a blessing.

Please take the time to read the New Haven Independent's obituary, which includes one of Renee's poems, and an edited version of her testimony. You can also listen to the podcast episode featuring Renee.