Jack Terry

New York, N.Y. - Jack Terry (Jakub Szabmacher) was born on March 10, 1930, to a secular Jewish family in the small village of Belzyce, Poland. He was the youngest of 4 siblings, a brother and 2 sisters. When German troops entered Belzyce in 1939, the nine-year old's world changed forever. His entire family, along with most of the Jews from his village, were murdered in the Holocaust. Jack was sent to 3 different Concentration Camps; Budzyn, Wieliczka, and Flossenburg, where he struggled to survive unimaginable horrors. In April 1945, the 90th Infantry Division of the United States Army liberated the Flossenburg Concentration Camp. There they found a young boy, the youngest prisoner to survive, the only Jew left in the Camp. U.S. Army officers Lieutenant Ivan Oppenheimer and Colonel Louis Leland befriended the boy. Leland brought Jack back to his battalion and later arranged for him to come to the United States.

In America, Jack's dream and greatest desire was to become an American Citizen, to work hard, and to make something good of his life. This was his way of thanking those who helped him, believed in him, gave him opportunities, and to honor the family he had lost.

Although Jack had no more than an Elementary School education and didn't speak English, he enrolled in Brooklyn Technical High School. In a short time, Jack was tutoring other students in Math and English. In 1954, with the help of scholarships and extracurricular jobs, he graduated with honors from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Geological Engineering. Jack worked as a geologist in Texas for a year, but never forgot his gratitude to the U.S. Army. He served as a 1st Lieutenant from 1955 through 1956; "To me, it was a natural duty to serve this country to which I owe everything." After an honorable discharge, he worked again as a geologist, this time in the jungles of Venezuela for 2 years.

Yet, Flossenburg never left Jack. After a nightmare he had of a scene he experienced in the Camp, Jack decided to study medicine and become a psychiatrist; "I wanted to know how the human soul works, and what makes people deny other peoples' humanity." Jack Terry graduated from University of Colorado Medical School in 1964, became a renowned psychoanalyst in Manhattan, published scientific articles, started a family, became an Associate Professor at Cornell University Medical College, participated in documentaries and study groups, wrote a book (Jakub's World, SUNY Press 2005).

In 1995, Jack began working for the board of the Bavarian Memorials Foundation and became spokesperson for former prisoners of Flossenburg. He devoted much of his time to sharing his experiences, particularly speaking with High School and College students. He touched many people with his story and spread knowledge and hope to younger generations. Jack was awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit in 2007 for outstanding citizenship.

In addition, for much of his life, Jack was an accomplished athlete. He ran marathons and ultra-marathons for Millrose Team, and once held the United States record for his age group in the 50 km distance. In later years, Jack started rowing a single scull, and even at age 92, he was out on the water in his boat every possible morning. His enthusiasm, energy, and zest for life inspired many. He will be missed.

Jack Terry passed away peacefully on October 30, 2022, after a short but serious illness.

Despite having experienced the terrors of this world, Jack was about living, finding beauty, being with family and friends, enjoying good music, good meals, and good literature. He was quick to laugh, and he cherished freedom and independence. Jack will be remembered for his great love for his two daughters and his grandchildren, his warm and gentle affection for children, his generous and energetic spirit, his cheerfulness, and his magnificent intelligence. Jack Terry turned his life into a success and is survived by a loving family.