The event will take place in person at the University of Michigan-Deaborn’s James C. Renick University Center, Kochoff Hall C, and online via zoom.
You are warmly invited to a special book launch celebrating REMNANTS and What Remains: Moments from a Life Among Holocaust Survivors, the latest publication by Henry « Hank » Greenspan. The event will take place in person and online on Sunday, October 5, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. and it will be hosted by Dr. Jamie L. Wraight, Director of the Voice/Vision Archive.
This powerful volume traces the personal and creative journey of Henry « Hank » Greenspan, shaped by five decades of deepening relationships with Holocaust survivors. At its heart is the first-ever print publication of REMNANTS, Greenspan’s haunting and widely performed play that brings to life poignant, often heart-wrenching moments of survival and memory. Performed on more than 300 stages around the world, REMNANTS captures the raw essence of what survivors endured—and how they continue to live with those experiences.
In the companion piece, What Remains, Greenspan reflects on the origins of the play, the profound connections he forged with survivors, and the shared grief over the loss of a world—and of those who once told its stories. Written in a lyrical, spoken-word style, this memoir offers a compelling new lens into Greenspan’s pioneering contributions to Holocaust studies, oral history, and the transformative power of theater. The book is dedicated to Sid Bolkosky, founder of The Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive at UM-Dearborn
The program will feature reflections from three of Greenspan’s distinguished colleagues and collaborators—renowned Holocaust scholars and educators:
· Professor John K. Roth, Emeritus Professor, Claremont McKenna College
· Professor Malin Thor Tureby, Professor of History, Malmö University, Sweden
· Dr. Christine Schmidt, Deputy Director, The Wiener Library, London, and former student of Professor Bolkosky
Henry Greenspan will present a short performance and recitation from the book. In keeping with the spirit of his and Professor Bolkosky’s relationships with survivors, there will be ample time for conversation and audience engagement.
Henry (Hank) Greenspan is a psychologist, oral historian, and playwright based at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Since the 1970s, he has conducted in-depth, ongoing interviews with Holocaust survivors—an approach that reveals the evolving nature of memory and testimony over time. His work departs from one-time testimonies, instead drawing on sustained relationships and layered conversations spanning months, years, and even decades.
An accomplished performer, Greenspan was a finalist for the 2022 Alvin Epstein Memorial Prize for Solo Performance. He has performed REMNANTS across North America, as well as in Europe and Israel. He currently leads online seminars and workshops focused on survivor narratives and the complexities of interpreting oral history.
Registration:
For in-person attendance please RSVP to jwraight@umich.edu
For online attendance registration is required through this link
