Uncovering Hidden Roots: Linda Ambrus Broenniman on Family Secrets, Survival, and The Politzer Saga

Show Notes:
In this profound episode of The Human Experience, host Jennifer Peterkin and guest interviewer Linda explore the extraordinary story of a woman whose Hungarian refugee parents survived World War II and the Holocaust.

The guest recounts the shocking discovery of her hidden Jewish heritage within a family that had long believed they were Catholic. Through years of research, recovered letters, and family documents, she uncovers her mother’s recognition as “Righteous Among the Nations” and her father’s harrowing survival in Nazi labor camps.

This conversation weaves together personal storytelling and historical truth, illuminating the weight of inherited trauma, the courage to confront silence, and the power of remembrance. Linda’s journey serves as a moving reminder that uncovering our histories—no matter how painful—connects us to our humanity and shapes the stories we pass forward.

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of war, genocide, and trauma related to the Holocaust. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

Key Takeaways:
● Exploration of personal and family identity across generations.
● The guest’s discovery of hidden Jewish roots within a family who believed they were Catholic.
● Her mother’s recognition as Righteous Among the Nations for protecting Jews during the Holocaust.
● Her father’s survival through Nazi labor camps and the brutal conditions of Auschwitz.
● The discovery of family documents and how they revealed a hidden legacy.
● Insights into Hungarian Jewish experiences during World War II.
● The importance of preserving memory and confronting silence among survivors.
● The enduring impact of repression and trauma on post-war identity.
● The guest’s efforts to educate others through The Politzer Saga book and museum exhibition.
● A call to listeners to uncover and share their own family stories of resilience and truth.

Interview recorded in Great Falls, Virginia.

Linda Ambrus Broenniman’s Bio:
Linda Ambrus Broenniman grew up in Buffalo, New York, as the middle child of seven born to Catholic Hungarian physicians who survived World War II and began a new life in the United States in 1949.

After earning her BA in Psychology from Swarthmore College and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, Linda left corporate America to pursue her passion for entrepreneurship, founding companies in technology and biotechnology. Her curiosity and drive to uncover hidden potential led her on a personal quest to uncover her own hidden family history.

Through years of research, Linda pieced together the remarkable story of her Jewish ancestors—the Politzer family—and their lives lost to her father’s silence. Her book, The Politzer Saga, brings their stories to life and forms the foundation of The Politzer Saga Exhibit, a permanent exhibition housed in the newly renovated Rumbach Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary.

Linda lives in Great Falls, Virginia with her husband, Ed, of 30 years.

Connect with Linda Ambrus Broenniman:
🌐 Website: www.politzersaga.com
📸 Instagram: @lindabroennimanauthor
📘 Facebook: Linda Broenniman Author Page

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Can you pinpoint a moment in time when your life changed? Maybe it wasn’t a moment, maybe it was a complicated chain of events that led you to where you are today. Or maybe, it was a generational impact that started before you were even born. Regardless of what it contains, all humans have a story. And those stories are the building blocks of who we are, at our very core. Join host, Jennifer Peterkin - lover and collector of stories, as she interviews humans from all walks of life. Tune in every week to hear stories of love and loss, triumph and defeat, and all that exist in between.