Peter Haslund, PhD, a Holocaust survivor and the grandfather of Fairfield student Amelie Stufflebeam ’27, was the keynote speaker at the University's Annual Holocaust Remembrance Service on April 24, 2025.
Dr. Haslund's presentation at his granddaughter's Fairfield University campus highlighted the enduring importance of remembrance, reflection, and intergenerational connection. The Annual Holocaust Remembrance Service was sponsored by the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, Campus Ministry, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County.
The April 24 service included a tribute to the lives lost and a reflection on the survivors who have carried their stories forward. Clergy and members of the University community —including Glenn Dynner, PhD; Rev. John Savard, S.J., ’78; Rabbi Evan Schultz; Patricia Behre, PhD; Philip Eliasoph, PhD; Rabbi David Katz: Richard Greenwald, PhD; Rabbi James Prosnit; and Rev. Paul Rourke, S.J. — offered readings and musical performances.
Dr. Haslund’s granddaughter, Amelie Stufflebeam ’27, is a sophomore majoring in finance and business analytics with minors in management and marketing. The unique opportunity to invite her grandfather to share his story with her University community arose after meeting Dr. Dynner, director of the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, while enrolled in a Magis Core Curriculum elective course titled "Faith After the Holocaust."
“It was so moving to witness my grandpa share his story,” said Stufflebeam. "His past explains a lot about the person he is today, especially through the patience and thoughtfulness he shows others.”
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dr. Haslund was just four years old when his Jewish mother fled to Sweden and sent him to live on a Danish farm in Slagelse, Under the care of a foster family, he remained hidden during the Nazi occupation.
After three years on the farm, Dr. Haslund reunited with his mother and they moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles.
During his presentation, Dr. Haslund shared photos and memories from his early years, paying particular tribute to Else Mikkelsen — the young woman who risked her life to protect him.
Years after the war, when Dr. Haslund asked Mikkelsen why she had chosen to take care of him, she simply replied, “I just did it because it was the right thing to do.”
In America, Dr. Haslund served in the U.S. Air Force and later became a political science professor at Santa Barbara City College, where he helped develop the International and Global Studies program.
Stufflebeam hopes those who heard her grandfather’s story were impacted by his outlook on life and by Mikkelsen's humility and courage. “He gained a second mom from her, and their relationship has remained strong over time,” she said.
At the conclusion of his presentation, Dr. Haslund encouraged the audience to recognize moments that require moral courage: “At some point, we’re all confronted with a decision,” he said. “My hope is that when that happens to you, you will remember Else Mikkelsen, who is still alive today at 103, and raises her glass of beer to everyone. She is my hero.”
