H.R. No. 1659
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Henry Kellen of El Paso survived the Holocaust and
has built on his experiences to create the El Paso Holocaust Museum
and Study Center; and
WHEREAS, Henry Kellen was born Heniek Kacenelenbogen in Lodz,
Poland, in 1915; after completing university studies in France and
graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1938, he
settled in Kaunas, Lithuania; following the outbreak of World War
II, the area was seized by the Soviet Union and then, in turn, by
Nazi Germany in June 1941; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Kellen and all other Jews from the town of Kaunas
were forced to relocate to the Kovno Ghetto; over the next several
years, the Nazis reduced the population of the ghetto by means of
deportations to work and death camps as well as mass executions;
only 1 in 10 Jews in Lithuania survived the Holocaust; and
WHEREAS, Those in the Kovno Ghetto tried to maintain normalcy
as best they could; schools were operated in defiance of Nazi orders
and some individuals, such as Mr. Kellen and his wife, Julia, got
married while confined there; in March 1944, Mr. Kellen witnessed
the kinderaktion, during which the Nazis rounded up and killed
hundreds of babies and children and Mr. Kellen's seven-year-old
nephew, Jerry, narrowly avoided death; with the ghetto being
systematically reduced, Mr. and Mrs. Kellen and Jerry escaped the
following month; they were hidden by Christian farmers named
Andrius and Maria Urbanas until the Soviet army drove the Nazis from
the area; and
WHEREAS, After the war, Mr. Kellen settled in El Paso; he and
his wife initially vowed not to speak of their past, but, as he
entered retirement nearly four decades later, he began to feel an
obligation to those who had not survived as he had; with a small
corner of borrowed space at the Jewish Community Center, Mr. Kellen
began to tell his remarkable story; he met with school, church, and
civic groups to discuss his treatment at the hands of the Nazis; his
talks proved so popular that it soon became apparent that a
dedicated space was needed for a Holocaust museum; and
WHEREAS, Through community support, the museum opened its
doors in 1994; an electrical fire destroyed the original building
in 2001, but the museum continued to operate by visiting schools and
using temporary gallery space; the people of El Paso rallied to help
raise $2.5 million for a new facility, which opened in 2008; and
WHEREAS, In 2009, El Paso mayor John Cook honored Mr. Kellen
with the Conquistador Award, the highest possible accolade that can
be given to an El Pasoan who has made exceptional contributions to
the city; and
WHEREAS, Through the efforts of Henry Kellen, the lessons of
the Holocaust--that hatred and bigotry have no place in the human
endeavor--are being taught to new generations of young Texans, and
his work toward this end has made a lasting and positive difference
in the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to Henry Kellen for his
establishment of the El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center and
for his efforts to heighten awareness of this dark chapter in world
history among the citizens of El Paso and beyond; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Kellen as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Gonzalez
Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy
Allen Gooden Murphy
Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker
Aycock Harless Parker
Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton
Berman Hartnett Paxton
Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips
Branch Hochberg Phillips
Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett
Brown Hopson Pickett
Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price
Burnam Howard of Travis Price
Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla
Button Huberty Quintanilla
Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond
Cain Hughes Raymond
Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds
Callegari Hunter Reynolds
Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle
Carter Isaac Riddle
Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter
Castro Jackson Ritter
Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner
Christian Keffer Schwertner
Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott
Coleman King of Parker Scott
Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets
Cook King of Taylor Sheets
Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama
Deshotel Lavender Strama
Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson
Dutton Lozano Thompson
Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres
Eiland Lucio III Torres
Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt
Eissler Lyne Truitt
Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner
Elkins Madden Turner
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal
Farrar Margo Villarreal
Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo
Fletcher Marquez Vo
Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle
Flynn Martinez Walle
Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White
Gallego McClendon White
Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley
Garza Menendez Woolley
Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman
Geren Miles Workman
Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1659 was adopted by the House on May 2,
2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
Allen Gooden Murphy
Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
Aycock Harless Parker
Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
Berman Hartnett Paxton
Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
Branch Hochberg Phillips
Brown Hopson Pickett
Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
Burnam Howard of Travis Price
Button Huberty Quintanilla
Cain Hughes Raymond
Callegari Hunter Reynolds
Carter Isaac Riddle
Castro Jackson Ritter
Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
Christian Keffer Schwertner
Coleman King of Parker Scott
Cook King of Taylor Sheets
Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
Deshotel Lavender Strama
Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
Dutton Lozano Thompson
Eiland Lucio III Torres
Eissler Lyne Truitt
Elkins Madden Turner
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Margo Villarreal
Fletcher Marquez Vo
Flynn Martinez Walle
Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
Gallego McClendon White
Garza Menendez Woolley
Geren Miles Workman
Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas