UMass Professor Shares Holocaust Survival Story and Lifelong Mission to Promote Kindness

Ervin Staub's memoir explores the roots of violence and the power of active bystandership to create a more just world.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:36pm

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An extremely blurred, dreamlike image of a person sitting in a chair and reading a book, surrounded by soft, warm pools of light and color, conveying a sense of contemplation and resilience.Ervin Staub's memoir reflects on his extraordinary life journey, from escaping the Holocaust as a child to dedicating his career to understanding the roots of violence and promoting compassion.New Orleans Today

Ervin Staub, a Holocaust survivor, has dedicated his life as a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to studying the causes of violence and promoting active bystandership. His new memoir, 'Evil, Goodness and Creating Active Bystandership,' reflects on his experiences during the Holocaust and the importance of courageous action in deterring violence and achieving peace.

Why it matters

Staub's research and advocacy on active bystandership have had a significant impact, inspiring programs like the EPIC police training in New Orleans and the nationwide ABLE initiative. As the U.S. faces increasing political and social divisions, Staub's work offers insights on how to build a more just and humane society.

The details

As a child in Hungary during World War II, Staub was protected by the courageous actions of individuals like Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg and his family's Christian nanny, Maria Gogan. This experience inspired Staub's lifelong mission to understand the roots of violence and promote active bystandership. Over his career, Staub has written extensively on these topics, created educational programs, and worked with organizations like the New Orleans Police Department and the Anti-Defamation League to put his ideas into practice.

  • In 1944, at the age of 6, Staub moved into one of 32 buildings in Budapest protected by Raoul Wallenberg.
  • Staub fled Hungary at the age of 18 and eventually immigrated to the United States from Vienna.
  • In 2024, the New Orleans Office of the Independent Police Monitor reported a decrease in critical incidents from 17 in 2014 to 8 in 2024 after implementing Staub's EPIC program.
  • In 2020, the murder of George Floyd sparked increased interest in the EPIC program, leading to the creation of the nationwide ABLE initiative.

The players

Ervin Staub

An 87-year-old professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, who is a Holocaust survivor and has dedicated his life to studying the causes of violence and promoting active bystandership.

Raoul Wallenberg

A Swedish diplomat who protected thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust, including Staub and his family.

Maria Gogan

Staub's family's Christian nanny, who risked her life to smuggle food to the families in hiding during the Holocaust.

Mary Howell

A civil rights attorney who brought Staub's EPIC police training program to the New Orleans Police Department.

Marc Skvirsky

The vice president and chief program officer emeritus at the nonprofit Facing History & Ourselves, which uses Staub's ideas in its educational programs.

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What they’re saying

“Staub's memoir … illuminates the development of his influential ideas about empathy, moral agency and the prevention of violence, and shows how those ideas have been put into practice in classrooms, NGOs, police departments and divided societies around the world. Inspiring and indispensable, this book is an essential guide for anyone committed to building a more just, humane and democratic world.”

— Marc Skvirsky, Vice President and Chief Program Officer Emeritus, Facing History & Ourselves

“The more it is happening, the less passive people are, the more we are all making a difference.”

— Ervin Staub

What’s next

Staub's memoir, 'Evil, Goodness and Creating Active Bystandership,' is set to be released later this year, providing readers with further insights into his life's work and the ongoing efforts to promote active bystandership and prevent violence.

The takeaway

Ervin Staub's personal experiences as a Holocaust survivor and his lifelong dedication to studying the roots of violence and promoting active bystandership have had a lasting impact, inspiring educational programs, police training initiatives, and community-based efforts to build a more just and compassionate society.