Tuesday, May 11, 2021
I've been looking for the appropriate way to share the impact that "Frau Cernyak" had on my own life. I'm so sorry to hear of her passing, but I would like to share that she changed my life forever.
I was a student in Frau Cernyak's German classes in 1992-94 at UNCC. Two days had a profound impact on me that I think about frequently to this day. First... She was a bit hard on me, and dare I say - I didn't look forward to her classes sometimes. I was late for one of our final classes in my freshman year. She took me outside alone, and I expected to be in trouble - instead, she looked me firmly in the eyes and told me that she knew that she was hard on me, that she expected more from me than the other students, and she continued to tell me it was because she saw so much potential and passion for the language in me, and that was rare, that I had a gift that she wanted me to accept and work even harder to share with others. She also told me that she was only upset that I was late that day, because she wanted me to fill in her evaluation, that she really valued my opinion. BAM - relationship completely changed to full respect! Second... the day that she ended our class promoting the new Holocaust class that she would be teaching, and she quietly rolled up her sleeve and showed us her arm. I took that class, I took any class that my new favorite teacher, Frau Cernyak, would teach. Needless to say, I ended up graduating with a Minor in German, completely unexpectedly.
I reached out to her last year, now I know that I was unfortunately late in doing so. I wanted to share with her how all of these experiences had an incredible impact on my life up to this day, over 20 years later. I have since traveled to Berlin 5 times, visited every monument and museum in the area, watched films, read books, and joined seminars (e.g. Facing History & Ourselves) because of Frau Cernyak's powerful teachings. I have shared what I've learned and continued reading books to help keep the stories alive, however painful they may be.
Frau Cernyak helped me to grow in so many ways, helped me see parts of myself that I didn't realize I had, including how to advocate for others... She had a deep and lasting influence on me as such a strong woman with a powerful message, a direct teaching style, and an incredible ability to teach while still emoting the truth in our dark history. I'll always remember the days that she looked into my eyes to share her personal story or to encourage me and other classmates to be the best version of ourselves.
I hope that your family is healing, but I can't go another day without thanking you, Frau Cernyak, for the incredible difference that you brought to my own life.
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