We Were the Lucky Ones

There’s a moment watching Hulu’s Holocaust drama, “We Were the Lucky Ones,” where you realize that each of the major characters narrowly escapes a brutal death during World War 2. For author/co-executive producer Georgia Hunter, it’s even more personal –the story stems from the 10 long years of research she did into her own relatives’ experiences.

That this family was such a statistical anomaly is equal parts mind blowing and heartbreaking,” acknowledged Hunter, who adapted her 2017 New York Times bestselling book of the same name, into the television series, which details the miraculous survival of the Kurc family. They were forcibly separated during Nazi-occupied Poland – and attempted to reunite during and after World War II.

What drew her to write the book is fascinating; it was the moment that Hunter found out that she was a quarter Jewish, at age 15.

I discovered this part of my family history, from my grandmother, a year after my grandfather (Addy Kurc in the series, portrayed by actor Logan Lerman) died,” Hunter told Aish.com. “I had interviewed her for a high school English assignment, which asked that I learn a bit about my roots. I will never forget that moment.”

Georgia Hunter

Hunter was shocked, because her grandfather had never talked about his Judaism and they had never gone to temple.

Despite the fact that we were very close, lived a mile apart and spent a lot of time together, he was one of those survivors that didn't pass the stories down. It wasn’t as if he had some deep, dark secret that he was trying to keep from everybody. I think he landed in the States, was very forward thinking, Americanizing his name and learning perfect English. He was a family guy, a businessman, and just looked ahead and not back.”

Nevertheless, while Addy was not practicing Judaism, “at least not outwardly,” Hunter still feels that her grandfather was close to his faith, but in a more intimate way.

My grandmother was Presbyterian. I think if he had said, ‘hey, let's raise our family Jewish,’ she would have, but he didn't. He was the only one of the Kurc siblings who didn't. But while he didn't instill the religion in his family, I think it still meant something to him.”

“And he would go to the Jewish deli outside of Boston. He would go back to Brazil, where many of his family settled after the war, and would tell his children (Hunter’s mom) that he was going for his birthday that he shared with his sister Halina (played by Joey King in the series). But actually he was going for Passover, and would be there often for the holidays.”

Hunter’s mom told her that one time she did ask him about not participating in Judaism, and he told her that religion “has done more to divide the world than to bring it together. It was his way of protecting, as many chose to put it behind them.”

After discovering that Hunter’s grandfather was one of five siblings who were from this family of Holocaust survivors in Poland, that sparked a lot of curiosity within her.

I was at a pivotal age in adolescence, when you start to ask yourself those questions like ‘how did I get here? Why am I the way I am?’ And then when I was 21, my mother hosted a family reunion at our home in Massachusetts. She's one of 10 first cousins on the Kurc family side (her father is Addy) and they all came and brought their kids. I met cousins that I'd never met before and we all spent this incredible week together.”

Joey King and Logan Lerman in Hulu’s We Were the Lucky Ones

One night at that reunion, Hunter wandered out back to where her mom and her cousins were, they were gathered around a picnic table to tell stories about the family and the war.

I started listening; these stories were unlike anything I'd ever heard before, in what I knew about the Holocaust–a baby born in Siberia, a hike over the Austrian Alps, a dangerous wedding, a blacked-out house, a disguised circumcision, false IDs and a mother and daughter who escaped from the Jewish ghetto. All the things that you read in the book and you see in the series! I remember thinking, ‘how am I just hearing these things now?!’ Someone in this family needs to write them down!’”

Hunter had just graduated from college, was off to travel, and trying to figure out a job. “I didn't know in that moment hat ‘someone’ would be me!”

Explosion of Antisemitism

With the idea for the book planted in her mind, it was eight years later before Hunter finally “got the courage” to put the stake in the ground and say, “this is something I'm going to do. It just felt like a story that needed to be told.”

Hunter has been shocked about the level of antisemitism in the world since the horrors of October 7th.

If you had told me we would be in the place we're in now, in 2008, when I set off to unearth and report this chapter of my family history, I would never have believed you. I am horrified and saddened by everything that's happening. And I hate that our story feels so timely.”

Hunter also hopes that the Hulu series is a way to educate and illustrate through the eyes of one family what can happen when hatred and intolerance go unchecked.

"In getting to know this family and experiencing history alongside them in the moment, in real time, in color, not in sepia, not in black and white, not dusty, not glossy, but real, raw, experiential. That allows for people to connect to the material in a way that hopefully will be meaningful, and will hopefully bring not only understanding, but some inspiration and some empathy. I think we can all use a lot of that right now.”

When asked if she thought we were going in the same direction as had once happened with Hitler, Hunter said she felt “nervous,” acknowledging that the signs were there.

I think it's up to us to not ignore them. What's happening overseas…we're watching what can happen when people stop seeing each other as humans. But even here in our country, the signs are everywhere. It's something we need to be very keenly aware of and take very seriously before it's too late.”

Her Next Book

Hunter’s next book is another Holocaust drama, but this one is fiction.

“I'm in the final stages of editing it, it's called ‘One Good Thing,’ a Holocaust era novel set in Italy. I feel like Italy's Holocaust story is less understood, and less talked about, in many ways. It’s been really interesting and fascinating to research. I did have the luxury of creating the plot and the characters in this one, which was both easier and harder at once!”