Bronislawa "Bronka" Kohn Serebrin (1925-2008) was a fashion expert, the longtime owner of a clothing boutique, and a survivor of the Holocaust. Born in Lodz, Poland, Serebrin survived six years in various camps before being liberated from Mauthausen in May 1945 at age 18. Serebrin moved to the US after World War II and became involved in fashion retailing. In 1972 she moved to Seattle and opened her namesake store in University Village, quickly creating a devoted group of customers and earning the affectionate title of "mayor" of University Village.

Bronka Serebrin met another Holocaust survivor in the 1980s and decided to begin speaking about her experiences as well, saying, "I realized my role was to be a witness to the lessons of the Holocaust." She spoke at high schools and colleges around the Northwest and served as chair of the Holocaust Education Committee. In 1997, Serebrin decided to close her store and turn to Holocaust education full time. She credited years of running fashion shows for giving her skills with public speaking.

This image shows Bronka Serebrin (center) at a goodbye party at her store. She is speaking to Susanna Cunningham (left) and Nancy Woods, who were loyal customers.

Caption information source: "A survivor's duty - Bronka Serebrin closes shop to teach about the Holocaust," by Susan Phinney, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 10, 1997, page C1.