[Important Information for Employees] The Death of Dr. Vladimir Munk

[Gerianne Downs]

Dear Members of Our Campus Community,

We are saddened to have learned of the death of Dr. Vladimir Munk,
professor emeritus of biochemistry, who died Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023 at
his home in Lake Forest Retirement Community in Plattsburgh. He was 98.

Dr. Munk, a Holocaust survivor, arrived at Plattsburgh from Prague,
Czechoslovakia after being invited to teach as a visiting professor in
1968, about the time the Soviet Union invaded the country. His visiting
professorship led to a tenured position here. He taught for nearly 25 years.

A popular teacher, Dr. Munk remained active with the college, often
participating in alumni events. As a 95-year-old, was one of a contingent
who traveled to Poland Jan. 27, 2020 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of
the Soviet Army’s liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the notorious
concentration and extermination camp used by the Nazis to murder more than
1 million people. Dr. Munk became the subject of a documentary, “Return to
Auschwitz: The Survival of Vladimir Munk <https://returntoauschwitz.com/>,”
in which a team followed him during the anniversary trip.

The SUNY Chancellor’s Award recipient was born in 1925 in Pardubice, Czech
Republic. In 1944, he was sent to Auschwitz with his father. His mother
followed 11 days later. Separated soon after arrival, he never saw them
again.

Arrangements are incomplete and will be shared when they are known.

Our condolences to all who knew and loved him.

Be well and please, stay safe,

Gerianne



*GERIANNE DOWNS*

(She/her/hers)

Associate Director of Communications

Office of the President

151 Hawkins Hall

101 Broad Street

Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901

(o) 518-564-3094

(f) 518-564-2094

*plattsburgh.edu <http://plattsburgh.edu/>*
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