Courage to Care is an educational exhibit, which features stories from real holocaust survivors.

Schools from around the area are booked in to attend the exhibition and but the show is also open to the general public.

Attendees can expect to hear powerful messages about struggle, survival and support.

One survivor who will tell his story is John Grushka, who lived in Maitland after the war for almost 50 years.

Mr Grushka was born in Czechoslovakia in 1924, and grew up as part of a large Jewish German family.

Political turbulance grew in Germany during his childhood, with the rise of the Nazi party.

His father decided to leave their home town and moved the family to Prague.

The family sought refuge with many relatives, and received an offer from family in England inviting Mr Grushka to stay with them.

Mr Grushka safely made it across Europe to England, but never saw his mother again as she was later taken to Auschwitz where she was put to death in 1943.

Mr Grushka completed his schooling in England, and studied chemical engineering in textile production.

Mr Grushka married Olga in 1948, and the pair had two children.

He came across a job opportunity as a dyehouse manager in Rutherford in 1960, and so the family were brought out to Australia.

Mr Grushka was amazed by the Maitland countryside, and used to travel around it in the first Ford Falcon model.

Mr Grushka was involved in Maitland Rotary Club and said his family made great friends in the area, mainly thanks to his wife’s involvement in local handicraft.

In 1983, they purchased a 50-acre property in Paterson, but after his wife died in 1999, Mr Grushka sold the property and moved back to Maitland.

He retired at age 84, and moved to Sydney where he became involved with Courage to Care.

He comes back to Maitland often as his daughter still lives here, and said he was glad the exhibition was visiting his once hometown.

“I’m very excited,” he said.

“To many Maitland residents it will be an eye-opener.”

Mr Grushka said an important message of the exhibition is to stand up for what you believe in.

“When something bad happens you shouldn’t hang around as a bystander,” he said.

“You’ve got to raise your voice and stand up for the rights of people.”

Courage to Care will be on display at Maitland Regional Art Gallery from June 3 to July 17.