Martin Greenfield – presidential tailor and co-author of Measure of a Man – spoke about his experience as a Holocaust survivor to a room full of millennials at Young America’s Foundation Friday afternoon, warning them about the signs of tyranny.
Breitbart’s Wynton Hall introduced Greenfield as the “oldest living” and greatest suit maker.
“Basically, every time you’ve watched a movie, you’ve seen a Martin Greenfield suit,” Hall said.
Hall, who helped Greenfield write the book, said being a part of his story was “the most humbling thing.”
Greenfield, now 86, came to America after he was the only Holocaust survivor out of his family. He swept floors in a suit factory as his first job, going on to purchase the factory himself just 30 years later.
“You will find no bigger patriot,” Hall added.
Greenfield “first picked up needle and thread at Auschwitz to mend the shirt of the SS guard who had just beaten him.”
He said the last words that his father told him were, “You are young and strong, and I know you will survive. If you survive by yourself, you must honor us by living, by not feeling sorry for us. This is what you must do.”
Greenfield did survive and thrived when he arrived in America.
Once liberated at age 19, Greenfield moved his way up from a floor boy to now the owner of Martin Greenfield Clothiers, which employs more than 100 people and is considered America’s finest hand-tailored suit maker.
Some of Greenfield’s most noteworthy clients were President Eisenhower, Sen. Bob Dole, General Colin Powell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lebron James, President Obama and President Clinton – among many others.
Greenfield’s wife Arlene shared with Breitbart News exclusively one of his funny experiences working with President Bill Clinton.
“Martin was measuring Clinton and before they left, they wanted to take a picture, so Martin said it’s going to be late and he had a camera, so instead of waiting for the photographer, he sees the boy and says ‘let the kid take it’ – and it was George Stephanopoulos!”
There’s a picture of Greenfield and Clinton in the book – taken by the “kid” – Stephanopoulos.
Greenfield wants to tell young Americans about his horror at the Holocaust to make sure America’s youth know how to recognize signs of tyranny in the future.
“We are all born alike knowing nothing,” Greenfield said. Our job is: “the parents have to bring you up, the teachers have to teach you… you have to think for yourself – not follow anybody.”
He told the audience that it is important to never stop learning – that even at age 86, he is constantly learning.
“The rich don’t win lotteries – they’re rich because they work hard! They earn it and shouldn’t have to give it away to taxes,” Greenfield said.
Greenfield added that America must continue to be a world leader.
But he warned, “Right now, I feel very uncomfortable with the world… because we don’t show enough strength.”
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