Gene Simmons, iconic frontman of KISS and one of rock’s most recognizable figures, recently shared a deeply personal story that sheds light on the roots of his patriotism. In an emotional recollection, Simmons opened up about his mother, Flora Klein, a Holocaust survivor whose unwavering love for America helped shape his worldview.
Flora Klein passed away at the age of 93, but the trauma of her past never faded. A survivor of the Nazi concentration camps, she was the only member of her family to make it out alive. Simmons recalled the pain she endured and the silence she kept about it.
“I’ve done my research and realized how awful it was,” Simmons said in a recent interview. “I’ve tried to discuss it with her, but she wouldn’t. She watched her mother enter the gas chambers. Her entire family was wiped out. My mother was the only survivor, and she was 14.”
Simmons and his mother immigrated to the United States when he was just eight years old. It was a new beginning for both of them, but especially for Flora, who saw America not just as a new country, but as salvation. For a woman who had seen the worst of humanity, the simple privileges of American life—freedom, safety, opportunity—meant more than words could express.
Simmons recalled watching late-night television with his mother. Back then, the programming ended at midnight, replaced by static or patriotic broadcasts. One particular memory stood out to him vividly.
“A man with a deep voice was saying something I couldn’t comprehend, and then the jet turned upward and appeared to ascend into the heavens, piercing the clouds,” he said. “I remember the man saying, ‘And saw the face of God.’ Then it dissolved into black and white since color TVs didn’t exist back then.”
That image, accompanied by the national anthem and the sight of the American flag, moved his mother to tears.
“Every time she saw the flag, she would cry,” Simmons recalled. “As an eight-year-old, I couldn’t understand why. But from her perspective, we were finally safe.”
It was that sense of refuge and gratitude that laid the foundation for Simmons’s own love of country. And it’s why, decades later, he remains unapologetically patriotic, even as many celebrities shy away from national pride.
Simmons has often been vocal about what he believes are the responsibilities of living in a free society. He believes that immigrants should show appreciation for the country that takes them in—something he himself has practiced.
“In America, I was free to think, act, and pursue my dreams,” Simmons said. “In America, there’s an implicit responsibility to learn English. Lose your accent. I did. Be a legal immigrant. I am. Come to this country, show some humility, make an effort to understand the culture, and assimilate as much as possible.”
His views, unsurprisingly, have drawn criticism in certain circles. But for Simmons, the perspective of a boy raised by a Holocaust survivor doesn’t allow for moral ambiguity when it comes to freedom and responsibility. To him, gratitude should be vocal, visible, and honest.
“You don’t want to offend anyone by saying, ‘Just learn English,’” he admitted. But Simmons insists that honoring the country that offered safety and opportunity isn’t offensive—it’s necessary.
Simmons emphasizes that his message isn’t about rejecting heritage or culture. On the contrary, he believes America’s strength is in its diversity. But that diversity, he argues, works best when built upon a shared framework of communication and mutual respect.
“Adopt a shared culture for communication, then feel free to speak Swahili, Farsi, or any other language you prefer,” he suggested.
To Simmons, saying “God bless America” isn’t just patriotic lip service—it’s a tribute to his mother, to her suffering, and to her ultimate freedom. Her life, her tears at the sight of the flag, and her belief in the American dream remain guiding lights in his own life. And he wants younger generations to understand that freedom is fragile and worth defending.
In today’s political climate, where nationalism is often equated with extremism, Simmons’s message is simple but powerful: Never take this country for granted.
“I’m here because America gave my mother a second chance,” he said. “That’s not something you forget.”