At least 1.1 million people - mostly Jews - died in the gas chambers at Auschwitz or from starvation, disease and forced labor at the camp that German Nazis built in occupied Poland during World War II, which was only liberated at the end of the war in 1945.
Auschwitz, with the infamous gate with a sign reading Arbeit Macht Frei, or Work Makes You Free. The inscription was meant to mislead inmates into thinking they were arriving at Auschwitz to work, not die. The metal sign now in place is a replica of the original, which is undergoing renovation after it was stolen in December 2009, and recovered two days later.
Locally, there was a reading of the names of those who died in the Holocaust. Light a candle. Take a moment of silence. This is a tragic history, few in that place & time, lived to tell the story.
if every schoolkid could see displays like this one and similar ones about slavery, we'd have a lot fewer kids growing up not understanding what bigotry is and what it can lead to.
ReplyDeleteWe went to a powerful traveling display, it also linked the Holocaust to what is going on with Native Americans, and current day hate crimes.
ReplyDeleteWe are all one. We need to figure out a way to get along & co exist.
we must never forget, because there are many who are trying to erase this information. the size, scope, time and location of this holocaust makes it unique, but unfortunately it wasn't the first nor will it be the last time humans do this to one another.
ReplyDeletegenocide is a loss for all humanity for all time ... the einsteins and newtons and socrates and mandelas and martin luther kings of the future ...