While I was stationed in Germany, I went to the Dauchou concentration camp.
I will never forget what I learned and saw that day. What happened at camps like this was nothing less than pure evil. I have been to many places in my life, while walking on those grounds there I had a "feeling" that I have not had before or since. It was mentioned by the tour guide and I noticed it myself... No birds or other animals come on the grounds there. Outside of the camp, I noticed birds and other wildlife.
I know Excie - - I've listened to a few of the interviews - - it's hard to watch and think about.
My 14 yr. old son just came back from his 8th grade trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Washington D.C., etc. They crammed a lot of cool stuff into 5 days, but the first thing he recounted to me was their visit to the Holocaust Museum. He felt such a profound sadness when they went into the room where all the shoes from the victims are displayed. Thousands and thousands of them. He said he was just stunned and that all of them who were there were absolutely silenced. It really stayed with him for a while even after he came back. I hope he never forgets that experience.
I grew up with a boy who was born in Germany in one of the camps. His family were Jews but had plans to escape. His father decided not to circumcise him so that during their escape at least Pete would be spared.
With this decision, his father made a vow with God, that if they got out...he would see that the child was raised to know his Jewish roots and heritage, but would grow up a practicing Christian.
None of us ever knew anything about this (except Pete knew some of it) until we were sophomores in HS. That's when we were old enough to visit each other at home over longer distances and stay out at night.
We planned gatherings and parties and we made out own fun. Pete was an extraordinary musician...he could really play Chopin's Minute Waltz in a minute (but it sounded rushed).
During our senior year, Pete began learning more of his story and he shared it with us. So we kept asking so many questions, that his parents had us all over with the minister of our church and told the whole story. We were all horrified, but they did it in such a way tht we weren't afraid. They showed us the numbers tattood on their forearms and many stories.
Pete wanted to convert to be with his family but his father wouldn't allow it until he was 21.
At that time, he started studying, was Bar Mitzva's and circumcised. The last I heard he and his family practiced a combination of all the major holidays of both "religions"
PBS has been running a six-part series on Auschwitz. I've seen two of them so far. What a horror that chapter in history was.
It started out as a prison for political dissidents. Later the Nazis were executing mentally and physically handicapped people there, experimenting with different kinds of poisonous gases--I think there were 70,000 in the first batch alone, if I remember correctly!
This stuff is chilling, but it does need to be known. I'd say "so it will never happen again," but genocide is still taking place in some countries in Africa and other places in the world today.
I guess if these were more "prominent" countries the average person in the USA would be outraged, but because they're small, poor countries, the atrocities don't get publicized very much.
There was an exhibit on Anne Frank here recently. My son and I went to hear a woman speak on her experience at Bergen-Belsen. She had written a book about it, and used to give many speeches. Now, she said, she rarely did it anymore, as she had promised her husband she would spend her retirement (she had been a college professor) more with him, and concentrate more on happy times.
It was clear that recounting the experience was still very upsetting for her. I have gained an appreciation for those who have given up part of their peace of mind to continue to tell their stories, so that the re-writers of history will not predominate.
Never again.
And yes, she did tell us a happier story of that time -- it was in meeting her husband, who was an American soldier with the liberating troops.
Those are some neat stories, y'all. Thank you for sharing them.
I'm just amazed that people can hear stories like that, real live eye witness accounts and the pictures and the evidence and still claim that "it wasn't as bad as people make it sound".
I think that they should destroy Auschwitz prison. Raze it to the ground. Destroy it's ugliness from the face of the earth. Then, plant a beautiful garden in it's stead in memory of those who perished there. A Peace Garden like the one in North Dakota on the border with Canadia.
And do the same to Dachau, Ravensbruck, and all of the rest. No doubt an unpopular idea because it would take away the draw for those with a fascination for the macabre, but hell, it's history now, and no doubt there are archives overflowing with photos and first hand accounts.
I say wipe those places off of the face of the earth so that anyone on the planet who still embraces those Nazi sentiments will no longer have a "shrine" to pray toward...
Ya know, WB, THAT is a great question. But I would not be surprised if something did grow, knowing that the power of Life is greater than the power of Death. And I think that it would be a wonderful testament to the greatness of Life being greater than Death and evil...
I respectfully disagree Johnny Lingo! When those of us who lived through those times, or knew people who did die off, somebody's gonna say the photos were doctored!
Let the real thing stand there as a testamony to the potential evil mankind can wreak against mankind.
But the garden idea is terriffic. Suppose a 12 X 12 plot of land was cultivated for each country, religion, ethnenticity on the planet...with a narrow walkway inbetween all of them. If anything will grow there, plant it on the grounds around the buildings and let visitors see for themselves the contrast between the two.
That would make a statement no one could wave or shrug off ever. Without potent reminders people forget and then history does repeat itself.
JUst to clarify, I agree with JL that life is more powerful than death.
To take away the places where this happened, or to plant a garden, if one will grow there, I can't agree with.
Let people see, like Krys and others said, where it happened and that animals won't even go there yet to this day. That speaks louder than words or photographs.
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Zshot
While I was stationed in Germany, I went to the Dauchou concentration camp.
I will never forget what I learned and saw that day. What happened at camps like this was nothing less than pure evil. I have been to many places in my life, while walking on those grounds there I had a "feeling" that I have not had before or since. It was mentioned by the tour guide and I noticed it myself... No birds or other animals come on the grounds there. Outside of the camp, I noticed birds and other wildlife.
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excathedra
ohmygosh Z
i was listening to a survivor on the news this morning talking about dogs eating flesh right off people and about these specially made whips
what horror
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excathedra
i was just reading about that monster, mengele's experiments on twins. i can't take anymore right now
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jardinero
I know Excie - - I've listened to a few of the interviews - - it's hard to watch and think about.
My 14 yr. old son just came back from his 8th grade trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Washington D.C., etc. They crammed a lot of cool stuff into 5 days, but the first thing he recounted to me was their visit to the Holocaust Museum. He felt such a profound sadness when they went into the room where all the shoes from the victims are displayed. Thousands and thousands of them. He said he was just stunned and that all of them who were there were absolutely silenced. It really stayed with him for a while even after he came back. I hope he never forgets that experience.
J.
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krys
I grew up with a boy who was born in Germany in one of the camps. His family were Jews but had plans to escape. His father decided not to circumcise him so that during their escape at least Pete would be spared.
With this decision, his father made a vow with God, that if they got out...he would see that the child was raised to know his Jewish roots and heritage, but would grow up a practicing Christian.
None of us ever knew anything about this (except Pete knew some of it) until we were sophomores in HS. That's when we were old enough to visit each other at home over longer distances and stay out at night.
We planned gatherings and parties and we made out own fun. Pete was an extraordinary musician...he could really play Chopin's Minute Waltz in a minute (but it sounded rushed).
During our senior year, Pete began learning more of his story and he shared it with us. So we kept asking so many questions, that his parents had us all over with the minister of our church and told the whole story. We were all horrified, but they did it in such a way tht we weren't afraid. They showed us the numbers tattood on their forearms and many stories.
Pete wanted to convert to be with his family but his father wouldn't allow it until he was 21.
At that time, he started studying, was Bar Mitzva's and circumcised. The last I heard he and his family practiced a combination of all the major holidays of both "religions"
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excathedra
unbelievable kryssie !!!!!
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Linda Z
PBS has been running a six-part series on Auschwitz. I've seen two of them so far. What a horror that chapter in history was.
It started out as a prison for political dissidents. Later the Nazis were executing mentally and physically handicapped people there, experimenting with different kinds of poisonous gases--I think there were 70,000 in the first batch alone, if I remember correctly!
This stuff is chilling, but it does need to be known. I'd say "so it will never happen again," but genocide is still taking place in some countries in Africa and other places in the world today.
I guess if these were more "prominent" countries the average person in the USA would be outraged, but because they're small, poor countries, the atrocities don't get publicized very much.
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shazdancer
There was an exhibit on Anne Frank here recently. My son and I went to hear a woman speak on her experience at Bergen-Belsen. She had written a book about it, and used to give many speeches. Now, she said, she rarely did it anymore, as she had promised her husband she would spend her retirement (she had been a college professor) more with him, and concentrate more on happy times.
It was clear that recounting the experience was still very upsetting for her. I have gained an appreciation for those who have given up part of their peace of mind to continue to tell their stories, so that the re-writers of history will not predominate.
Never again.
And yes, she did tell us a happier story of that time -- it was in meeting her husband, who was an American soldier with the liberating troops.
Shaz
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Belle
Those are some neat stories, y'all. Thank you for sharing them.
I'm just amazed that people can hear stories like that, real live eye witness accounts and the pictures and the evidence and still claim that "it wasn't as bad as people make it sound".
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waterbuffalo
Yeah, one author said he didn't even see any cockroaches there while visiting. So sad to think about or even imagine what they went through :-(
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J0nny Ling0
I think that they should destroy Auschwitz prison. Raze it to the ground. Destroy it's ugliness from the face of the earth. Then, plant a beautiful garden in it's stead in memory of those who perished there. A Peace Garden like the one in North Dakota on the border with Canadia.
And do the same to Dachau, Ravensbruck, and all of the rest. No doubt an unpopular idea because it would take away the draw for those with a fascination for the macabre, but hell, it's history now, and no doubt there are archives overflowing with photos and first hand accounts.
I say wipe those places off of the face of the earth so that anyone on the planet who still embraces those Nazi sentiments will no longer have a "shrine" to pray toward...
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waterbuffalo
Are you sure anything would ever GROW there?
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J0nny Ling0
Ya know, WB, THAT is a great question. But I would not be surprised if something did grow, knowing that the power of Life is greater than the power of Death. And I think that it would be a wonderful testament to the greatness of Life being greater than Death and evil...
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waterbuffalo
Agreed, JL.
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krys
I respectfully disagree Johnny Lingo! When those of us who lived through those times, or knew people who did die off, somebody's gonna say the photos were doctored!
Let the real thing stand there as a testamony to the potential evil mankind can wreak against mankind.
But the garden idea is terriffic. Suppose a 12 X 12 plot of land was cultivated for each country, religion, ethnenticity on the planet...with a narrow walkway inbetween all of them. If anything will grow there, plant it on the grounds around the buildings and let visitors see for themselves the contrast between the two.
That would make a statement no one could wave or shrug off ever. Without potent reminders people forget and then history does repeat itself.
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Wacky Funster
I went to Aushwitz 2 years ago. It was the most profoundest days of my life.
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Zshot
unfortunately, there are people that deny that the holocost ever happened. Even with all the pictures, books, first hand accounts etc...
We need to have these places where such terrible horror took place to educate people as to what happened, so it will never happen again.
As powerfull as pictures and print are... Standing on the grounds has more of an impact.
While I was in Germany, I went to many gardens where once terrible things happened. And, all that was remembered is, "pretty folowers".
Because of this, I dis-agree with JL's suggestion of turning these camps into gardens.
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Belle
Children need to know what happened, what our forefathers fought for and all the life lessons that come with that knowledge.
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waterbuffalo
JUst to clarify, I agree with JL that life is more powerful than death.
To take away the places where this happened, or to plant a garden, if one will grow there, I can't agree with.
Let people see, like Krys and others said, where it happened and that animals won't even go there yet to this day. That speaks louder than words or photographs.
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Trefor Heywood
I wonder if TWI is still taking a denial stance.
When we were in we were expected to toe the party line - the overwhelming evidence made me question then, let alone now.
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