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Last Sunday I went to the CANDLES (Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors) Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana. I learned three things. Two are important to us.
1. Although Jews were victims of Nazis, not all victims were Jews. Only nearly 6 million of the 11 million were Jews. Among the other 5 million targeted by the Nazi regime were GLBT individuals. If we were there then most of us who visit this site would be victims.
2. Eva Mozes Kor (the founder of the museum, and a surviving victim of the "Twins Experiment" by Dr. Mengele) told us she was able to forgive one of the doctors who was one of the experimenters. She told us that she had the power of forgiveness and that made her free from the horrors of Auschwitz. I bring this up to us because many of us have been raped, and otherwise physically or verbally abused. Perhaps by forgiving those who do and did this to us we can finally heal and be free of that nightmare. We have that power.
Note: used American million (1000x1000).
Candles website: www.candlesholocaustmuseum.org
Comments
Yes, even Aryans
I don't know how well it's known by the general public, but Hitler considered Norwegians to be the "purest" Aryan stock. His expectations for Norway were subsequently higher. If you resisted the penalties were also very harsh. My "uncle" was a professor at the university in Oslo, and he was subjected to intense pressure to teach the official Nazi line. In fact he was a member of the "Oslo Gang", one of the best known and most effective resistance organizations in all of Western and Northern Europe. When he was captured by the Nazis, he was sent to a "work camp" in Poland. This was late in the war and he survived until the camp was liberated. Many other Norwegian resistance members didn't.
Martin Niemoller (1892-1984) is probably best known for his verse that begins: "When they came for the communists, I said nothing for I was not a communist . . .". But his sermon to German students in January, 1946 probably better expresses what was done to millions of people by the Nazi regime:
"We must openly declare that we are not innocent of the Nazi murders, of the murder of German communists, Poles, Jews, and the people in German-occupied countries. No doubt others made mistakes too, but the wave of crime started here and here it reached its highest peak. The guilt exists, there is no doubt about that — even if there were no other guilt than that of the six million clay urns containing the ashes of incinerated Jews from all over Europe. And this guilt lies heavily upon the German people and the German name, even upon Christendom. For in our world and in our name have these things been done."
Many of those who deny that the Holocaust happened seem to feel that even if it did happen it was just Jews, so no big deal. Well, it wasn't 'just' Jews, and when your time comes, there won't be anybody to speak up for you, either.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Foregivness
So long as the forgiveness is by the victim to his/her oppressor, then the act is beneficial to he/ she who forgives. It helps cleanse their soul and allows them to go forward without an extra burden and live their life in a better way. This however does not mean that there can be collective forgiveness by those not injured.
Shelly - Gut Vok/Shuva/Tov
Rami
RAMI
I completely identify with this...
...being able to forgive my parents and my uncle was very freeing. A precious and dear friend I respect and admire encouraged me only just today not to dwell any longer on the abuse I endured, and this blog confirms that fact for me.
And I completely understand and agree with the idea that I am in no place to offer forgiveness or insist that others offer forgiveness in a collective sense. It would be wrong for me to presume to speak for others, and arrogant for me to assume that I knew or understood what they went through. I can in no way know or equate what I went through to the suffering beyond the worst horrors that the victims of Sho'ah endured. I thank Shelly and Rami and Karen and anyone else who might comment as this reminds me just what I have to be thankful for.
Love, Andrea Lena
It wasn't only in the camps
The Nazis had areas called singing forests where they hanged people from hooks until they died, their screams being the so called 'singing'. Others were torn apart by dogs, shot or buried alive after digging their own graves. All of this for being the wrong religion; sexual orientation; gender different; or race - they killed many gypsies.
The most frightening thing about it all is that it has happened since in Rwanda, Bosnia and the Middle East. It isn't just Nazis who can be monsters, all humans have this capacity given the circumstances. So we constantly need to be aware of who and what we are - we can be both angels and demons. If you don't believe me look at the trial in Norway of a man who claims self defence to kill 79 unarmed and innocent people, many children and teens.
In terms of evolution, we have a long way to go.
Angharad