Finally, they are opening the records

[trystinn]

Some days I wonder about what happened to our family who didn't leave Germany after World War I. And then I read things like this, and I stop wondering because I can't stand to let my imagination go there. Growing up, I knew men with these tattoos, ran my fingers over them and kissed their tears with all the gravitas a young girl possessed.

Every year, we lose more of our survivors. It was feared that the Shoah Project was all that we would have left of them until the Red Cross opened the archive.

American soldiers liberated Jack in 1945. On a personal effects card that he had signed at Buchenwald, there was reference to a number: A11832. Asked if he's seen that number before, Jack tells Pelley "I see it every time. You wanna see it?"

A11832 is the inmate number the Nazis tattooed on Jack's arm. "It’s there. And when I die, they shouldn’t cover up my arm. They should keep it like this, because when the good Lord will see this, I hope he’s gonna put me front row, center. Because I deserve it," he says.

More, if you can stand to read it,here

Humanity has learned so very, very little.

Comments

[winterlion.livejournal.com]

My Oma lost her friends and neighbours then. She did what she could - but it wasn't enough. I don't think she ever told my mom about any of it but she did tell me.

I do what I can to remember - but I'm very scared of it happening again, this time with Islam as the target maybe.

All we can do is what we can. And we MUST remember - and share that memory.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[wild-heart.livejournal.com]

"I’m curious. Why did the Nazis keep all these records? If they were gonna murder these people anyway, why keep the paperwork?" Pelley asks.

"Because they wanted to show they were getting the job done. So, in terms of people whose destiny was to be murdered, recording how well that was being done was very important," Shapiro explains.

No. That's wrong. The records had nothing whatsoever to do with those being murdered. The Germans kept records because that's what Germans do. They were methodical because that's how they are. Order is everything. Conformity is everything.

This hasn't changed one bit.

I will be doing my own family research somewhere down the road. I'm 25% Austrian Jew. Only some of my family came to the US during the late 1800's. The other 75% is Russian Jew. There will be no records there.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Once those records go online, I know I'll have to check our family name. But right now, I'm not ready. Records will be substantially more difficult for you to get, sadly, given your family's origins.

What a considerably more joyous time I had going through Ellis Island records for the Irish side of my family. And oddly enough, I get OCD from the Irish side of the family, not the German. :) :) :)

[bunnsidhe.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize you were German/Irish, too. Well, I am Irish/Austrian/Czech, kind of close.

One of my father's relatives (his great uncle, I think) was killed for hiding Jewish people in Prague. I should really find out more about him. I was thinking of checking church records as he was a Catholic priest.

I took a class about the holocaust in high school. It always amazed me the evil things people are capable of inflicting on others.

[e-falki.livejournal.com]

Chilling - absolutely chilling. And I completely empathize about only wanting to ponder to a limit about the fate of the rest your family.

P.S. - I love your Star of David LJ icon. May I swipe it from you to also use? I'll of course give you original credit for it.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I'm not the original source for it - I nabbed it off one of the Jewitchery folks. But sure, nab away!

[seastormwitch.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

No, I don't think we've learned very much at all.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[woolysw.livejournal.com]

A dear friend of ours was a child in Eastern Europe during WWII. Her entire (Jewish) village was wiped out; she was rescued by American Troops (fuzzy on the details as she was 4). She's spent years trying to determine where she's from (she's narrowed it down to a region in Poland); she has no hope of ever finding out about her family. She speaks of it very rarely.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I well understand, we have a great Aunt who came over with my great-grandfather as a child who lost all contact with her family. She never spoke of it, either.

There's an interesting series on "This American Life" on NPR about folks getting in touch with Polish relatives they lost contact with in the Holocaust. Intersting stuff, but very painful.

[brock-tn.livejournal.com]

In 1958, when I was three years old, we were living in university-owned apartments in Bloomington, Indiana. One day I noticed that a friend's mother had something written on her arm. I asked her about it. She told me that she would have to ask my parents about telling me. She did, and my parents consented, so she spent some time trying to explain the Holocaust in terms a three-year-old understand. I've never forgotten.

I understand the jews who say "Never shall we forgive; never shall we forget."

We are sick monkeys, read at your peril

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

What a great lady. Forgiving the Holocaust is seen about as the same as Holocaust denial in Jewish circles. That said, one of my Jewish friends who appreciates us begin pagan likes to tell me that we Jews know all about the Burning Times. *WEG*

When I was eighteen I went to Germany to visit one of the camps, and before leaving I told my Jewish grandmother what I was doing so we could talk about it if she wanted to. Her response? "Bring me back something from the giftshop" - she was pretty senile at that point. I've always found that hysterically funny in that way horrible things do. There is no gift shop - but think about it. What the hell would they sell?? Your very own vial of desicated Jew? Holocaust Build-A-Bear? Holocaust survivor action figures?

I have a very, very dear friend who absolutely lost it laughing at that story. Tears were running down her eyes as she came up with hysterical, disturbing ideas. Its hard to relate in print, you sort of had to be there. We now refer to such moments as "Holocaust Gift Shop" moments. Trench humor is pretty much the norm around here - Good catharsis, though.

Re: We are sick monkeys, read at your peril

[brock-tn.livejournal.com]

I was a combat-arms soldier, infantry and armor, for 24 years. Dark humor I understand. There are some circumstances where the options are either to scream in pain or to find some ugly little reason to laugh. Most of us choose to find a reason to laugh.

Re: We are sick monkeys, read at your peril

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I was kinda betting on that. *zen hugs*

Still think Simon Green should use that bit in his Nightside series.

Btw, I bit the bullet and joined the Military Pagan Network. Any advice or thoughts?