Finally, they are opening the records
Jan. 24th, 2007 09:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
trystinnSome 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.
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.
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no subject
Date: 2007-01-24 06:28 pm (UTC)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. :) :) :)