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

[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.