Reflections on the Holocaust

Yesterday we went to the Holocaust Museum. It was an experience I won't forget and I recommend it as "must-see" to anyone that visits DC.  For the first hour or so I learned a lot about the rise of Hitler, the Nazis,  and anti-semitism.  I realized my knowledge of WWII history is lacking. I have always known that the Nazis hated and did horrible things to the Jews, but I had no idea the horrible things they did to Roma (gypsies), communists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and especially physical and mentally handicapped people. It made me sick to think of those innocent children in hospitals, a place where they are supposed to be helped, being euthanized and then used for "medical research."

I was struck by how many countries didn't want the European Jews, most of all the United States. If there's any place they should be able to seek refuge, you'd think America would be number one.  It was also surprising to me how many bystanders there were. It made me think about what I would have done. Would I have been afraid of the Nazis and what they would do to me if I helped? I'm sure I would have been scared out of my mind. Or would I have been one of the names on the Rescuers wall, who took a chance and saved lives?

I saw images, films, and read excerpts of things that made me almost ashamed to be human. Now I understand why Milgram, a famous psychologist, wanted to find out how human Nazi soldiers were capable of the atrocities done during WWII. (If you haven't heard about the Milgram study, I'll do a follow-up post about it. Stay tuned.)

At the end of the exhibit they showed a film of interviews with Holocaust survivors.  Two of the stories really got to me. One lady (I can't remember her name so I'll call her Ann) told about when she, her mother, and her older sister & child arrived at the concentration camp.  Ann's mother heard from someone in the crowd that the mothers and children were going to be killed right away.  Her mother immediately ran over to the older sister and told her that those with children would be able to stay in the bunks and take care of their children, but all the others would have to work.  She said she was so old that she wouldn't last long, and to to please give her the child so she wouldn't have to work.  She then grabbed her grandchild from her daughter's arms and walked away.  The last thing Ann remembers was her mother turning and telling her "Take care of your sister." Ann said she knew exactly what her mother was doing, and that her sister would need a lot of comforting once she realized where her baby and mother had gone.  Another lady told how she survived four different concentration camps with her mother.  In the last two they were starving. "My mother actually made me believe that she didn't want her rations. That's why I'm here."

Finally after walking through the Hall of Remembrance at the very end, before I could give a sigh and think "Glad that is all behind us," I was faced with Bosnia, Rwanda, and most recently Darfur.  I know that I can never and will never truly understand the horrors that went on during the Holocaust and the more recent genocides, but I definitely left with a greater appreciation for my own life and how easy I have it.