Nicely written. We can only bear to remember in one context; otherwise it is too much for a human to face. For that reason I agree with you that the stories of resistance are important, providing in a small way some of that context. But I think we often tend to over-idealize the resistance. In a Jewish ethics course in Div School I had a professor, a rabbi who was the son of Holocaust survivors; he wrote a book, "Morality after Auschwitz" (Peter Haas). A point that sank in for me was that the preparation for the acceptance of the Holocaust by the German people began long before the actual killings began. And the pathway was a gradual one consisting of one small self-interested decision at a time, made on an individual level. The same, he said, is true of resistance: just one small gesture at a time that relocates us and makes our next decision a tad more likely to be resisting. No great heroes and no inherently evil men; not a tragedy but sheer colossal banality: just people not realizing how every day decisions determine who and what we are continually becoming.
Earlier today I read the start of a Substack article that I hope I’m not subscribed to. It claimed that Spain was sending massive support to UN & Palestinian efforts to stop the genocide being committed by Israel. I didn’t open the rest of the post. I cannot understand that viewpoint & feel it is depraved. First of all Israel was the one attacked again! Second & most of all- if we pray for any, we should pray for all. Cheering for aggression against anyone is wrong. So obviously lessons have not been learned. Such is the fallen state of man.
On the Wikipedia article on Corrie Ten Boom, it said her father, Casper believed the Jews to be the chosen ones. I too believe they have Divine protection. Look at the aggression against them during the Six-day War. They came out ahead against over whelming odds. I believe we have to accept everything, the good & the bad, as allowed by a benevolent God.
This made me remember the first time I ever saw films of the camps, in a history class in 9th grade in Ohio. I remember sitting quietly in the darkened classroom in the flickering light of the film projector and I remember the little clicking noise the projector made. There was no narration or music with the footage. Just the sights of bodies and barracks and fence wire in black and white. In retrospect I think that was the beginning of the loss of my childhood Christian faith, such as it was. Now, all these years later, when I'm in my mid-50s, reading about the Holocaust Museum and your experience there (the moment your knees began to get weak), I see evidence that faith is the only response to the universe that makes sense. I'm still bad at understanding what that means but I'm glad for the understanding I have.
Thank you. We haven’t visited the museum. Your commentary compels us to visit as soon as possible so that we will never forget, minimize and fail to remind others.
Nicely written. We can only bear to remember in one context; otherwise it is too much for a human to face. For that reason I agree with you that the stories of resistance are important, providing in a small way some of that context. But I think we often tend to over-idealize the resistance. In a Jewish ethics course in Div School I had a professor, a rabbi who was the son of Holocaust survivors; he wrote a book, "Morality after Auschwitz" (Peter Haas). A point that sank in for me was that the preparation for the acceptance of the Holocaust by the German people began long before the actual killings began. And the pathway was a gradual one consisting of one small self-interested decision at a time, made on an individual level. The same, he said, is true of resistance: just one small gesture at a time that relocates us and makes our next decision a tad more likely to be resisting. No great heroes and no inherently evil men; not a tragedy but sheer colossal banality: just people not realizing how every day decisions determine who and what we are continually becoming.
Dear God. Never again. My family history is Protestant, Irish Catholic, and Jewish. Let us love one another.
Amen.
Thank you for the tour.
Earlier today I read the start of a Substack article that I hope I’m not subscribed to. It claimed that Spain was sending massive support to UN & Palestinian efforts to stop the genocide being committed by Israel. I didn’t open the rest of the post. I cannot understand that viewpoint & feel it is depraved. First of all Israel was the one attacked again! Second & most of all- if we pray for any, we should pray for all. Cheering for aggression against anyone is wrong. So obviously lessons have not been learned. Such is the fallen state of man.
On the Wikipedia article on Corrie Ten Boom, it said her father, Casper believed the Jews to be the chosen ones. I too believe they have Divine protection. Look at the aggression against them during the Six-day War. They came out ahead against over whelming odds. I believe we have to accept everything, the good & the bad, as allowed by a benevolent God.
This made me remember the first time I ever saw films of the camps, in a history class in 9th grade in Ohio. I remember sitting quietly in the darkened classroom in the flickering light of the film projector and I remember the little clicking noise the projector made. There was no narration or music with the footage. Just the sights of bodies and barracks and fence wire in black and white. In retrospect I think that was the beginning of the loss of my childhood Christian faith, such as it was. Now, all these years later, when I'm in my mid-50s, reading about the Holocaust Museum and your experience there (the moment your knees began to get weak), I see evidence that faith is the only response to the universe that makes sense. I'm still bad at understanding what that means but I'm glad for the understanding I have.
Thank you so much for reading. A quote from Elie Wiesel's Night was on the wall, among others. My mind often goes back to that work.
Thank you. We haven’t visited the museum. Your commentary compels us to visit as soon as possible so that we will never forget, minimize and fail to remind others.
Thanks so much for reading.
I had exactly the same thought.