International Holocaust Remembrance Day - January 27

[ErmesT]

On January 27, 1945, the Soviet army entered Auschwitz and liberated more than 7,000 remaining prisoners. On November 1, 2005 the United Nations designated January 27 as the “International Holocaust Remembrance Day”. A day for remembering one of the most horrible pages of our history.

Not the only one.

It is difficult to write about Auschwitz. This seems to be so far away from the spirit of our community, where we enjoy, “equal in diversity”, the exchange of ideas and opinions, without any barrier of language, religion, ethnic origin.

My last visit to the exterminations camp of Auschwitz and Birkenau was on September 21st, 2018, during the European Meet-up ‘18.

It was my second visit. During the first one, several years ago, I wasn’t able to take photos. My mind literally refused what was around me: “Extermination camp” is a word, a concept, that the human mind cannot understand.

This time I forced myself to take a few photos, and I want to share some of them with you. Please do not imagine this post as a Recap of the visit, nor a photowalk to show how this place is. This is a post for remembering

What I want to give you is just some spark, a few flashes, something to think about. What I can suggest, to every person, is to spend a few hours, visiting one of this places, not necessarily Auschwitz, silently.

Birkenau - We reached Birkenau at sunset, and when we explored it it was dark, the night coming quickly.

A beautiful sunset, I can say, but I’m not sure that the deportees could appreciate it

I don’t want, I dont need, to add unnecessary words, the post written by @AntonellaGr - Block 25 Birkenau - is already full of meanings.

Auschwitz - Auschwitz was in the afternoon. The entrance is free, but you have to make a reservation well in advance, if you plan a visit in there.

Numbers

Numbers and blocks.

Numbers tattooed on the arms of the prisoners.

Numbers to divide into blocks the camp. Barbed wire

No names, just numbers, to be associated to a face. A number is easy. Behind a name there is a person. Behind a number, just an empty uniform.

“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it”

A past that is not only Auschwitz - A time that is not so far away:

Ethnic wars - Racial wars - Religion wars - Or simply: Wars - Ancient wars - Recent wars - Or simply: Wars

I am writing this post today, to give time to everyone for sharing a thought, a feeling, an experience about this place, or other Memorial places around the world. Time for remembering, together.

If you don’t want to write anything, if you don’t feel comfortable in doing this, just post a flower, we will appreciate it.

A special thanks to @TorM, for organising the day

I want also to mention the Local Guides @NatalkaR, @JanVanHaver, @davide7O, @LudwigGermany, @helga19, @ikaramon, @barrazacarlos. Maybe they want to share a few words with us.

My last tag is for @FaridTDF. His post will help, everyone of us, to understand a bit more: 30,000 Reasons not to forget

[YasumiKikuchi]

Hello @ErmesT
This is the proposition of mankind. All the war experienced persons will be leaving in a few decades. I definitely do not want to use sarcastic words like repeating history.

[Eire27]

Hello @ErmesT I did not know this about January 27th but I will not forget it as this is also the sane date as the anniversary of the death of my sister Rita, she is buried in Vienna, Austria, as she was married there and has children there. I get a mass said here in Ireland on January 27th, to remember Rita so I will also say a prayer and remember those souls lost in the Holocaust, may they rest in peace and sing like Robins in Heaven and may mankind never forget the horrors of, Auschwitz and the other concentration camps.

[Alana74]

Greets @ErmesT a cruel and painful experience that humanity experienced in a time without enough head for reflection and without opportunity to foster love and respect among all beings. This episode of the world is lamentable but we must take it into account so that the world learns to function in a different way.

Keep on encourage respect and love for all beings, not only human and take care of the planet!!!
#LETShare

[FaridTDF]

Hola @ErmesT , estos post son tristes y me cuesta mucho poder escribir, ya que leer sobre la crueldad y deshumanizaron del hombre me duele en lo mas profundo de mi corazón. Pero de la misma manera que me produce consternación hablar, leer o ir a estos lugares, se que es muy necesario su recordatorio. En la magistral frase que traes a cuento en tu post enmarca mucho de lo que es “Los que no recuerdan el pasado están condenados a repetirlo”.

En Argentina lamentablemente tuvimos una cruel matanza y desaparición de 30.000 personas durante la dictadura militar de los años '70 en el marco del plan Cóndor para Latino América, no quiero detenerme en esto ya que como dije en algunas ocasiones cualquier guerra, cualquier privación de la libertad en forma ilegitima, cualquier muerte, no importa en nombre de que lo realicen, esta mal, considero que no existe justificación alguna para nada de esto.

Por supuesto no puedo ser inocente al pensar que esto de la noche a la mañana no ocurrirá mas, o que por solo expresarlo y decirlo aquí no ocurrirá, la verdad es que nada ocurre si nosotros no hacemos que ocurra. Los campos de concentración Nazis fueron el dejar hacer, el mirar al costado, el pensar que eso ocurre muy lejos, eso no nos llegara, 6 millones de seres humanos muertos en esos campos de concentración Nazis, no piensan lo mismo, tampoco piensan igual los 7 millones de muertos de la Rusia Stalinista o los 70 millones de muertos en la larga marcha en China, y tantos otros lugares.

De nuevo, ninguna muerte es mas muerte que otra muerte, todas las muertes de este tipo no tienen justificación. Tenemos que recordarlas con respeto, dolor y tristeza por que ocurrió.

Y llegando al presente parece que muchos no leyeron, o miraron sobre lo que ocurrió en el pasado. Al contemplar como muchos sitios calientes en Oriente medio, están en guerra, el contemplar esas crueldades en el siglo que estamos, donde en principio nos jactamos de ser civilizados, mmm parece que no. Leamos el post que nos trae Ermes, reflexionemos como nos sentimos con el presente que tenemos en algunos lugares del mundo.

Como sea, disculpen quizás me estoy explayando sobre un tema sobre el cual realmente no me gusta hablar, ya que trae a mi mente lo mas feo del ser humano, la crueldad sistemática asía sus semejantes humanos.

Es un día de luto, honremos a esas victimas.

Farid.

[Alana74]

Hola! @FaridTDF claro que es una pena remembrar estos acontecimientos tan lamentables. Se van expandiendo los sucesos trágicos de un año a otro y de un lugar a otro, estoy totalmente de acuerdo en que la muerte no es menos muerte dentro de estas circunstancias. La raza humana no debería hacer distinciones de este tipo. Resulta vergonzoso.

Tu punto de vista me parece muy importante e interesante y no quise dudar en mencionarlo, además de que me da mucho gusto leerte y tener la oportunidad de enviarte un cálido abrazo desde México esperando que estés comenzando un maravilloso año 2019.

Deseando la paz y la unión de los seres humanos en todo el mundo y buscando hacer un mejor lugar a través de Local Guides Program!

y como bien dices: ¡Honremos a esas víctimas!.

Elizabeth Castro

Proud Google Local Guide!!! C:

[FaridTDF]

Gracias por tus palabras @Alana74 , te mando también un caluroso saludo a ti, deseando lo mejor para este 2019.

Farid.

[JanVanHaver]

It was indeed a place I will never forget. Some of the horrible images really stick to one’s mind (being a grandfather myself, remembering those children’s shoes still makes me feel extremely uneasy). But judging by the way in which some people were just taking selfies there, I’m afraid that as time goes by, the memory will fade.

[TorM]

Dear @ErmesT

Thank you for this post. It was good to visit Auschwitz together with so many other Local Guides from different nations. Really great that we could do this 2018.

It is really important to remember.

As you know I’m always interested in such posts. We need them to learn for now and the future .

[Jesi]

Thank you for sharing this @ErmesT . I visited Dachau in October, not one of the big ones, but the first of the worst ones.

Even though for some visiting one is enough, as it is a sad experience, I do wish to visit Auschwitz someday, silently as you say, as I learnt a lot of things about in my life.

[davidhyno]

I am still lucky to have a grandfather, Bruno, who can still tell me how much he suffered in those years when he was deported to more concentration camps. The pain of those moments is always present in him, and so much has helped him in writing his diary where anyone can read and understand what this dark page was for those who lived it and came out alive.
@ErmesT is right, we do not need many words to remember these crimes, so I conclude with this sentence of a famous Italian writer himself prisoner of these extermination camps: “If understanding is impossible, knowing is necessary” by Primo Levi

[DeniGu]

Hi @ErmesT ,

Thank you so much for sharing this post.

I’ve never visited a concentration camp, and I’m a bit afraid to. Just reading about Auschwitz in your post makes me shudder, my whole being becomes really quiet, and my head gets so heavy with thoughts and images.

Number and no names. This is one of the things that shook me the most.

Thank you again.

[KarenVChin]

@ErmesT , great post because it brings to light what haopened and what, unfortunately, is still happening since WWII in many parts of the world.

I remember telling you about my visit to Dachau last year here on Connect. i have to say everyone should go visit one of these places whether in Germany, Poland, Cambodia, Argentina, Rwanda for examples - to see the “killing fields” or “torture chambers.” Once you visit it will change your life literally, leaving a lasting impression in your mind forever.

I can tell you when I went to Europe right after graduating from college visiting Dachau is still in my mind. From the video, and walking around the concentration camp to see first hand and literally walking in the “showers,” seeing the brick “ovens” and what really still haunts me to this day the concrete outlines of all those buildings’ cement floors (the buildings themselves were burnt to the ground). I still remember how everything was so green and fresh smelling with grass and trees surrounding Dachau and the only noises was the crickets. Yet, I know when Dachau was in full operation this was not the case.

When you look back in your life, I am sure you have regrets or wish you could do somethings over again. For me what comes to mind is I wish I had the chance to talk to my old high school math teacher. He was a survivor. He had his arm tattooed with his number. Back then, it wasn’t talked about. But after visiting Dachau, I wish he was able to share his personal experiences with us.

I remember us kids would talk about him behind his back regarding his arm. No bad words. But youth is wasted on the young. As I am much older now and can relate and understand what had happened after seeing Dachau for myself, I wish I had the chance to go back and ask. He was a little boy that survived this horrific tragedy. What he did or how he ended up in America, then finally ending up being a high school math teacher in California is definitely an epic story to tell.

Again, thanks for writing this post and giving us the opportunity to talk about this here on Connect.

Cheers,

Karen

[MariaNgo]

@ErmesT Thank you for highlighting the horrifying depths of human depravity. It is certainly important that we don’t forget.

Because our forgetfulness will give rise to more injustice and horror.

But alas I think we haven’t learnt from history how evil our hearts can be because every day in “civilized” society a similar kind of extermination and grotesque butchery occurs

[helga19]

Hello dear @ErmesT

Thank you for mention me in your post

It is unforgettsble impressions ,when we visit Birkenau,Aushwitz.it it lasts for whole life.

Ringing silense in the ears,peace and evening extraordinary sunset, night out Birkenau.

Goosebumps and sinking heart when we visit Block 25 Birkenau.

This atrocity and cruelty must never happen again!!

Mankind must prevent the Holocaust!!!

[helga19]

The railroad where people were brought to Auschwitz and Burkenau to die.

[Phunky]

@ErmesT A great, thoughtful, insightful and moving post. These memorials move me a lot. I can say more but its too personal. IllI leave it with - Peace to all. Please share the post

[system]

grazie per questo tuo post @ErmesT … non si deve dimenticare mai la storia. Che nessuno abbia più paura di essere come è e di credere nella propria fede. Mai più.

[ErmesT]

I hope so @YasumiKikuchi

But we still having such kind of situations, everyday, in someplace of the world. Myself I can remember some of the recent genocides, and this kind of monuments are needed, wanted, to mantain the memory alive. Even if we never experienced this personally, we must remember

[ErmesT]

Thank you for your words @Eire27

I want to drop here a small flower, for your sister. This flower is my own symbol of hope