Never agian after 60 yr the holocaust

by z 35 Replies latest social current

• 

  Rabbit

  z,

  Thank you for that sobering reminder of the darker side of humanity.

  I knew, for many years a fine little old German lady, that spent WW2 in Hitler's Concentration Camps. No one that I knew at the KH...knew. She simply never talked about her Mom & Dad and several sisters & brothers, husband & child...who were separated...then forever disappeared.

  One day at the Donut Shop on break as a Reg. Pioneer, I found out when I saw some numbers tatooed on the inside of her arm, as she reached for her cup of coffee. She kept saying, "Eet vas notheen..." in her heavy accent. It took a while, but, after I said I had seen pictures of tatoos like that before...she told us the story.

  She told us about her family...only herself and a sister survived. I watched her eyes carefully...I did not want to go "too far" with my questions. The very odd thing was...she was constantly trying to 'soften the blow' for us. It was tho' she was protecting us from the nastiness and horror she had lived thru.

  For instance, I asked about food. "I've heard so many horror stories about the starvation there. Was that true ? What DID you eat ?" She had this 'flash' of memory go across her face and in hers eyes...then, "Oh, n-o-o-o..vee hadt plenty uff food and a lot uff variety, too!" "W-w-hat... !? "How can that be ?" "Oh," she says, "Vun day vee vould haff potatoes und vater, dee next day vee vould haff vater und potatoes !" Then she was laughing and slapping the table over her joke.

  We were stunned by this ladies attitude, she was not bitter, she was not unhappy. Going out in service in 100° or freezing temps, we thought we would just die before we got to Dunkin' Donuts or lunch or home. Our lives were SO damned hard, dammit.

  We felt like real titty babies after hearing her experiences. We realized we had NEVER had a BAD day...EVER.

  She was in the Camps, because of her being a JW. An interesting thing she told us was: JW's were the ONLY ones imprisoned who could walk out...anytime. All they needed to do was sign a document, giving their allegence to Hitler, promising not to fight against him, etc. She said a few did, but, not many. I was so proud back then of the stand the German JW's took. Now...I still admire someone sticking to their ideals. But, knowing the WTS as I do now, it is sad how many people have died needlessly from blood, transplants, suicide, political (NAZI, Rawanda, etc., and other uniquely JW issues...all for nothing.

  In my house there is a beautiful painting of a colorful canyon in Arizona. This oil painting was created by hands and eyes and the mind of a little old German lady, who survived the very worst humanity had to offer in modern history.

  She had painted it for her best friend, my Mom. She outlived my Mom. They are both gone now.

  It is mine now and I will treasure it always.

  "Walk in someone else's shoes"
• 

  notperfectyet

  OMG Rabbit,

  That was an awesome experience. I have so many of them I want to tell, but I can't right now. Love to you and your wife right now, I miss you. Dallas will always be in my heart.

  PM me if you want too.
• 

  Rabbit

  Thanks. I did pm ya' too !

  I wanted to add:

  This lady was humiliated and hurt, but, her dignity could never be taken away. Not even by Hitler & Co.

  We can't let the WTS do it either...
• 

  notperfectyet

  (((((((((((((((Big Hugs to Rabbit and Mrs. Rabbit))))))

  I got your PM, will send you a PM too.thanks!

  For all the newbies out there, some of the people who have left are the best of what we thought were the best, the ones who have a good heart and wanted to do what was right. Rabbit I am glad you found a good person in Mrs. Rabbit, who never had to go through the crap and shunning from children, parents and so called friends.......

  Rabbit and others are the BEST.

  NPY,

  who is learning what GOOD friends are.............
• 

  prophecor

  The absolute cruelty that was Germany, that was Hitler, that of Nazism, was surely one of the greatest tragedies to befall humankind during our 20th century. As regards the evil that men shared in during those days, it was surely one of the greatest horrors our world would come to experience in the entire 100 years of that century. A brutal and effective witness as to the depths and degrees men will not only tolerate, but actively participate in that which is evil, with no qualms of conscience.

  I view with fearsome awe and a desperate curiosity the destructive nature that has the capacity to reside in the heart of mankind. When we leave our better nature, when the perversion of our hearts become so warped and twisted that we no longer view our fellow human beings as souls, living breathing creations of God, but we attribute them to nothing more than insects, vermin to be destroyed, then you have a frightening creation on your hands, and man over and over again, has proven this to be so.

  Evil must be confronted and it must be dealt with. It cannot be allowed to fester, grow or spread. It cannot be swept under the rug, we cannot turn a blind eye to it, but it needs to be uprooted and and dealt with in the most effective means humanely possible, and where necessary, it needs to be destroyed.

  Vengance belongs to God yes is true, and sometimes, God uses human instruments to wipe out the evil in the world. I will and do constantly remind myself, that it happened in the heart of one human being, and spreads like wildfire. The capacity I believe exist in all of us, and as for those responsible, God's justice will reign supreme in the end, and for those who were victims of this slaughter, God's mercy will somehow show through. No offense to you who no longer believe. You have your reasons, and your right to do so, but for any who still do, these were words to be shared with you especially.

  Respect to you all.

  Arthur
• 

  scootergirl

  Curious if any have been following PBS's program "Auschwitz:Inside the Nazi State". It is a six part series and here it has been airing since January 19 and goes to February 2. VERY VERY good!

  http://www.pbs.org/auschwitz/
• 

  franklin J

  ..the full impact of this horror did not impress itself upon me until I had a family and kids of my own. I cannot think of anything more horrific in recent times.

  It continues to happen around the world; Cambodia; Rwanda....humanity has a dark; ugly side.
• 

  z

  Here we go again this was my first post and this subject is hard to forget and we should not my wife family all were wiped out my father in low had 6 sister and 3 bro and parents gone no one know where same is for her mother 30 yr later the discover one cousin who had same all family was murder

  Seeitallclerlynow you ask

  That's really a shame, too; why was he not allowed to speak of it in the former Soviet Union?

  So this is happing again in Russia

  Russian lawmakers: Ban Jewish groups

  A group of Russian nationalist lawmakers is calling for an investigation aimed at outlawing all Jewish organizations in Russia, accusing Jews of inciting ethnic hatred and provoking anti-Semitism.
  In a letter dated January 13, some 20 members of the State Duma ? the lower parliament house - asked Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov to investigate their claims and, if they are confirmed, to launch proceedings "on the prohibition in our country of all religious and ethnic Jewish organizations as extremist."
  Arguing that Jews were to blame for anti-Semitism, the authors of the letter want Jewish groups outlawed based on legislation against extremism and fomenting ethnic discord.
  "The negative assessments by Russian patriots of the qualities and actions against non-Jews that are typical of Jews correspond to the truth, indeed these actions are not random but prescribed in Judaism and have been practiced for two centuries," said the letter, faxed in part to The Associated Press by the office of lawmaker Alexander Krutov.
  "Thus," it says, "the statements and publications against Jews that have incriminated patriots are self-defense, which is not always stylistically correct but is justified in essence".
  The stunning call to ban all Jewish groups comes amid concerns of persistent anti-Semitism that continues to plague Russia. Jewish leaders have praised President Vladimir Putin's government for encouraging religious tolerance, but rights groups accuse the authorities of failing to adequately prosecute the perpetrators of anti-Semitic and racial violence.
  Russia's chief rabbi, Berel Lazar, said the lawmakers were either insane or "quite sane but limitlessly cynical" and were hoping to win support "by playing the anti-Semitic card."
  Speaking with Israel Radio Tuesday morning, Lazar called on Russia's chief prosecutor to move to expel the legislators from the parliament since, he said, they were acting against all religions and were harming Russia.
  "Everyone who read this letter surely understood that something irregular had taken place. It is a known fact that there are those in parliament who posses these views. However, it has been a while since an anti-Jewish theme has been raised, and suddenly everyone is talking about it", Lazar told the radio.
  According to the rabbi, "The timing was not coincidental and was made on the same day in which the UN commemorated 60 years since the liberation of Nazi death camps. President Putin is slated to visit Auschwitz in the near future and they probably wanted to express their objection to the upcoming visit by sending this letter."
  With Putin planning to join events this week commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops, Russia's Holocaust Foundation head Alla Gerber said it was "horrible that as we're marking the 60th anniversary of this tragic and great day ... we can speak of the danger of fascism in the countries that defeated fascism."
  She said that while the Russian state itself is no longer anti-Semitic, there are "anti-Semitic campaigns that are led by all sorts of organizations."
  "The economic situation is ripe for this, an enemy is needed, and the enemy is well-known, traditional," Gerber said.
  Responding to the lawmakers' letter, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said on Israel Radio that the Israeli government "will act on every level to combat this. We do not let any group or country live peacefully with phenomena like these."
  "There is a large international call to arms against anti-Semitic incidents anywhere in the world. To my great sorrow, these incidents have been happening a lot lately, but we have to fight anti-Semitism anywhere it is."
  Sallai Meridor, chairman of the Jewish Agency, views the Russian government's desire to limit Jewish organizations' activities in a grave light.
  "Human experience in the 20th century, and specifically that of the Jewish people, requires us not to be indifferent, and to react vehemently to anti-Semitic slander, even when it comes from peripheral groups."
  Echoing anti-Semitic tracts of the Czarist era, the letter's authors accuse Jews of working against the interests of the countries where they live and of monopolizing power worldwide. They say the United States "has become an instrument for achieving the global aims of Judaism."
  "It is possible to say that the entire democratic world today is under the monetary and political control of international Judaism, which high-profile bankers are openly proud of," the letter says.
  Along with outlawing Jewish organizations, the lawmakers call for the prosecution of "individuals responsible for providing these groups with state and municipal property, privileges and state financing."
  The prosecutor general's office could not immediately be reached for comment on the letter, which the Interfax news agency said was signed by lawmakers from the nationalist Rodina and Liberal Democratic parties as well as the Communist Party.

  Sorry long but good to know
• 

  Rabbit

  Z, I am so sorry for your wife's family. Thank you again for posting this subject.

  Prophesor, although my views about what God has/has not or will/will not do have changed tremendously. I would LIKE to believe He cares, but, I have little faith anymore that he does 'interfere' with mankinds doings.

  I do agree now, post JW, that Evil MUST be confronted by man. I agree completely with you in your statement:

  Evil must be confronted and it must be dealt with. It cannot be allowed to fester, grow or spread. It cannot be swept under the rug, we cannot turn a blind eye to it, but it needs to be uprooted and and dealt with in the most effective means humanely possible, and where necessary, it needs to be destroyed.

  We were taught to "wait on God" before. I now believe, that cannot be trusted. We must live today, not some 'promise of the future'.

  The other very, very scary thing you pointed out was: Nazism started "in the mind of one human...and spread"

  Remember, too...it was not just Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses...it was Gypsies, homosexuals and political dissidents, too.

  "If we do not remember the past, we are doomed to repeat it," - some famous person said.
• 

  prophecor

  The other very, very scary thing you pointed out was: Nazism started "in the mind of one human...and spread"

  Remember, too...it was not just Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses...it was Gypsies, homosexuals and political dissidents, too.

  "If we do not remember the past, we are doomed to repeat it," - some famous person said.

  Hi Rabbit, my apologies as regards the previous statement, it was made with regard to the fulfillment of Hitler's purposes for the Jews and Gentiles alike. The embodiment or the end result as to the destruction that took place at the institution of the horrific policies of Nazism which was destined for all those who were not of pure German descent.

  That one mind ( Hitler's ) was the end result or the absolute fulfillment of the hatred, the diseased thinking that was breeding even before he became Chancellor of Germany, and was a belief that was festering, even as far back as his writings of " Mein Kampf ". It having its beginings long before the senond world war. It was not my intent to discount the millions who suffered at the hands of Nazism, as I am aware that the slaughter covered vast portions of humanity Jews as well as Gentiles alike. JW's, the mentally ill, political persons within his own party, no section of humanity was totally exempt from the possible destruction that came as a result of his hands, and in the end, not even the pure German peoples who had supported his regime, for they too were wiped out by countless numbers.