Hi Everyone!!
We must NEVER forget.
The following two messages - within quotes and in bold font - are copied from two different websites.
"Soviet forces liberated the largest German concentration/death camp Aushwitz.[on January 27th, 1945] The Germans had killed 2,500,000 at Auschwitz, the great majority of which were Jews. By April, the full horrow of the Holcaust had become clear when US forces liberated the concentration camps of Bergen Belson and Dachau."
The Second World War began in 1939 and ended in 1945. It was 6 years of unspeakable horror. Too much - in fact - for any of us to ever actually 'take in' - to ever fully appreciate. [because it's simply overwhelming] I therefore suggest that most of you start by considering just one aspect of the war - and focus on that. May I suggest that you consider the effect the war had on children - what THEY experienced - what THEY were forced to endure. [and so on]
"During the Holocaust, children were subjected to many injustices and cruelties. At first, Jewish and Gypsy children were restricted from going to school, and German children were taught that the Jews and Gypsies were racially inferior. One of the methods used to teach Gentile children about this inferiority was to have Jewish children come to the front of the classroom while the teacher pointed out their distinguishing features. Shortly, restrictions were placed on the Jews and later they were forbidden to go to German schools at all.
Later, the Jews were forced to live in ghettos with their families. The conditions in these ghettos were very bad and children often risked their lives to smuggle food into the ghetto in order to help feed their families. Many children were left homeless in the ghettos as their parents were either killed or deported to concentration camps.
Children were also deported to concentration camps where in some cases medical experiments were performed on them or they were subjected to slave labor. Some of the most notorious examples of experiments were performed by Josef Mengele who focused on children and adults who were twins and those with unusual features or handicaps."
Whenever you feel sorry for yourself and for what YOU have gone through [and I'm speaking to myself just as much as I am speaking to some of you] TRY to remember that OTHERS have suffered a great deal. Be therefore grateful for the life YOU have - even if it has been extremely difficult. This is not said to deminish what you have gone through [or ARE going through] but to encourage you to look upon your life in a more positive light. None of us have been forced from our homes - from our family and friends - never to see or hear from them again. None of us have been stripped naked and marched into gas chambers.
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. So have respect for the past and respect for those who have come before us.
NEVER FORGET
And keep in mind - the world did not begin the day WE were born.
Click on THIS to see an interesting 'teachers site' on the Holocaust.
GREAT BIG HUG
Craig!!
