Bystanders

I think I will probably post again, but I just had a couple of things to write about today.

We made it back to the states yesterday- thank goodness! It was a long flight, but good company helped.

Today, we heard Holocaust survivor Henry Greenbaum speak to us about his experiences. He was in the ghetto for a few years, then Auschwitz for 3 months. He was then moved to Buna, a labor camp with slightly better conditions. He was transported in the death march until liberation, and then moved to the US. Most of his family was killed, including 5 of his 8 siblings.

We also got another self-tour of the museum. I've been through the museum several times and I've seen everything already, but today was a completely different experience. I really connected with many of the places- I had been there and recognized those places! I also felt much more of a personal connection to the faces in the pictures- like I had shared something with them!

One thing that stood out was a display labeled "bystanders". It pointed out that most people that lived there were neither Jews nor Germans- they were bystanders. The Germans COUNTED on the fact that few, if any, non-Jews would resist. The question of why didn't more people do anything is common- but the Germans used that to their advantage.

So, a challenge: will persecutors count on you to be a bystander? Will you do the right thing or just go with the flow?


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Location:9th St SW,Washington,United States