Holocaust
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Heinrich Himmler was one of the most powerful and notorious figures in Nazi Germany, playing a pivotal role in orchestrating the Holocaust and implementing the regime’s brutal policies. Born on October 7, 1900, in Munich, Germany, Himmler emerged from a middle-class, conservative Catholic family. His early life included a stint in the military during World…
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Someone looked at this beautiful smiley face and decided he had to die. In a land where shadows silently creep,A small boy’s dreams are laid to sleep.Four tender years, too soon erased,In Auschwitz’s grip, his spirit faced. Eyes of wonder, wide and bright,Shining stars in the darkest night.A heart so pure, a soul so new,Innocence…
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As a father of three children, although they are all supposedly adults now, I often have nightmares and worries about them. I lie awake at night when they are out with friends. When they leave the house, there are a million worst-case scenarios that haunt my brain. There is some news you hope as a…
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Introduction During the dark days of Nazi Germany, dissent was met with ruthless suppression. Among those who dared to resist was a small but determined student group known as the Weiße Rose (White Rose). Led by siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl, along with Christoph Probst and other members, the group sought to awaken the German…
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Anne Frank was born on 12 June 1929. As we all know her story through her diary, I will not go into Anne’s story, but instead, I will look at a few other children who were also born on that day and who, like Anne, were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Levy Spanjer…
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The killing of innocent lives wasn’t enough for the Nazis. A big part of the Holocaust was theft and deception. When the Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz, they came across haunting reminders of the 1.1 million people who’d been murdered at Auschwitz, including 44,000 pairs of shoes. Soviet soldiers also found 88 pounds of eyeglasses. The…
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Amid the echoes of a time gone by,Where shadows linger and whispers sigh,Rest the suitcases in silent rows,Each one is a story of countless woes. Labeled with names, now lost to the wind,Symbols of hope that would rescind,Children and elders, families are tornDreams are abandoned, and lives are reborn. Leather worn thin by hands in…
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It is hard to put a value on the words of those who survived the Holocaust. Their words serve us as a constant reminder of the evil mankind is capable of. I believe the perpetrators’ testimonies are equally as important because they give some indication of the psyche that created such evil and the delusion…
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Heidegger’s famous address, often referred to as “The Rector’s Address” or “The Rectorate Address,” was delivered on May 27, 1933, at the University of Freiburg. Its full title is “The Self-Assertion of the German University” (German: “Die Selbstbehauptung der deutschen Universität”). In this speech, Martin Heidegger, who had recently been appointed Rector of the university,…
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A few years ago, I was asked to give a speech at my eldest son’s high school graduation as a representative of the Parents’ Council. I ended the speech with a quote from Margot Frank. “Times change, people change, thoughts about good and evil change, about true and false. But what always remains fast and…
History of Sorts 