Stepping out of the plane was a
relive of plane encapsulation for a twelve-hour period however, knowing the
week we have in store balances into a long and intense experience that I for
one haven’t encountered (until know) and will never forget. The past eight
weeks have felt enough information to making it though the week fell. The
Holocaust Museum, two films, and an account from a survivor (one survivor talk in
store this week) have taught me how to be a witness well not becoming a
bystander and I will be share to come back to becoming a witness.
The first witness to my learning of
the Shoah was arriving to the Pray and Dialog center and meeting sister Mary.
The center is similar to a peaceful resort even though the center is placed
across the street from Auschwitz I. Sister Mary is someone that confirms and
helps organizes our schedule for the week, she also helps if I have any
questions on any experience I have throughout the week. She reminded me of both
my great-grandmother and grandmother not only because they are not Polish but
they have the voice of a soft-spoken was one one of the first interactions had
in Poland culture. Before the first night ended she described four main points
to take into account while studying (observing) the Shoah and traveling to
Poland (Auschwitz/ Oswiecim):
·
Listening to the voice of the earth…
The
earth is the atmosphere that we live. Similar to everything on earth, we have
to have knowledge of the object we have to get a sense of its capacity, living.
A survivors testifying to the 225 thousand people that lost their lives of
Poland.
·
Listen to your heart…
Looking at the World status today and trying
to view the value and hope that still exist today. There are the good people
but the good is canceled when there is terror in the world, the value and hope
will then get reevaluated until the good is restored.
·
Listen to others…
“Touching
a worn will hurt but around the worn will make it feel better,” survivor’s
testimonies of the Shoah will hurt when discussing the cruel events that occurred
to them and for some will be relived that each account is shared.
·
To listen to the voice of god…
“Why
am I here, respect what can’t be said.”
These main points are in relation
to Nostra Aetate by being able to discuss religion with anyone without consequences
and discussing what makes a religion and how everyone translates all meaning a
specific religion.
Taking the four points in mind I
toured two cemeteries of Oswiecim. One that was destroyed because of anti-Semitism
but then later preserved for a memorial. The destroyed cemetery during the war
was preserved to a meaning of reflecting on the six million people who both are
survivors and who lost their lives. Each individual grave stones were scattered
in an order fashion with some stones having a digit on the back side of the grave
because some stones where not readable by the destruction of the grave yard. The
numbering on the back reminds me of not the name of the person but the number
that was giving during imprisonment by the Nazis. A couple of kilometers
further was a living cemetery. Like any modern cemetery, the second one was organized and present with people of all identities roaming the ground
to remember their loved ones that have past. When walking though the both
cemeteries I noticed the layout and mood if the cemeteries and both brings
peace to the living and the died.
 |
| Destroyed Cemetery |
-Elijah Ziobron
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