Majdanek

This is so much bigger than us, is what I realized today as we entered 
Majdanek, a place that was a labour camp, as well as, a concentration camp.  It was never intended to be a death camp but, many of the victims were killed 
due to starvation, beatings, or getting shot.

Arriving at this place and seeing the large Soviet monument in front of the green camp that lay beyond it.  Before we began out journey through the camp, our survivor, Pinchas completed his Holocaust story by outlining his story through Majdanek, by himself, at the age of ten years old.

Setting the scene for us, we began our journey inside the camp.  The camp which encompasses approx. 270 acres is one of the largest camps, and had the potential to house more people and be more destructive than Auschwitz.

In a future blog I will go into detail on the aspects of the camp and the stores Michael shared with us while we were.

After walking all morning throughout the camp we reached the back where the crematorium and the other memorial are located.  I am really struggling to find words for these places as the ideas and emotions they portrayed to me are so big and I feel it will take me time to comprehend this back to you.  Michael proceeded to tell us that in the final days as the Germans realized that the Soviets were closing in a mass killing spree ensued.  Ditches were drug and the next day loud speakers were set up to play happy military music while the Germans proceeded to slaughter 18,000 Jews in one day (other types of prisoners were held at Majdanek, but only Jews were selected for this event).

Those killed were shot by machine gun into the ditched, located directly next to the crematorium.  Those in the village of Lublin located meters from the camp, became curious of what was going on due to the constant stream of smoke and they more potent smell as usual.  The Germans response to these questions... we are having a Harvest Festival.  After the liberation tones of human ash were found in piles were found (each person representing 2-3 cups of ash).

Walking through the crematorium, feeling the cold of the walls, and the disbelief that humans could do this to their own.  The commander of the the crematorium was so heartless that he built a bathtub in the room where the crematorium ovens were located.  Why?  Because with a shortage of water, resulted in a lack of hot water available.  Therefore, while the oven burned the bodies of these people who's lives were cut short for a reason some with never fathom this man sat basked in the heat of his hot bath water.  Heartless.

Joined in hands Rachelle, Chani, Emily, and I entreated this place together our hearts aching for what took place here.  Coming out on the other side of the building, as none who entered during the Holocaust did we were met by the place where their lives were ended by the gun and bullet of the cold, heartless Nazi.  Holding each other, Geraldine joining us, we wept.  Why?  Out of anger, despair, sadness, frustration, disgust, hurt, ache.  All the while the city witnesses just a short ways away down the small hill.

Coming the final memorial with the whole group, holding hands, linked arm-in-arm, no one alone as we climbed the stairs reaching the top.  Air seemed difficult to come by as you peered over the edge of this indescribably big pit, all full of human ash mixed with rocks from the grounds of the camp.  This made it real.  The culmination of all the aspects at this camp hit me like a kick in the gut.

Candles were distributed and we all came together in our huddle which seemed closer then any other time this week, breathing deeply in unison, the wind speaking to us as it blew through the sides of the memorial ever so quietly but with so much power at same time.  We were not alone here, now.  Faigie proceed to read a passage from a surivior, Carla then reading a letter from someone who was not so lucky.  It was written by a women who was in Vienna, having sent her daughter to England with the one children's program she was writing to her daughter to tell her she knew that the de orations were coming and it was her time.  She was writing to say goodbye, I'll miss you, and most importantly I love you.  The women who perished some time later at the hands of the Nazi's was Carla's Grandmother, the girl the letter was written to was her mother.

Prayers were read by Pinchas, the prayer for the death/mourning, as well as the prayer for the victims lost in this tragedy.  These prayers linked us all, all sharing that there is a higher power and the continual prayer that these people should now be forgotten.  Hands held, arms linked even one linked as you could she Pinchas, Faigie, Carla and all the others affected by the Holocaust close their eyes and remember.  Words can not describe what was running through my mind as the prayers were recited and we later lit the candles for those innocent lives lost.  This was particularly meaningful amd emotional for Pinchas as he believes his father, mother, and sister's ashes are located here.

I found Laura and as two people who don't have a direct connection, words didn't need to be spoken as we embraced as many other did just simply trying to make sense of it all, something that I am unsure will ever occur.

The past few days have opened my eyes, and I don't think for sometime after I return home I will really be able to put this down on paper and share it with you all.  I am grateful over the past week to have been able to room with Rachelle, the granddaughter of an Auschwitz survivor.  Her openness about this experience and her grandfather have allowed me a small window to what this is like for those who's family has been impacted by the Holocaust directly or more simply the impact the Holocaust has on her being a person of the Jewish culture and faith.  Other key person to my insight and learning is Chani, a girl in my Core Learning Group.

As someone with no personal or religious connection to the Holocaust, I have struggled to figure out where I fit into all of this.  My connection developed within then last few days as we spoke about then aspect of humanity and the fact that this was an atrocity to human kind, and that is something that we all can share regardless of colour, race, religion, sexual orientation, and background.  I walk through this place to every human, for every person affected by this and those who continue to be affected by human injustice and intolerance.

I thank you for your patience, thoughts, and prayers as I experience this journey.  I can feel the support of you all and those around me.
     
“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” -Elie Wiesel