Harriet Cabelly, LCSW
Therapist . Speaker . Author
I thought it might be apropos to follow up my most recent interview of Judy Shepard with photos and comments from my visit and tour of Theresienstadt, a site of another horrific hate crime of huge proportion known as the Holocaust. This ‘model’ ghetto, as it was known during World War II, is in the town of Terezin about an hour outside of Prague.
I have always wanted to visit the concentration camps in Poland, as I strongly believe that everyone, all mankind, ‘should’ be witness to the atrocities perpetrated upon groups of people that others, in this case the Nazis, felt to be unfit and unworthy to live. Seeing the historical remnants might be more apt to ruffle our feathers and wake up some of our apathy towards the plight of other unfortunate souls. One or two or three groups of people may be the target and scapegoat, but hate crimes are in their purest essence attacks on us all. For we are the breed of Humans here to safeguard and protect our species no matter what our different externals portray – color, worshipping practices, abilities- and no matter what our differences of opinions are.
Environmentalists work to protect our environment from harm; we all must work to protect our people from harm and extinction.
When we decided to go to Prague for a few days en route to Israel, a Terezin tour became a ‘must’. I cannot put an adjective in to describe how it was. So when people ask me, I can’t quite sum it up. I have to talk about some specifics which I will portray with photos below.
Theresienstadt was known for its famous prisoners, many of whom were artists of all kinds, and for its visits by the Red Cross. Within this ‘model’ camp was a real concentration camp where 60,000 people were forced into an area which originally held only 7,000 residents. They were tortured by virtue of their unlivable conditions and died of ‘natural’ causes – starvation, disease, contamination. Those who escaped death here were transported to Auschwitz – the real ‘death’ camp where people were gassed to death.
Work Sets You Free
ell room which held 60 people
Air vent for room above
Sinks put in for Red Cross visit; later taken out.
One of 4 ovens in crematorium
Fake’ graves; bodies were burned. Broken tree in background represents broken lives.
Remains of railroad tracks for transports to Auschwitz.
About 4,000 people now live in the town of Terezin. Barracks where the Jews were kept are now renovated houses. The crematorium provides salaried jobs for a few people who man it and sell memorial candles.
We humans were given free choice. Let us use it to benefit our species and keep us all standing proud and upright. Let us pray that goodness prevails over evil for all.
Thank you for stopping by and reading this post. I hope you’ve taken something positive away.
Wow Harriet. What a reality check. This must of been a surreal experience to visit a concentration camp and feel what it must of been like for the 60,000 prisoners. It reminds me of how important the motto of the NYPD is to the citizens of New York post 9/11: ” If you see something, say something”. We must all look out for one another.
Hi Beth,
Thanks for commenting. Yes, it was a Wow all right, very surreal. You are so right – we cannot stand by and watch something bad take place. We all must speak out and act.
Hi Harriet,
’tis a chilling reminder of how poorly we humans treat other humans…..it still goes on. Stand above this all and share some care for others.
be good to yourself
David
Hi David,
Thanks for commenting. Sadly and tragically, it certainly does still go on. We must stand above this all and speak and act out against – have a voice and an action.
Hi Harriet!
Welcome back. I haven’t e’d you in awhile but everything is fairly good in my life. I usually have to stop to take a breath of air when I see pictures or watch documentaries on the Holocaust. It truly does take my breath away that this happened with many human eyes wide open. One can’t help but wonder how this could have been rationalized for such an extended period of time . Sadly, as someone else mentioned it still goes on today, different people, same atrocity. It makes me realize that I have absolutely no reason to ever feel sorry for myself. I’ve watched over the years various programs where people who are still living have talked about being prisoners. They always seem to be present in the now even though they lost family members and endured such horrific treatment at the hands of the Nazis. I’m also impressed that none of them seem consumed with hate. When I can emotionally tolerate it I almost never pass up the chance to see something new that comes out. I have to remember that even though these various evidences make me feel ashamed to be a member of the human race that watched this happen in apathy for so long, that I had nothing to do with it. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be there and know that on the same ground you standing on so much suffering occurred. Thank you for sharing. It reminds me to be as loving as I can be to those around me…even those who I don’t feel love for. It can be done but I find it takes a lot of persistence and a great deal of effort sometimes.
Hi Sal,
Thank you for your wonderful comment.
We must always be aware of apathy and speak out and bring out awareness. The other way to counteract all this, as you say, is to be as loving as possible and spread Goodness around.
If you haven’t read the book, Sarah’s Key, please do.
Glad to read your comments again.
Hi Harriet,
I have always been fascinated about what the Nazis did to these poor people during the second world war. One of the mystery I have always pondered is how did they keep such large scale inhumanity under wraps from the whole world? Or did people choose to ignore such atrocities.
When you visited this death camp, was there that overwhelming eerie feeling? I heard of how people break down when they enter into the presence of these souls who perished in these camps. These monuments must never be taken down. They are not only physical reminders of what evil people were capable of, but also home for those who perished.
BTW, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays my good friend…
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
It was known and the world at large stood by; certainly America knew.
There’s a feeling that I cannot put into words – it’s overwhelming to see the evidence of horror. But what’s also unspeakable to me is how people can move in and on at the site of such atrocities and live their lives in the town and the actual houses.
You make a beautiful statement – ….” not only physical reminders of what evil people are capable of, but home fo those who perished.” Hopefully these monuments will never be taken down.
As the last of the survivor’s generation is now dying out, it’s a bit scary to know that actual live testimony will be soon be gone. But there are archives of testimony in many museums, mainly the one in Jerusalem at Yad Vashem – an unbelievable site to learn and ‘experience’ this historical era. The lessons and stories must be carried on and down by the next and next generations. It’s hard because nobody wants it ‘watered’ down.
Thanks for your interest.