Categories: politics, religion, history
Date: 11 November 2008 19:56:41
Today marks the 90th anniversary of the end of The Great War, the war to end all wars. In just over 20 years the world would be ripped asunder by The Great War Part II - Revenge of The Germans. People sometimes forget that there wasn't any real peace between conflicts.
The 9th November was the 70th anniversary Kristallnacht - The Night of Broken Glass. Here the Nazis committed wholesale destruction of Jewish property. Supposedly in revenge for the murder of minor German official in Paris by a Jew. Later documentary evidence was found that this was just an excuse for an already planned event.
Reinhard Heydrich instructed SS members to burn down synagogues but only where there was no risk of damage to Aryan property or businesses. Anything else they wanted to do was fair game. There would be no interference from the police. Many "ordinary" Germans just stood by and watched as synagogues, businesses and orphanges were destroyed.
This was another step on the gradual journey to extermination. Very few had the courage or faith to stand-up and speak out. In the US 88% of people polled said that what Hitler was doing was wrong. 60% believed that the Jews had "asked for it".
So when you think of the sacrifice made by our (great) granparents and hear others belittling what they did, and others continue you to do, remember that their willingness to risk their lives helped to save millions from a worse fate. Think of what life would have been like if Hitler had won. Is that what you'd have wanted?
Also remember to think ill of those who send people to their death for their own selfish aims. Sacrifice is wasted by people who don't have regard for the sancitity of the lives of others.