This is not the sort of book I would normally read for so many reasons.
It's not that through declining to read books like this I can happily block out the events, I live with a man who's war history knowledge is incredible so I'm exposed to many aspects and facts of such stories, but it feels like it pulls me down into darkness - it saddens me that they're true stories and to know what a human being can do to another human being.
A friend recommended this book to me. She's recently returned from a study trip to Europe and spent some time immersed in the Auschwitz story which she found harrowing, disturbing and dark but at the same time inspirational and uplifting in some ways due to the human sprit and endurance. She found this book which spoke of bravery, sacrifice, endurance and survival amongst the other dark aspects.
I wasn't sure about it however agreed more out of a sense of obligation to her as anything else because she was so passionate about it and deeply moved.
I've only just begun the book as it took me a while to find and I'm approaching it with caution but I'm interested at the same time; to think people who could visit such torment and sorrow upon others also cherished the beauty of music only to then wreak such havoc upon others once again, dehumanizing them in such terrible ways - it's unbelievable...but of course, it happened. I think we should all know more about it, understand it better, in the hope we never let such things happen again.
A few years ago, my partner visited the Auschwitz on an info tour.
It was cold and raining, and she couldn't get rid of the chills she got into her bones for a long time. She had a guide in her native language, so the whole tour was even more realistic. Scary and dark.
Like you, she dared to read some books about the place later. I didn't.
I think it would be very confronting and the mood and feel of the location would seem very oppressive. I think I would like to go there but would also feel a little apprehensive about the way it would make me feel. I don't think it should be forgotten and I definitely don't feel it should be ignored.
Becca 🌷
The old Latin saying "Homo homini lupus" which says "Man is a wolf to man".
But it is an outdated saying because civilization, through great suffering, such as in World War II, formed another, new, even more accurate saying: "A man is a man to a man."
All the wolves in this world cannot do as much harm to a man as a single man can.
So no offense to the wolves, we humans are evil.
What we are ready for is terrifying.
And such a monument, as a reminder of that, should stand forever.
To make people's blood run cold and remind them what we can do, but what we shouldn't do...
It is often necessary to know the causes that led to this and try to avoid it in the future, but I agree that it has negative aspects, or rather, aspects that cause a great deal of pain and sadness. But that is the way history and human beings are, unfortunately.
Thank you, Becca💗
Knowing that events like this have taken place should help lead people towards ensuring that they never happen again but history shows that it happens over and over, in in the world right this moment.
Becca 🌷
It must be because of the destructive nature of human beings. I think there is a lot of ego involved; everyone thinks they are better than others and wants to prove it, and that's how we are...