Terezin

Today we went to the former prison and Jewish Ghetto, Terezin. Needless to say today was an emotionally draining day. On our journey outside of the city we were joined by a guide who was a survivor of Terezin and an escapee of the prison. He was an older gentleman who spoke slowly and with purposeful precision in order to make us understand the importance of the story of the camps. He stressed the importance of our young generation learning from the mistakes of the older generations and insisted that we spread the word of the horrors that went on in concentration camps around Europe. He insisted that we learn never to make the mistakes that were made before us.

But after traveling through Terezin today, I find myself horrified that such mistakes could have ever been made by mankind. At one point during our day we went to a crematorium and columbarium for Jews and prisoners of Terezin after they died. It appeared that the Germans put on a show of propriety in performing burials for these Jews and prisoners. But what strikes me as odd is this appearance of an act of humanity. I can understand if a person is just a monster who kills with no thought to the person, but to kill someone and then treat them like a human being again seems like a juxtaposition of values. How can a person be so cruel to another and then show them only a shred of humanity? How could they live with themselves? How could they have not seen the wrong of it all?

I wish I could say that I left Terezin with some overarching and hopeful message, but I don't think that this is the kind of place that leaves you with a sense of hopefulness. Instead I left today with a sense of determination within myself to never stand witness to such acts in my generation without being a whistleblower.