Candles burn by a memorial plaque at the Birkenau Nazi death camp in Oswiecim, Poland, last Tuesday. About 300 survivors gathered with leaders from around the world to remember the 1.1 million people killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau and the millions of others killed in the Holocaust. (Alik Keplicz, The Associated Press)
Re: Jan. 25 Perspective article.
Francie Swidler’s story about her grandmother’s survival of the horrors of World War II in Poland, and her remarkable life thereafter, is very touching. But there are other stories that International Holocaust Remembrance Day (last Tuesday) should air too.
More than 2.7 million Jewish Poles perished under the brutal Nazi occupation. More than 2.7 non-Jewish Poles also perished. The Germans had plans to occupy Poland, exterminate all Jewish Poles and most Slavic Poles in order to transform Poland into an “Aryan” state.
The lesson of Poland’s tragedy during World War II should encourage us to broaden our focus and perhaps rebrand the Holocaust commemoration as “War Remembrance Day,” thus reminding ourselves that no people or nation has a monopoly on causing or enduring the brutalities of war.
Elizabeth Ordonez,Golden
This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.My heartfelt gratitude to Francie Swidler for sharing her bubby’s stories.
These are stories that need to be told, and while she shared her concern about if she shared them appropriately or the right ones, I can only say she wrote out of love and respect for this woman who impacted her life so. I can only say she must have been a very special woman to have a granddaughter who writes eloquently and from the heart.
I grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and had neighbors’ and friends’ parents who survived the horrors of the camps. I grew up hearing the stories. It is important to keep these conversations going, and Ms. Swidler honors her grandmother and all those who perished and those who survived by telling the stories of real people.
Diane Arave,Littleton
This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.Thank you to Francie Swidler for such a beautiful, well-written piece in last Sunday’s Post. If I was still a high school teacher, this column would be in my lesson plan every Holocaust commemoration day. We must not forget this horror lest we allow it to happen again.
Donna Whitaker,Centennial
This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.
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