OPINION: How can clear-thinking Jews join those opposing Westminster memorial?
Like other great cities, London must have a prominent Holocaust memorial to remind the world of the depths of man's inhumanity, writes Alex Brummer
My father’s generation, all refugees or survivors of the Shoah, each with their own horrific stories of captivity, violence, escape and unrecognised heroism mostly have passed on now. In our immediate family there are two brave and brilliant women still alive who experienced the sheer hell of Auschwitz, found temporary refuge in Sweden before joining family here in Britain.
Whenever I visit my father’s youngest sister Sussie in North London and his niece Shindy in Brighton (brought up as a sibling by grandmother who died in the death camps) there is new living testimony to what they have endured.
On recent emotional visit Shindy recalled how our grandmother squeezed her hand as they stepped off the train at Auschwitz. In the moment before separation my grandmother had the good sense to tell her to lie about her age. The difference between the ‘child’ age of 14 years and 16 years meant the barracks at Auschwitz-Birkenau rather that murder and incineration. My grandparents Fanya and Sandor went straight to the gas chambers and crematorium.
My Aunt Sussie, in the midst of Britain’s hot summer, recalled the bitter cold of the barracks in mid-European winter when the only coverings were the rough, cotton shifts. She, her late sister Rosie and Schindy huddled together for warmth. The idea that what Britain faces this winter is some kind of existential energy crisis, is a liberal myth created by those without any knowledge of real humanitarian suffering.
Now in their mid-90s both remaining relations have age related health problems. But the same courage which allowed them to survive the horror of the camps still pumps through their bodies. Life is far too precious to allow it to slip away and it is their duty still, whenever they can, to bear witness to the degradation and abomination which they suffered at the hands of their Nazi captors.
Their experiences and the way in which Britain gave them refuge, successes in life and new families is a huge tribute to the way successive governments have dealt with refugees. Yes there have been lapses. In 1938 my father was turned away by the British army at Haifa, after a perilous journey from Europe, but he did eventually make it to Victoria station as war erupted and the Nazis began their grotesque task of emptying Europe of its Jews.
Why do I write of this now? As someone with this intimate Shoah experience, the chronicler in several places of my family’s stories, I find it incomprehensible that cerebral thinking Jews should think it is acceptable to join those who oppose the National Holocaust Memorial at Victoria Palace Gardens.
The arguments are manifest. Some argue such a memorial is out of keeping and scale with the site. Others say it would be better to commemorate the atrocities against English Jews, from London to Norwich and York, in medieval times. Others say proclaim why do we need any further memorials when there already is a fine exhibit at the Imperial War Museum?
The answer is simple: the Shoah, with its industrial murder of Jews, Roma, Homosexuals and the Disabled is a crime against humanity which illustrates the evil and vile actions which are the ultimate darkness haunting humankind.
Britain, like other great cities such as Berlin and Washington needs a permanent, prominent, in our face reminder, of what happens when societal values are perverted by madmen.
It also reminds us that genocides are not over. We have all lived through the modern abominations of Darfur, Rwanda and now Ukraine.
The Tory leadership candidates talk of moving Britain’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
As grateful as we all should be for that recognition of the return of Jews to their destiny they must also make sure that the National Holocaust Memorial is completed adjacent to the House of Commons – that great symbol of freedom, democracy and tolerance. With every passing day and lost personal testimony of survivors it becomes more imperative.
- Alex Brummer is City Editor of the Daily Mail
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