Holocaust-Dinkdag   

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Iesmoond 1998)   
 
Den 27. Januor 1945 hebbt de Russen dat Konzentrotschoonsloger Auschwitz befreet. No föfftig Johr hett uns Bundespräsident Roman Herzog 1995 den 27. Januor to den ,,Holocaust Gedenktag'' neumt. In gans Düütschland wörr an dat swore Schicksol dacht, wat Minschen in de KZ's hebbt dregen müßt. Politiker un Öberlebende hebbt an de Dinksteden Kränz dolleggt. 1998 wüürn to disse Fierstünn junge Minschen ut Tschechien, Frankriek un Düütschland inloodt in unsen Bundesdag. Recht so! De Direkter vun de Jerusalemer ,,Holocaust-Gedenkstätte Yad Vashem'', Yehuda Bauer, hett dorto opropen, datt Düütsche un Juden meensom Lihrn ut den Holocaust trecken schulln. Ok hett he dorvör wohrschoot, de Nazis bloots to verdübeln, dat wüür een billige Utflucht. vergeten? nee! vergeven, wenn meuglich, jo. De Urenkel-Generotschoon vun de Nazi-Verbrekers harrn de Meuglichkeit, no de Fier mit de Opper vun jümehr Ohnen in een Cafe mit de to snacken, de de Höll' in de KZ's öberleevt harrn. Dat Grusen stünn jüm in de Ogen schreben. 

In'n Michälimoond wüürn mien Mann un ik in Bayern. Op den Weg vun uns Hotel no Traunstein wörrn wi op een Wiesschild mit de Opschrift ,,Gedenkstätte'' wies. Uns dreev dat dorhin. Öber een steenern Trepp vull Moos, un een klapperige Hultstang to'n Fasthooln sünd wi beiden olen Minschen op den lütten Barg stegen. Nu bleev uns de Oten stohn. Wi stünn' vör een groten Dinksteen mit een wiethin sichtbor Krüüz bobenop. In Bronze goten, erhaben Grootbookstoben, steiht schreben: 

Op de Rücksiet vun den Dinksteen is een Davidsstiern, ok in Bronze goten opsett. Nu wüß ik ok, datt hier Juden liggt. Mit den Davidsstiern, bi de Nazi's wüür dat de Judenstiern, bün ik in mien Dinken fuurts bi Fro Professer Fränkel ween, de in Theresienstadt ümbröcht worrn is, un de ik in mien Hatt dreeg. Rundüm is disse Karkhoff mit een Muur infoot. An de Wand steiht ok hier in Grootbookstoben, liekers in Bronze goten, schreben: 

Vör dat Dinkmol steiht op een Sockel een Bronzelüchter mit söben Arms. In een Halvrund sünd 66 slichte Krüzen sett. Inbett sünd se vun Ümmergreun, beheudt un beschatt vun olen Boombestand. Hier boben, op dissen lütten Barg hebbt de Quolen een Enn funn' un de Doden een beten Minschenwürd trüchkregen. 

De Weeg sünd mit grobe Kieselsteen bestreit. So, as dat bi de Juden Oort is, hebbt wi uns Steen opsöcht, un beide hebbt wi vör jedet Krüüz een Steen leggt. In mien deepstet Binnerst hebb ik Afbeed don. Seker wüürn disse Minschen to swach, üm noch to lopen, denn wüürt jo dat Eenfachste för de SS-Schergen jüm ut den Weg to rümen, jüm ümtobringen. 

Holocaust Memorial Day   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(February 1998) 

The Russians liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. In 1995, fifty years later, our federal president Roman Herzog declared January 27 "Holocaust Memorial Day" (in German). All over the country Germans contemplated the cruel fates people had met in the concentration camps. Politicians and survivors laid down wreaths at memorials. Young people from the Czech Republic, France and Germany had been invited to the 1998 ceremony. Rightly so! Yehuda Bauer, the director of the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, had called for both Germans and Jews to learn their lessons from the Holocaust. He had also advised against blaming only the Nazis, for that would mean evading the real issue. Forgetting? No! Forgiving if at all possible. After the ceremony (members of) the great-grandchildren generation of the Nazi criminals had the opportunity to talk with their forebear's victims in a café, with those that had survived hell in the concentration camps. Horror was written in their eyes.

Last September my husband and I visited Bavaria. On the way from our hotel to Traunstein we noticed a signpost with the (German) inscription "Memorial." Something drew us there. We old people climbed a ["small mountain" =] hill by way of mossy stone steps with a rickety wooden railing (alongside it). Then -- it took our breath away -- we stood in front of a large memorial stone, on top of it a cross that was visible from afar. Written there in raised letters cast in bronze it said (in German),

Attached to the reverse side of the memorial stone is a Star of David, also cast in bronze. So now we knew that there were Jews resting here. At the sight of the Star of David -- known as the "Jewish Star" among the Nazis -- my thoughts went back to Professor Fränkel's wife who had been murdered in Theresienstadt and whom I have been carrying in my heart. A wall surrounds this cemetery. Written on the wall, in capital letters cast in bronze, it says (in German):

A seven-branched bronze candelabra [= menorah] rests on a pedestal in front of the memorial. 66 plain crosses are arranged in a semi-circle. They are embedded in evergreen shrubbery, guarded and shaded by an ancient stand of trees. Up here, on this hill, the torments found an end and a little human dignity has been returned to the dead.

The paths are covered with coarse pebbles. Following Jewish custom, we collected pebbles, and both of us put a pebble in front of each cross. Deep down inside I begged for forgiveness. I suppose these people were too weak to continue walking, so it was easiest for the SS myrmidons to do away with them, to murder them. 

Holocaust-Dinkdag 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Iismaand 1998)


Den 27. [seuven-un-twintigsden] Januaar 1945 [negentain hunnerd fiiv un feertig] hebt de Russen dat Kontsentrotschoonsloger Auschwitz befreid. Naa foevtig jaar het uns Bundespräsident Roman Herzog 1995 [negentain hunnerd fiiv un negentig] d'n 27. Januaar tou d'n ,,Holocaust Gedenktag'' noymd. In ganss Duytschland woerd' an dat sware schicksaal dacht wat minschen in de KZs [kaa-tsets] hebt dregen muessd. Politiker un euverlevende hebt an de dinksteden krents daal-legd. 1998 [negentain hunnerd acht un negentig] woyrden tou disse feirstuend junge minschen uut Tschechien, Frankriik un Duytschland in-laadt in unsen Bundesdag. Recht soo! De Direkter fun de Jerusalemer ,,Holocaust-Gedenkstätte Yad Vashem'', Yehuda Bauer, het daartou op-roupen dat Duytsche un Juden meinsaam leiren uut d'n Holocaust trekken schullen. Ouk het hei daarfoer waarschoud de Nazis bloots tou ferduyveln; dat woyr 'n billige uutflugt. Fergeten? Nee! Vergeven, wen moyglich, jaa. De ur-enkel-generaatschoon fun de Nazi-ferbrekers harren de moyglichkait naa de feir mit de opper fun juem er anen in 'n kaffee mit dei tou snakken dei de hoel in de KZ's euver-leevd harren. Dat grusen stuend juem in de ougen schreven.

In d'n Michelimaand woyrn miin man un ik in Baiern. Op d'n weg fun uns hotel naa Traunstein woerden wii op 'n wiisschild mit de opschrivt ,,Gedenkstätte'' wiis'. Uns dreev' dat daar hin. Euver 'n steinern trep ful moos un 'n klapperige hultstang tou d'n fast-holden suend wii baiden olden minschen op d'n luetten barg stegen. Nuu bleev' uns de aten staan. Wii stuenden foer 'n groten dinkstein mit 'n wiithin sichtbaar kruyts baven op. In brongsse goten, erhaben grootboukstaven stait schreven:

Op de rueksiid fun d'n dinkstein is 'n Davidssteirn, ouk in brongsse goten, op-sett. Nuu wuess ik ouk dat hiir Juden ligt. Mit d'n Davidssteirn -- bii de Nazis woyr dat de ,,Judensteirn'' -- buen ik in miin dinken fourts bi Frou Professer Fränkel ween dei in Theresienstadt uem-broechd worden is un dei ik in miin hat dreeg'. Rund uem is disse karkhov mit 'n muur in-faatt. An de wand stait ouk hiir in grootboukstaven, likers in brongsse goten, schreven:

Foer dat dinkmol stait op 'n sokkel 'n brongsseluechter mit seuven arms. In 'n halvrund suend 66 [soess un soesstig] slichte kruytsen sett. In-bett suend sei fun uemmergroyn, behoydt un beschatt fun olden boumbestand. Hiir baven op dissen luetten barg hebt de kwalen 'n end funden un de doden 'n beten minschenwuerd trueg-kregen.

De weeg' suend mit grove kiselsteinen bestraid. Soo as dat bii de Juden aard is hebt wii uns stein op-soechd, un baide hebt wii foer jedet kruyts 'n stein legd. In miin deipstet binnersd hev ik af-beed daan. Seker woyrn disse minschen tou swach uem noch tou loupen; den woyr 't jaa dat einfachsde foer de SS-schergen juem uut d'n weg tou ruymen, juem uem tou bringen.

Holocaust Memorial Day   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(February 1998) 

The Russians liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. In 1995, fifty years later, our federal president Roman Herzog declared January 27 "Holocaust Memorial Day" (in German). All over the country Germans contemplated the cruel fates people had met in the concentration camps. Politicians and survivors laid down wreaths at memorials. Young people from the Czech Republic, France and Germany had been invited to the 1998 ceremony. Rightly so! Yehuda Bauer, the director of the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, had called for both Germans and Jews to learn their lessons from the Holocaust. He had also advised against blaming only the Nazis, for that would mean evading the real issue. Forgetting? No! Forgiving if at all possible. After the ceremony (members of) the great-grandchildren generation of the Nazi criminals had the opportunity to talk with their forebear's victims in a café, with those that had survived hell in the concentration camps. Horror was written in their eyes.

Last September my husband and I visited Bavaria. On the way from our hotel to Traunstein we noticed a signpost with the (German) inscription "Memorial." Something drew us there. We old people climbed a ["small mountain" =] hill by way of mossy stone steps with a rickety wooden railing (alongside it). Then -- it took our breath away -- we stood in front of a large memorial stone, on top of it a cross that was visible from afar. Written there in raised letters cast in bronze it said (in German),

Attached to the reverse side of the memorial stone is a Star of David, also cast in bronze. So now we knew that there were Jews resting here. At the sight of the Star of David -- known as the "Jewish Star" among the Nazis -- my thoughts went back to Professor Fränkel's wife who had been murdered in Theresienstadt and whom I have been carrying in my heart. A wall surrounds this cemetery. Written on the wall, in capital letters cast in bronze, it says (in German):

A seven-branched bronze candelabra [= menorah] rests on a pedestal in front of the memorial. 66 plain crosses are arranged in a semi-circle. They are embedded in evergreen shrubbery, guarded and shaded by an ancient stand of trees. Up here, on this hill, the torments found an end and a little human dignity has been returned to the dead.

The paths are covered with coarse pebbles. Following Jewish custom, we collected pebbles, and both of us put a pebble in front of each cross. Deep down inside I begged for forgiveness. I suppose these people were too weak to continue walking, so it was easiest for the SS myrmidons to do away with them, to murder them. 

Holocaust-Dinkdag   

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Iesmoond 1998)   
 
Den 27. Januor 1945 hebbt de Russen dat Konzentrotschoonsloger Auschwitz befreet. No föfftig Johr hett uns Bundespräsident Roman Herzog 1995 den 27. Januor to den ,,Holocaust Gedenktag'' neumt. In gans Düütschland wörr an dat swore Schicksol dacht, wat Minschen in de KZ's hebbt dregen müßt. Politiker un Öberlebende hebbt an de Dinksteden Kränz dolleggt. 1998 wüürn to disse Fierstünn junge Minschen ut Tschechien, Frankriek un Düütschland inloodt in unsen Bundesdag. Recht so! De Direkter vun de Jerusalemer ,,Holocaust-Gedenkstätte Yad Vashem'', Yehuda Bauer, hett dorto opropen, datt Düütsche un Juden meensom Lihrn ut den Holocaust trecken schulln. Ok hett he dorvör wohrschoot, de Nazis bloots to verdübeln, dat wüür een billige Utflucht. vergeten? nee! vergeven, wenn meuglich, jo. De Urenkel-Generotschoon vun de Nazi-Verbrekers harrn de Meuglichkeit, no de Fier mit de Opper vun jümehr Ohnen in een Cafe mit de to snacken, de de Höll' in de KZ's öberleevt harrn. Dat Grusen stünn jüm in de Ogen schreben. 

In'n Michälimoond wüürn mien Mann un ik in Bayern. Op den Weg vun uns Hotel no Traunstein wörrn wi op een Wiesschild mit de Opschrift ,,Gedenkstätte'' wies. Uns dreev dat dorhin. Öber een steenern Trepp vull Moos, un een klapperige Hultstang to'n Fasthooln sünd wi beiden olen Minschen op den lütten Barg stegen. Nu bleev uns de Oten stohn. Wi stünn' vör een groten Dinksteen mit een wiethin sichtbor Krüüz bobenop. In Bronze goten, erhaben Grootbookstoben, steiht schreben: 

Op de Rücksiet vun den Dinksteen is een Davidsstiern, ok in Bronze goten opsett. Nu wüß ik ok, datt hier Juden liggt. Mit den Davidsstiern, bi de Nazi's wüür dat de Judenstiern, bün ik in mien Dinken fuurts bi Fro Professer Fränkel ween, de in Theresienstadt ümbröcht worrn is, un de ik in mien Hatt dreeg. Rundüm is disse Karkhoff mit een Muur infoot. An de Wand steiht ok hier in Grootbookstoben, liekers in Bronze goten, schreben: 

Vör dat Dinkmol steiht op een Sockel een Bronzelüchter mit söben Arms. In een Halvrund sünd 66 slichte Krüzen sett. Inbett sünd se vun Ümmergreun, beheudt un beschatt vun olen Boombestand. Hier boben, op dissen lütten Barg hebbt de Quolen een Enn funn' un de Doden een beten Minschenwürd trüchkregen. 

De Weeg sünd mit grobe Kieselsteen bestreit. So, as dat bi de Juden Oort is, hebbt wi uns Steen opsöcht, un beide hebbt wi vör jedet Krüüz een Steen leggt. In mien deepstet Binnerst hebb ik Afbeed don. Seker wüürn disse Minschen to swach, üm noch to lopen, denn wüürt jo dat Eenfachste för de SS-Schergen jüm ut den Weg to rümen, jüm ümtobringen. 

Holocaust Memorial Day   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(February 1998) 

The Russians liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. In 1995, fifty years later, our federal president Roman Herzog declared January 27 "Holocaust Memorial Day" (in German). All over the country Germans contemplated the cruel fates people had met in the concentration camps. Politicians and survivors laid down wreaths at memorials. Young people from the Czech Republic, France and Germany had been invited to the 1998 ceremony. Rightly so! Yehuda Bauer, the director of the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, had called for both Germans and Jews to learn their lessons from the Holocaust. He had also advised against blaming only the Nazis, for that would mean evading the real issue. Forgetting? No! Forgiving if at all possible. After the ceremony (members of) the great-grandchildren generation of the Nazi criminals had the opportunity to talk with their forebear's victims in a café, with those that had survived hell in the concentration camps. Horror was written in their eyes.

Last September my husband and I visited Bavaria. On the way from our hotel to Traunstein we noticed a signpost with the (German) inscription "Memorial." Something drew us there. We old people climbed a ["small mountain" =] hill by way of mossy stone steps with a rickety wooden railing (alongside it). Then -- it took our breath away -- we stood in front of a large memorial stone, on top of it a cross that was visible from afar. Written there in raised letters cast in bronze it said (in German),

Attached to the reverse side of the memorial stone is a Star of David, also cast in bronze. So now we knew that there were Jews resting here. At the sight of the Star of David -- known as the "Jewish Star" among the Nazis -- my thoughts went back to Professor Fränkel's wife who had been murdered in Theresienstadt and whom I have been carrying in my heart. A wall surrounds this cemetery. Written on the wall, in capital letters cast in bronze, it says (in German):

A seven-branched bronze candelabra [= menorah] rests on a pedestal in front of the memorial. 66 plain crosses are arranged in a semi-circle. They are embedded in evergreen shrubbery, guarded and shaded by an ancient stand of trees. Up here, on this hill, the torments found an end and a little human dignity has been returned to the dead.

The paths are covered with coarse pebbles. Following Jewish custom, we collected pebbles, and both of us put a pebble in front of each cross. Deep down inside I begged for forgiveness. I suppose these people were too weak to continue walking, so it was easiest for the SS myrmidons to do away with them, to murder them. 

Holocaust-Dinkdag 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(Iismaand 1998)


Den 27. [seuven-un-twintigsden] Januaar 1945 [negentain hunnerd fiiv un feertig] hebt de Russen dat Kontsentrotschoonsloger Auschwitz befreid. Naa foevtig jaar het uns Bundespräsident Roman Herzog 1995 [negentain hunnerd fiiv un negentig] d'n 27. Januaar tou d'n ,,Holocaust Gedenktag'' noymd. In ganss Duytschland woerd' an dat sware schicksaal dacht wat minschen in de KZs [kaa-tsets] hebt dregen muessd. Politiker un euverlevende hebt an de dinksteden krents daal-legd. 1998 [negentain hunnerd acht un negentig] woyrden tou disse feirstuend junge minschen uut Tschechien, Frankriik un Duytschland in-laadt in unsen Bundesdag. Recht soo! De Direkter fun de Jerusalemer ,,Holocaust-Gedenkstätte Yad Vashem'', Yehuda Bauer, het daartou op-roupen dat Duytsche un Juden meinsaam leiren uut d'n Holocaust trekken schullen. Ouk het hei daarfoer waarschoud de Nazis bloots tou ferduyveln; dat woyr 'n billige uutflugt. Fergeten? Nee! Vergeven, wen moyglich, jaa. De ur-enkel-generaatschoon fun de Nazi-ferbrekers harren de moyglichkait naa de feir mit de opper fun juem er anen in 'n kaffee mit dei tou snakken dei de hoel in de KZ's euver-leevd harren. Dat grusen stuend juem in de ougen schreven.

In d'n Michelimaand woyrn miin man un ik in Baiern. Op d'n weg fun uns hotel naa Traunstein woerden wii op 'n wiisschild mit de opschrivt ,,Gedenkstätte'' wiis'. Uns dreev' dat daar hin. Euver 'n steinern trep ful moos un 'n klapperige hultstang tou d'n fast-holden suend wii baiden olden minschen op d'n luetten barg stegen. Nuu bleev' uns de aten staan. Wii stuenden foer 'n groten dinkstein mit 'n wiithin sichtbaar kruyts baven op. In brongsse goten, erhaben grootboukstaven stait schreven:

Op de rueksiid fun d'n dinkstein is 'n Davidssteirn, ouk in brongsse goten, op-sett. Nuu wuess ik ouk dat hiir Juden ligt. Mit d'n Davidssteirn -- bii de Nazis woyr dat de ,,Judensteirn'' -- buen ik in miin dinken fourts bi Frou Professer Fränkel ween dei in Theresienstadt uem-broechd worden is un dei ik in miin hat dreeg'. Rund uem is disse karkhov mit 'n muur in-faatt. An de wand stait ouk hiir in grootboukstaven, likers in brongsse goten, schreven:

Foer dat dinkmol stait op 'n sokkel 'n brongsseluechter mit seuven arms. In 'n halvrund suend 66 [soess un soesstig] slichte kruytsen sett. In-bett suend sei fun uemmergroyn, behoydt un beschatt fun olden boumbestand. Hiir baven op dissen luetten barg hebt de kwalen 'n end funden un de doden 'n beten minschenwuerd trueg-kregen.

De weeg' suend mit grove kiselsteinen bestraid. Soo as dat bii de Juden aard is hebt wii uns stein op-soechd, un baide hebt wii foer jedet kruyts 'n stein legd. In miin deipstet binnersd hev ik af-beed daan. Seker woyrn disse minschen tou swach uem noch tou loupen; den woyr 't jaa dat einfachsde foer de SS-schergen juem uut d'n weg tou ruymen, juem uem tou bringen.

Holocaust Memorial Day   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal
(February 1998) 

The Russians liberated the concentration camp Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. In 1995, fifty years later, our federal president Roman Herzog declared January 27 "Holocaust Memorial Day" (in German). All over the country Germans contemplated the cruel fates people had met in the concentration camps. Politicians and survivors laid down wreaths at memorials. Young people from the Czech Republic, France and Germany had been invited to the 1998 ceremony. Rightly so! Yehuda Bauer, the director of the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, had called for both Germans and Jews to learn their lessons from the Holocaust. He had also advised against blaming only the Nazis, for that would mean evading the real issue. Forgetting? No! Forgiving if at all possible. After the ceremony (members of) the great-grandchildren generation of the Nazi criminals had the opportunity to talk with their forebear's victims in a café, with those that had survived hell in the concentration camps. Horror was written in their eyes.

Last September my husband and I visited Bavaria. On the way from our hotel to Traunstein we noticed a signpost with the (German) inscription "Memorial." Something drew us there. We old people climbed a ["small mountain" =] hill by way of mossy stone steps with a rickety wooden railing (alongside it). Then -- it took our breath away -- we stood in front of a large memorial stone, on top of it a cross that was visible from afar. Written there in raised letters cast in bronze it said (in German),

Attached to the reverse side of the memorial stone is a Star of David, also cast in bronze. So now we knew that there were Jews resting here. At the sight of the Star of David -- known as the "Jewish Star" among the Nazis -- my thoughts went back to Professor Fränkel's wife who had been murdered in Theresienstadt and whom I have been carrying in my heart. A wall surrounds this cemetery. Written on the wall, in capital letters cast in bronze, it says (in German):

A seven-branched bronze candelabra [= menorah] rests on a pedestal in front of the memorial. 66 plain crosses are arranged in a semi-circle. They are embedded in evergreen shrubbery, guarded and shaded by an ancient stand of trees. Up here, on this hill, the torments found an end and a little human dignity has been returned to the dead.

The paths are covered with coarse pebbles. Following Jewish custom, we collected pebbles, and both of us put a pebble in front of each cross. Deep down inside I begged for forgiveness. I suppose these people were too weak to continue walking, so it was easiest for the SS myrmidons to do away with them, to murder them.