Holocaust Memorial at AUM

Every year for the last 10 years or so, my sister and I have attended the Holocaust Memorial program at the AUM Gym.  This year's date is April 25, 2012 (Wednesday) at 9:30 a.m.  It lasts until noon.

As with WWII veterans, the numbers of the Holocaust survivors are disappearing and there are few left in Alabama to share their compelling stories.  Only this week, there was an article about the dwindling number of survivors in Israel and how many of them are homeless. 

Schools participate in essay contests about the genocide and the program is very moving.  Speakers have been Alabama’s survivors, Max Steinmetz, Max Herzel and Lt. Col. Robert Lieberman.  So much is said and written about how the Israelites are the Chosen People and how we should support them yet I see very few churches represented.  Perhaps we should all read again the timeless poem by Martin Niemöller, "Then, They Came for Me." 

In the 2007 program, it was stated that "the Nazi Regime exterminated 11.5 million people, including 6.5 million Jews (40% of their population) and 5 million Christians.” Of the 6.5 million, I believe it was stated that 1.5 million were children.

Also noted was that the crematoriums annihilated 5,000 people a day--the equivalency of the Auburn Montgomery student body [in 2007]; at that rate, the entire city of Montgomery would be executed in 43 days."  [From a 2007 article written by me.]