Robert Edsel's Blog

65th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which marks the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland. On January 17, 1945, the Nazis evacuated the camp, forcing some 60,000 prisoners on a death march to the Bergen-Belsen camp in Germany. On January 27, Soviet troops liberated the 7,500 prisoners who were left at Auschwitz because they were too weak.

Poland is marking the anniversary today with ceremonies and mass at Auschwitz, as well as the Third International Holocaust Forum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek will address the forum, and video messages are expected from US President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. 200 European Union dignitaries, Holocaust survivors, including 100 who were imprisoned at Auschwitz, and students will attend. Let us all take a few moments today to remember the victims of Nazi persecution. I found this short video clip on YouTube particularly moving.

Auschwitz haunts Soviet veteran (Click Link to Play Video)

Today marks the 71st anniversary of Kristallnacht, an evening in Germany when hundreds of synagogues were burned, thousands of shops destroyed, and many lives lost.  Nazi Germany’s attack on its Jewish population was fully underway and in the open for all to see.  Theft of their belongings, imprisonment, and mass murder, under the most gruesome and inhumane of circumstances, ensued.

While these horrific events took place in Germany, the lessons we should never forget are universal and lasting. We ignore them at our own peril as a civilization.  Anytime one person or one race preaches superiority at the expense of others, warning bells should sound.

We must therefore consider the fall of the Berlin wall 20 years ago an astounding moment of progress in modern civilization.  What a remarkable achievement that the end of the Cold War came with a spontaneous celebration, not the sound of gunfire or artillery.  It took a long time for this portion of World War II to come to its natural conclusion, but the moment did come.  It should never be overlooked, as a triumph for freedom, and a victory for a more hopeful Germany as a nation.

Leningrad, 1942

On this day 68 years ago, the Siege of Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg, began. Hitler’s plans for the Soviet Union were as simple as the orders he issued: erase it from the face of the Earth.

Leningrad, 1942

As early as September 12, 1941, city officials estimated that the supply of grain, flour and meat for BOTH ARMY AND CIVILIANS alike was a pitiful 40 some days. Rationing began immediately. Compounding the lack of food and other supplies was an exceptionally cold winter. In January and February, 1942, there were 200,000 or so deaths from starvation and freezing temperatures. I have been to St. Petersburg on two occasions and have personally experienced one of their February winters. It is cold unlike anything I have ever known – and I had a full stomach and was dressed for the occasion!

Visitors remembering those who died in the Siege of Leningrad at the Piskariovskoye Cemetery

The Siege, or Blokada as it is known in Russia, would last until January 18, 1944. By that time there would be almost 1 million victims – nearly a third of the population. Not surprisingly, the painful memories of the loss of that many people have left scars on the city and its citizens that are still acutely visible today. One need only visit the local cemetery, Piskariovskoye, to gain a sense of the 900 day nightmare that claimed family members among most everyone living in St. Petersburg today. The cemetery is always populated, often by families with grandparents and grandchildren. It is a deeply moving experience to witness.

A somber moment in the Piskariovskoye Cemetery

Anyone truly interested in understanding the Russian attitude towards returning to Germany works of art taken by Red Army soldiers at the end of World War II must spend time at Piskariovskoye cemetery. Any resolution of that lingering dispute must begin with an understanding of this catastrophic event.