25.7.03

More on the new Belzec monument
Deathcamps.org, probably the most thorough Aktion Reinhard-site online, has photos of the work in progress and descriptions of the future monument in Belzec, which is currently being constructed.
Read more here.
posted by Mikkel at 15:31

17.7.03

Sobibor survivour dies
Chaim Engel, one of the last survivours of the revolt in Sobibor has died, 87 years old.
The New York Times has the obituary here.
posted by Mikkel at 10:08

5.7.03

Plagerism by Danish Holocaust-deniers stopped
As reported earlier, the pathetic gathering of Danish Holocaust-deniers attempted to hijack visitors by mimicking the URL of an educational site at the Danish Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. In a ruling from early June it was decided that the use of the domain was illegal, and stripped the deniers of the right to use the domain. As a result they've adopted the rather appropriate domain holocaust.nu ("nu" means now in Danish...), and has issued an indignant and whining press-release complaining about the verdict. Very amusing, albeit in Danish only.
posted by Mikkel at 04:04

3.7.03

The Belzec Memorial
The construction of a memorial in Belzec has been underway for several years, and it seems something may finally come of it. That is, if this lawsuit is not successful.

Norman Salsitz of Livingston, N.J., sued the AJCommittee in U.S. District Court in Washington on Monday. He is claiming that a $4 million memorial the group is building to honor the estimated 600,000 victims of Belzec, in southeastern Poland, will disturb the remains of Jews that the Nazis burned, ground up and mixed into the camp´s soil in a ghastly coverup effort.

I understand the concern about the planned memorial, but having visited the site of the Belzec camp several times I think building it is important. Belzec today is a desolate and negleted site, strewn with little fragments of bone upon which people walk, and with a crumbling monument which makes no mention of the fact that those killed in the camp were in fact overwhelmingly Jewish. The feeling one gets from visiting the site, is a overwhelming sense that this place is forgotten by the world, a site about which nobody cares. I've had a chance to see the design planned for the future memorial, and I think it is very much appropriate. It will seal off access to most of the site, which is in effect a huge graveyard, allowing only access through the pathway mentioned in the article.

Rabbi Weiss, an opponent of the project makes the following point:

"It´s like the World Trade Center" site, Weiss said. "If anyone tried to bore holes, to do what has occurred at Belzec, they would be reviled."

I think it's an appropriate comparison, though I disagree with the conclusion. The site of WTC has also been marked out for a monumental memorial monument and Ground Zero has also had to be rearranged in order to accomodate that. Assuming that this is done with the greatest amount of care and respect for those killed and buried at the site, I think making a such memorial is not only appropriate, it's long over due.

posted by Mikkel at 16:57