A Haunting History

Today began in lazy fashion with a sleep-in - oh the bliss of holidays!! Ami and I went for a walk into the city having brunch in the theatre district. Government regulations have prohibited Sunday trading for all stores other than family run operations, so there were far fewer shops open and only a smattering of tourists.

We plodded towards the parliament building. Another glorious spring day provided a beautiful backdrop for our meandering.

Not far from the parliament building is a haunting tribute to the victims of the militia group known as Arrow Cross who stood Hungarian Jews on the river bank and shot them in the back letting them fall into the river to be swept away. This tribute is known as Shoes on the Denube.

"There is no doubt that this persecution of Jews in Hungary and their expulsion from enemy territory is probably the greatest and most horrible crime ever committed in the whole history of the world...." ~ Winston Churchill, July 11, 1944

Over 500,000 Hungarian Jews were killed during WWII. The Jews from towns were rounded up first with a third of Auschwitz's prisoners originating from Hungary. 

Hungarian Auschwitz survivor and recently deceased Nobel Laureate, Imre Kertesz, wrote, "The world is not our imagination but our nightmare, full of inconceivable surprises." It is truly inconceivae and unimaginable the horrors that these people faced and it was sobering and humbling to walk the same streets and stand where these people stood. Mothers, brothers, sisters and fathers. 

I was reminded of the words of the German Pastor Martin Niemöller,"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

It struck me that there are people being persecuted today in every corner of our fallen world whose voices cannot be heard over the cacophony of white noise. 

The white noise of greed.

The white noise of arrogance.

The white noise of pride.

The white noise of ignorance.

The white noise of envy.

The white noise of unforgiveness.

The white noise of distraction.

The white noise of inaction.

Let us not forget the mistakes of the past. Let us not be passive in the face of human suffering. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest." ~ Elie Wiesel