Grace M. Watson: Let Us Never Forget

The line between good and evil crosses a single human heart
Inspired by Magda Brown's view on forgiveness

            Reflecting on an impression of a collection of artifacts related to such a massive tragedy in humanity’s history is not easy to put into words; simply put, last week our class made a visit to Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, Illinois and received a lecture from Hungarian Jewish Auschwitz survivor, Magda Brown. This description only explains a location and an encounter, but the experience of standing within an authentic 1930’s boxcar that transported people to death camps is more eerie than words can express. Magda Brown’s story was even more impactful, as first-hand experiences of Auschwitz are not common.

            I have studied the events of the Holocaust fairly extensively, and most recently in a course called Suffering and Forgiveness. Films and books cannot compare to the emotional effect of seeing Jewish stars, concentration camp clothing, or miniature models of the intricate Auschwitz. Everything with a clear design for mechanized murder. One document in the museum stood out, with a chart and detailed instructions of how to measure and cut a mass grave, so that many victims can be lined up, shot and fall directly in. Execution planned like any kind of engineering. Some perpetrators treated it like a job and others seemed to enjoy it. Enjoy the mass murder of a race and religion; enjoy the murdering of innocents.

            Magda Brown had a magnificent spirit to her. She was full of hope and joy and she seemed to tell her story as if it happened to someone else, with calm tones and neutral facial expressions. Explaining the pain of hunger and thirst, to only think of a sip of water for days on end. As a young teenager, small to begin with, and shedding sixty pounds in her stay in the camp. To simply state that she felt more like an animal at times, while maintaining composure. Meanwhile, I was tearing up from the first few words of her detailed encounter. She recalled that of her seventy Jewish family members, only six survived. The fact that anyone survived such a hell is still beyond comprehension to me. She was changed by her imprisonment, and in some ways it appeared to free her from fear of death and enlighten her to appreciate the small blessings that life offers us. She is even bold enough to speak often with grandchildren of SS soldiers. Magda discussed the concept of hate and she emphasized the need to highly reconsider the hatred of anyone, but especially a category of people. Hatred is a disease, like cancer, and she has chosen to transcend above hatred. Let us never forget; never again.

Never Again: Auschwitz Crematorium

Haley Malinowski: "Remember the past to restore the future"

On Saturday May 21 2016, our class got the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Museum in Skokie, IL, and hear Mrs. Magda Brown speak of her experience in the Holocaust. I had the chance to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C when I was in eighth grade, but I had forgotten how many feelings truly do show when visiting and listening to a survivor’s story. 

While hearing Mrs. Magda Browns story all I was wondering was how she stayed so strong while talking about and remembering such awful events that her community, family, and herself experienced. She spoke about her experience in the ghetto and then in the concentration camps. It must have been very hard to live her life, but yet she is one on the strongest people I had ever met. She maintained such composure while speaking of things that none of us could even imagine going through: watching as her family got separated once they reached the concentration camps; witnessing how, while in the ghetto, her aunt was brutally beat and died because she would not tell the SS officers where her valuables were located. Things like this make you wonder how survivors of the holocaust had the strength and how they kept such good faith during and even after this terrible time.

I have always loved researching and learning about the holocaust. I had the chance to visit the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C, but listening to Mrs. Brown speak was truly a special treat. She talked with such grace and was so open to teaching the younger generations about these horrific events, in the hope that we will learn and make sure nothing like this happens again. Mrs. Brown mentioned a quote that has stuck with me and is something we should all live by. “Remember the past to restore the future.” She wants to teach and make sure that everyone remembers the past and these awful times so in the future nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again.

Julia Duran: It Is Up to "You"

            Today we traveled by van to Skokie, IL to visit the Holocaust Museum, where, prior to touring the museum, we would hear Magda Brown, a survivor, speak. I listened to Magda Brown a few years ago when she visited Methodist College.  Her speech was very moving and I always wanted to see the museum, but I never had the chance before. I did not know what to expect for our visit.  The museum felt like a fortress in some ways because it was constructed mostly of concert and simple lines; the colors were mostly gray and black with very dim lighting and the mood was very somber. It was a stark contrast from the sunny day outside. It was if a mood or feeling settled around me that was a reminder of why we took this journey; the reason a museum such as this exists is because of the near extinction of a race of people.

            Magda Brown talked about how young she was when she went through that timeframe before and leading up to her time spent in the concentration camp. She talked about being spoiled and the only girl in the family, so she had many nice things and wanted for nothing. Until her neighborhood was turned into a ghetto for all the Jews in the surrounding areas. She had 40 people assigned to live in her home. She talked about that day being the day she learned how to share, because there were girls her age that needed clothes or shoes. This made me think about my life and my children and how they have more than they could even ask for. What would I do if faced with the same situation and would they so generously give away their belongings to complete strangers? I would like to think they would, but as a parent I cannot imagine the struggle these Jewish parents faced trying to remain strong for their families knowing that they would most likely die. Magda talked about when she was separated from her parents and that she did know until later that it was the last time they would see each other. She must have felt devastated when she realized what happened to them and that she was all alone. 

            After Mrs. Brown finished her presentation, we went through the museum. It felt like a journey through that time; it was laid out in such a way that took you from the beginning to the end of the Holocaust. There were pictures, artifacts, and videos of Holocaust survivors talking about their experiences. As I walked through the different areas I found myself reflecting on my own children and what would I do if faced with the same situation. There were videos that showed mass graves and people being shot in such a way that they rolled into the grave almost as if they buried themselves. One father spoke of throwing his daughter into the grave and then lying on top of her amongst all the bodies, waiting for dark so they could try to escape. At one moment a German solider stood on top of him and was using his bayonet to try and find anyone that survived the shootings. I cannot imagine being inches from death, hiding in a grave with my daughter. Would she be able to stay quiet and not freak out or would she be paralyzed by fear? Those are feelings I never wish to experience but sadly there are many other nations that still suffer similar horrors and fears.

The ending video had a strong message: never again. In closing it left it up to ‘you’ to make sure this never happens again. I think one thing I can do is encourage others to visit the museum to experience this part of our past, so we can try and learn from the past and stop repeating these horrific injustices on humanity.

JoEllyn Parks: An Experience That Leaves You With Many Emotions

            After having the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Museum in Skokie, IL over the weekend, I have a very different perspective about some of the events that occurred during the Holocaust. I have been in numerous classes that have gone into great detail about the Holocaust, but upon arriving at the museum itself, nothing can prepare a person for the emotions that will hit him or her. The museum is far from what any book or blog post can tell you. To start, my class and I were introduced to a Holocaust survivor named Magda Brown. She was the sweetest, kindest, and most compassionate woman that I have talked to. Before hearing her heart-breaking story about what her family was forced to go through during the Holocaust, I never would have guessed she was any different than the “average Jo.” While she told her story, I could not help but think about how horrible it must have been to go through a tragedy such as this. She was the youngest in her family and was forced to give everything up to the Nazi Soldiers. She was able to tell her story so vividly that I could envision myself there with her. 

After Magda Brown had finished her story, I was able to walk around and visit the museum. There was a total of 29 rooms, each with a different event that occurred during the Holocaust. As I made my way through, I saw different short films, pictures, post cards, books, journals, clothes, and even a real authentic train car in which the Nazis “shipped” Jews to the concentration camps. The museum itself was a trip back in time. It captured each of these events in such a way that I really felt that I was experiencing them with those people. The overall atmosphere of the museum allowed for me to really take into consideration how lucky I am today. I take so much for granted without realizing that those people had everything taken away. 

Overall, the trip to the Holocaust Museum is one that I would highly recommend students, teachers, and parents to put on their list to do. It is an experience that will leave you with so many different emotions… it is hard to know what to say or do. I think that this experience has really opened my eyes up to the different problems that the world has been forced to go through long before I was here. There is no doubt in my mind that the Holocaust was a real event that occurred in time, despite what some try to say. This tragedy took the lives of many husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and children by the thousands. Today, I have changed my outlook on so many of the events that happened during the Holocaust because of the museum.