Congress establishes day to remember Holcaust victims

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ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Congress established the Days of Remembrance as our nation's annual commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust. This year's observance falls during the week of April 27-May 4, with May 2 being the actual Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah in Hebrew). 

The Holocaust was the systematic murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators. Between the German invasion of the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941 and the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, Nazi Germany and its accomplices strove to murder every Jew under their domination. Because Nazi persecution of the Jews began with Hitler's accession to power in January 1933, many historians consider this the start of the Holocaust era. The Jews were not the only victims of Hitler's regime, but they were the only group that the Nazis sought to annihilate.
While Holocaust is the common name used for this tragedy since the 1960s among the English-speaking world; the event was historically referred to as Shoah by the Jews themselves, which has a slightly different meaning. Holocaust is from an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures and originally meant a sacrificial offering that was burnt completely, until nothing was left. Some people object to using this term, as it suggests some sort of sacrificial or religious significance to the event. The word Shoah is Hebrew and when translated means "a great catastrophe". 

The theme for this year's Days of Remembrance is "Do Not Stand Silent: Remembering Kristallnacht 1938". Kristallnacht refers to a state sponsored anti-Jewish riot that occurred throughout Germany on November 9th and 10th, 1938. The literal translation of the German word Kristallnacht is "Night of Crystal", but it has become more commonly known as the "Night of Broken Glass" because of the countless windows of Jewish homes, stores, and synagogues that were smashed by Nazi Party officials and local citizens. 

During the 48 hour rampage thousands of Jews were assaulted, their property was vandalized or destroyed and synagogues were burned to the ground. About 100 Jews were killed and nearly 30,000 were arrested and deported to concentration camps where they were brutalized for the next several months before being released and told to leave Germany. 

Although many German citizens disapproved of the events of those days, very few took action to try to stop the wanton violence. Kristallnacht proved to be a turning point in Germany's treatment of the Jews. German Jews were systematically stripped of their citizenship and basic human rights. This dehumanization of the Jews culminated in the Holocaust (Shoah). 

The Holocaust stands as a horrifying testament to the consequences of racism and discrimination. We owe it to ourselves and our children to ensure that the lessons of the event are not forgotten. 

The 3rd Wing is hosting a Holocaust memorial service at 2 p.m. May 2 at Chapel 2. All Elmendorf personnel are invited to attend. 

For more information about the Holocaust or the Days of Remembrance observance, visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum website at www.ushmm.org. 

(Information provided by the 3rd Medical Group)