Science Forums 2

[lemit]

Well, a few weeks ago I got a lot of help in getting people to remember the Holocaust. That memory seems to be waning now, so I guess it's time to go back to work.

The postwar German authors are remarkable to me because they see devastation everywhere and see the possibility of their own responsibility for that devastation. Their response is to be the first voices of postwar Germany and the beginning of a theme all German school children were taught: "We must never forget."

Alexander, thank you for the family history. Don't feel bad about the difficulty in remembering. That's what family history is. That's cultural transmission. That's what I want here.

James von Brunn is an illustration of the problem the postwar German authors wanted to preclude. They thought (naively) that if the world never forgot the Holocaust, maybe the world wouldn't be tempted to repeat it. The world has shown its ability to ignore them many times, in Cambodia, Bosnia, Darfur, and all the places I'd like Hypographers to help me help other people to remember.

It is only by continuing the debate that we will continue to raise the level of discomfort with events like the Holocaust. We should never feel comfort after such an event. All the thorns in our sides serve their purposes.

So thank you Alexander, for your story and your challenge. They are both part of the intricate fabric we need to weave as long as we are capable. There are so many whose memory needs to be preserved.

--lemit