---

I took a trip to the Cincinnati Museum Center with my sister, Pam, and my wife, Lisa, to go through a Holocaust traveling exhibit from Poland, the title being “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.” 

There were many people visiting this part of the museum. A guide told me that they have been averaging 1,500 people each day, with the weekend numbers ranging much higher. I would encourage you to attend if possible; however, the exhibit ends on Sunday, April 12.

The exhibit has over 500 original artifacts and 37 stations. Before entering, we were given something like a phone. You simply punch in the number of the station and listen to a short video. It is an extensive exhibit which can last anywhere from two to four hours, depending on how much you wish to devote to details. Benches are provided to sit down as well as Kleenex boxes for tears.

Eva Kor was in one video I watched. Eva, a Holocaust survivor with her twin sister, Miriam, came to our Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation in 2015. They were twins and among the few children spared due to experimental studies by the Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele. She spoke for one hour in the Hauser gym and had the full attention of all of us receiving a standing ovation afterward.

Well, the Auschwitz exhibit had the full attention of all passing through too. No one talked. I would often gasp and shake my head in disbelief. One million people met their fate at the camp in five years from 1940-1945. Some died from starvation, disease, forced labor, and executions, but a high majority died in the gas chambers.

An extremely difficult part was hearing how babies and children were immediately murdered. Baby shoes, among the many artifacts, was chilling. There was a video of families enjoying the company of one another in their homes and towns before being herded into railroad freight cars and cattle cars with each car containing one bucket for the bathroom and one with drinking water. It was ironic that next door to the exhibit were children with their parents playing in the Duke Energy Children's Museum.

Pam spent four hours in the exhibit and stated: “It was quite an emotional experience. I was not aware of the world secrecy, how the Nazis deceived all. The visual presentations were heartbreaking. There was some actual footage of the atrocities. I listened carefully to survivors expressing important lessons with one to not forget, to never allow such destruction of humanity to happen again.”

At the end, there was a poem and prayer from a book by Charlotte Delbo, an Auschwitz survivor who has a library in Paris named in her honor, which I wish to share:

“You who are passing by
I beg you
do something
learn a dance step
something to justify your existence
something that gives you the right
to be dressed in your skin in your body hair
learn to walk and to laugh
because it would be too senseless
after all
for so many to have died
while you live
doing nothing with your life.”

When buying Eva's book in 2015, “Surviving The Angel Of Death,” and requesting an autograph, I saw the number stamped on her arm when she was very young. She ended her speech at Hauser with the following life lessons:

“Never ever give up on yourself or your dreams, for everything good in life is possible.”

“Judge people on their actions and the content of their character.”

“Forgive your worst enemy and forgive everyone who has hurt you-it will heal your soul and set you free.”

Eva, like many other survivors, is no longer with us. There are mostly Auschwitz children still alive today with the median age of 87.

I still need to travel to Terre Haute to visit the Holocaust museum Eva opened, CANDLES Holocaust Museum & Education Center, that recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary.

Most importantly, I need to think more about the lessons learned from those who suffered greatly and to “do something” as stressed by Charlotte Delbo.