Thank you for this very personal message, Ben. My family experienced the horrors of the holocaust and your message is a reminder of man’s inhumanity to man and how it can happen here. God bless you and your family and all the work you do and please stay safe.
Thank you for this very personal message, Ben. My family experienced the horrors of the holocaust and your message is a reminder of man’s inhumanity to man and how it can happen here. God bless you and your family and all the work you do and please stay safe.
My family also lost many in the Holocaust. This is gut wrenching and must be stopped. I applaud your work and am spreading the word. My heart is with you.
Many of my mother's relatives were lost in the Great Walk; the Trail of Tears when Natives were rounded up and marched across the country. I keep thinking some day things will change and people will just be people without the hate and discrimination but it seems every couple generations we get reminded again how ugly people can be.
You are so correct. Before 2016, I had been living in a bubble where I had met many people who shared my philosophies, and I had begun to believe the country had become people just allowing people to be who they are, letting hate drain away. Trump was like being hit in the head with a lead pipe. His cult of angry haters smacked me back to a reality that I didn't want to accept.
My family lost a beloved son fighting the nazis in the Battle of Normandy in 1944. Several years ago, my husband and I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau to bear witness in his memory.
Like Ben's, my fight against trump and maga is personal. Never in my six decades of life did I think that I, too, would have to battle fascists--in my own country. But I am up for it, and trying to do some small thing every day to resist and help others resist. I am so grateful for Ben, the Meidas Touch Network, and this powerful community.
He was my father's brother--his only sibling, and the uncle I never knew. He was my grandmother's son. Loss of her son continues to ache down the generations, as such losses undoubtedly do in all Gold Star families.
I have the same kind of connection to the right against the NAZIs. Thankfully, my ancestors had left Germany about 80 year's before arriving in the US in the early 1900s. My mother was the strongest woman I have ever known. Through years of fighting breast cancer, until it eventually killed her, she never once broke down. The only time she ever cried was once when I was young, I asked her about her twin brother that I'd never meet. He was 24 when he was shot down over Italy in 1945. That pain never left her or the rest of their family, but I'm incredibly proud of all 3 of my uncles who fought bravely in that war .
Through research I found our family members who were murdered in Theresienstadt. Recently read Jan T. Gross, "Revolution From Abroad," which concentrates on the Soviet occupation in Eastern Poland starting +- Sept 7, 1938. . All of Mr Gross' books particularly "Neighbors" feel in the moment here with the new regime. Stay Safe
I love this reference. My mom's mom, I'm told, was born in Prussia. Now Poland? Married an American soldier, my grandfather. I don't know much about my grandmother but sounds like she had a pretty lonely life with a controlling, isolating, abusive husband. They both passed before I was 5 yrs old. Time for me to get to know something about Gramma Zacharias. Thank You! 💜
You can try FamilySearch. Which is free for starters. Around the holidays. One of their volunteers indexed papers from 1896 where for the only time my GGF noted he arrived from Mariupol. He had entered “Rusland’ on any other document I had located. So it’s a challenge. But, very satisfying at times. Also when you search you take your mind off everything else!
Have you ever read the story of Geddy Lee, the bassist and frontman for Rush? Both parents survived and he’s always been very vocal and proud of his heritage. Truly inspiring book “My Ef**ing life.
Thank you for this very personal message, Ben. My family experienced the horrors of the holocaust and your message is a reminder of man’s inhumanity to man and how it can happen here. God bless you and your family and all the work you do and please stay safe.
My family also lost many in the Holocaust. This is gut wrenching and must be stopped. I applaud your work and am spreading the word. My heart is with you.
Many of my mother's relatives were lost in the Great Walk; the Trail of Tears when Natives were rounded up and marched across the country. I keep thinking some day things will change and people will just be people without the hate and discrimination but it seems every couple generations we get reminded again how ugly people can be.
You are so correct. Before 2016, I had been living in a bubble where I had met many people who shared my philosophies, and I had begun to believe the country had become people just allowing people to be who they are, letting hate drain away. Trump was like being hit in the head with a lead pipe. His cult of angry haters smacked me back to a reality that I didn't want to accept.
I think a lot of us felt that way and didn't really feel like we had any place to turn or anyone to listen.
Especially now, as Brando pointed out, they have dropped all pretense and are including Hitler in useful examples for teaching our children.
Yes, NO pretense. We should be very concerned 😧.
My family lost a beloved son fighting the nazis in the Battle of Normandy in 1944. Several years ago, my husband and I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau to bear witness in his memory.
Like Ben's, my fight against trump and maga is personal. Never in my six decades of life did I think that I, too, would have to battle fascists--in my own country. But I am up for it, and trying to do some small thing every day to resist and help others resist. I am so grateful for Ben, the Meidas Touch Network, and this powerful community.
May the memory of your lost son last forever. During times like this the saying “all we have is each other” really rings true.
He was my father's brother--his only sibling, and the uncle I never knew. He was my grandmother's son. Loss of her son continues to ache down the generations, as such losses undoubtedly do in all Gold Star families.
I have the same kind of connection to the right against the NAZIs. Thankfully, my ancestors had left Germany about 80 year's before arriving in the US in the early 1900s. My mother was the strongest woman I have ever known. Through years of fighting breast cancer, until it eventually killed her, she never once broke down. The only time she ever cried was once when I was young, I asked her about her twin brother that I'd never meet. He was 24 when he was shot down over Italy in 1945. That pain never left her or the rest of their family, but I'm incredibly proud of all 3 of my uncles who fought bravely in that war .
Through research I found our family members who were murdered in Theresienstadt. Recently read Jan T. Gross, "Revolution From Abroad," which concentrates on the Soviet occupation in Eastern Poland starting +- Sept 7, 1938. . All of Mr Gross' books particularly "Neighbors" feel in the moment here with the new regime. Stay Safe
Thank you for that reference Sarah, will check it out. Rough road ahead.
Neighbors is a compelling read you might check your library. I read it straight thru
Absolutely! Check out Nazi Town, USA. An American Experience: Season 36, Episode 1.
I didn't grow up too far from one of the Bund Hitler children's camps north of Milwaukee.
I just looked this up I hadn’t realized how organized the camps were here in the US
Also thanks, Sara. I’ll also check it out.
I love this reference. My mom's mom, I'm told, was born in Prussia. Now Poland? Married an American soldier, my grandfather. I don't know much about my grandmother but sounds like she had a pretty lonely life with a controlling, isolating, abusive husband. They both passed before I was 5 yrs old. Time for me to get to know something about Gramma Zacharias. Thank You! 💜
You can try FamilySearch. Which is free for starters. Around the holidays. One of their volunteers indexed papers from 1896 where for the only time my GGF noted he arrived from Mariupol. He had entered “Rusland’ on any other document I had located. So it’s a challenge. But, very satisfying at times. Also when you search you take your mind off everything else!
My parents were both Holocaust victims. They lost close relatives who were shot in oil fields and gassed.
Have you ever read the story of Geddy Lee, the bassist and frontman for Rush? Both parents survived and he’s always been very vocal and proud of his heritage. Truly inspiring book “My Ef**ing life.
I haven’t but will look for it. Thanks
I am glad your parents survived. Sending love
I too appreciate your personal story. Our stories have power.
I didn’t know where we were from. After I followed Timothy Snyders class The Making of Modern Ukraine. I started searching