There are no reparations, no donations, no retributions that can make up for the horrors committed during the holocaust. It has been said that the best way to honor the both the victims and survivors of that darkest time in human history is to make sure it never happens again. The only way to make sure that no human ever gets the chance to do so again is to make sure that the world never forgets the toll that such evil takes.
There are a number of organizations dedicated to the memory of the holocaust and its victims that accept donations of time and money, but there is no more visceral and moving way to evoke the memory of those who died than to encounter it first hand. Barring a trip to Auschwitz or Warsaw, there is no better place to visit than the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.
This is in no way an advertisement, admission is free in any case, but rather a calling to any and all who appreciate the need to keep the memory of the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany against the minorities of Europe alive.
The main feature of the museum is a three floor exhibit displaying over 900 artifacts recovered from camps or donated by survivors and family members who suffered through the holocaust. There are also four theaters and dozens of video monitors displaying historical footage and documentary films.
Exhibits include:
– The Tower of Faces: This exhibit includes over 1,000 reproductions of photographs depicting life in small Jewish community in Lithuania whose population was exterminated over the course of two days. The tower extends upwards through three floors of the museum.
The Railcar: This is one of the most chilling pieces in the museum. It is a actual railway car used by the Germans to transport people en masse to concentration camps. The hardy are invited to enter the railcar, although the weight of such incredible suffering hangs heavy in the cramped space.
Crematorium: A dissecting table and crematorium used for human experimentation and disposal of remains.
So, for those who believe that the only way to prevent travesties like the Nazi holocaust is to keep its memory alive, a visit to the Holocaust Memorial Museum will be a grim but deeply moving experience. In addition to maintaining the museum, the organization also promotes holocaust awareness and education around the globe, thus donations are greatly appreciated.
Let's stop this from even happening again. Help us stop Holocaust Denial by purchasing our Exclusive "Hitler's Children" DVD. Proceeds are used for Holocuast research and to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive.
Photo credit: The National Guard / Foter.com / CC BY