It becomes necessary to roll one's eyes and shake one's head as we read Hitler's words yet again. How is it possible that he was the instigator but also let others think he was the victim? And why were so many so eager to hang on every word he said?
Today we visited the camp Terezin (Theresienstadt) about an hour from Prague. A garrison was located there, called the Small Fortress, and German soldiers filled that in the early war years. As the Red Army approached and Germans left, the Russians used that same garrison to detain German soldiers.
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| The Small Fortress also used the Arbeit Macht Frei sarcastic sign |
Terezin also was thought of as a resort town since it is named after Queen Maria Theresa. And the town itself became a waystation or transit point for prisoners taken there. Many elderly Jews were taken there, as well as those more well-to-do and/or famous. Barracks were set up for older and younger men, boys, girls, mothers with young children, women, and the elderly. The local residents were asked to evacuate their homes and whole families of prisoners could take over a house or apartment.
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| Jewish prisoners built a prayer room (locals call a synagogue) in a private Terezin home. |
More than 15,000 children were imprisoned in Terezin. How does one do this to children? There is no reason why 15,000 children, or even one child, should be imprisoned. While it was common for children to have classes and lessons and hobbies there, nonetheless imprisonment is not for children, in our estimation. Below are examples of some artwork found at Terezin and produced by its children.
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| By the end of WWII, only about a thousand of Terezin's children survived. |