This Day in History August 23, 2009

I was not aware of this holiday, and I think it a very important one.  On this date in 2009, European's Parliament passed a resolution that August 23 would be known as International Black Ribbon Day or European Remembrance Day for Victims of Nazism and Stalinism.  Canada also recognizes this day as Black Ribbon Day.

The question may be asked why August 23?  On this date in 1939, the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union was enacted. This agreement allowed both Germany and the USSR to invade Poland and Finland.  It was a sort of combined forces between them which did not end so well because ultimately, the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union.

Tens of millions of people died under these horrific regimes.  Unfortunately, I do not know if the world has learned from the past.  I believe that there are still countries today who are practicing similar atrocities to these regimes.  I would like to think nothing like this could ever happen, but I know of the depravity of humanity.  But at least this "holiday" gives us a way to remember the victims of these horrible times.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.day.kiev.ua/299803/
http://spinassassin.blogspot.com/2010/08/international-black-ribbon-day.html
http://blackribbonday.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Day_of_Remembrance_for_Victims_of_Stalinism_and_Nazism

This Day in History October 16, 1946

This event I will cover tonight is very somber.  I am sure there are those who would not agree with what action was taken, but I have to admit that I feel it was justified.  When heinous crimes are committed, I am in favor of the ultimate punishment but only when those being executed have been proven guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt.  I do realize that people are sometimes executed in error, but I cannot say that is the case here.

On this day in 1946, ten Nazi War criminals were executed.  The International War Crimes Tribunal had found all ten guilty but two weeks before. The trial had taken roughly ten months, and it was the first trial of its kind in history.  The defendants faced various charges including crimes against peace, crimes of war, and crimes against humanity.

Of the ten that were to be hanged, Herman Goering (one of the leaders) took a cyanide capsule the evening before the execution.  The other nine were executed systematically and quickly. I won't go into details here--if you are interested, you can check out the links at the end of the post.

The horrors that the Nazi party carried out during WWII under the direction of Hitler always anger me.  I don't think I will ever grow callous when I hear the stories.  I still find myself becoming quite emotional whenever I speak of it in a classroom, hear a story, or watch a movie about that time period.  I know that each period of human history has its horrific events, and this was definitely the worst during the 1930's and 1940's--at least as far as the Western World goes.

My earliest memories of the Holocaust stories were when I was in seventh grade.  I was one of the few students who skipped a year in math.  I was taking Algebra instead of Pre-Algebra.  We had a phenomenal teacher, and the school was preparing to go on a field trip to the Holocaust museum.  He prepared us by showing us video footage of the Holocaust.  I will never forget the black and white scenes that showed mass graves and bodies being shoveled into these mass graves.  I can see it crystal clear even as I type this.

I can only hope and pray that we learned something from what happened during WWII.  I sometimes worry that since our students are not learning very much about what happened in history that they may be doomed to repeat it.  But at least I can be encouraged that the majority of students I teach know who Hitler was and are somewhat familiar with what he did.  And they believe that what he did was wrong.  Maybe there is hope??  Of course, there is.  There is one Person who can solve the mess in which our world now finds herself!

If you are interested, check out these links:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nazi-war-criminals-executed
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/nurembergcont.htm

This Day in History September 15, 1935

Not a happy day in history today, I have to admit.  And if any of you know the significance of this symbol, you will know why.  On this day in 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were enacted in pre-WWII Germany.  Jewish Germans were stripped of their citizenship, and they became just "subjects" of the state.

I won't write too much about this here--I get too upset when I talk about the way Jews were treated by Hitler.  And I always am concerned that we have not learned from the past.  I hope and pray that a time like this will never occur again.

When Hitler first came to power in Germany, he had some ideas about a super-race in Germany that excluded the Jews.  Within the first year of his rule, Jews were removed from high profile positions and positions of power.  There were signs all over the country that said "Jews Not Welcome."  It was an accepted thing in Nazi Germany.

On this day, when the actual Nuremberg laws were enacted, these acts became an accepted part of "Aryan" culture.  Jews were forbidden to marry Aryans.  Jews struggled to buy food or even medicine.  And things only became worse as history bears out.

The worst part of this is the world's reaction.  I think that former British Prime Minister Lloyd George's response says it best--Hitler is a great man!  Hitler had the whole world fooled for a while.  And, of course, within the country of Germany itself, very few chose to stand up against Hitler.  Those who did met a bitter end.

With the enactment of these laws, the swastika also became the national symbol for Germans, and Jews were not allowed to display it.  But two months later, Hitler passed a supplemental law that defined various sects of Jewish races.

For more information, please see:

• http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nuremberg-race-laws-imposed
• http://jewishcurrents.org/september-15-the-nuremberg-laws-2728