ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- In 1944, 14-year-old Irving Roth arrived at Auschwitz with several members of his family, surrounded by dark buildings, Nazi guards with dogs, and chimneys belching flames. He was immediately separated from much of his family, watching in horror as they were marched into "group showers" where they were gassed to death then incinerated.
Roth, now the director of the Holocaust Resource Center, Temple Judea of Manhasset, New York, survived the Holocaust nightmare. More than 70 years later, he tells his story in the hopes of educating the world about what he feels leads to Holocaust-like atrocities, and how to avoid allowing it to happen again.
Roth spoke to members of Rock Island Arsenal during a Holocaust Observance, coined "Learning from the Holocaust: Choosing to Act" in Heritage Hall, April 21.
"In some humility, I want to thank you," he said. "Thank those who worked in this place during the time of the 1940s. Because it is the weaponry and the manpower that came from this place, and other places in America that are responsible for me being alive. And for that, I want to thank you, and those who worked here before you.
"I was liberated by the American Army on April 11, 1945, in a place called Buchenwald, a concentration camp. What was I doing there? What crime did I commit, that I, a 15-year-old Jewish boy, was in a concentration camp?"
Roth explained the groundwork that was laid leading to mass-murdering of Jews across much of Europe in the 1940s.
"How did I get there? I got there because humanity was transformed," he said. "How is that possible to take several nations, law-abiding, moral, ethical, intelligent, educated, cultured people and transform them into murderers?
"It's a simple process. It's called demonization. I was the demon. I became a demon because of an ideology, that the Jew was the cause of all problems in the world."
Roth mentioned "the signposts on the road to Auschwitz" several times during his speech -- a phrase he says is meant to remind people how quickly similar atrocities can occur if we take our lives for granted and don't remain aware of the events leading up to World War II.
"It's a lesson," he said. "Remember the signposts, and observe what is happening today, in any place and every place. Remember, it's possible to create another Holocaust, so we need to be aware, and prevent it early."
Sgt. 1st Class Marion Wilson, Equal Opportunity adviser, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, who puts together observances for the arsenal, said he was able to take a very powerful message from the program: "Indifference and inaction always mean coming down on the side of the victimizer, never on the side of the victim," he said. "Indifference in the face of evil is acquiescence with evil itself."
"I've been excited for this observance since we initially started the planning phase," he said. "Mr. Roth is such a powerful speaker and his message really empowers people. It empowers me."
The event began with the national anthem, sung by Shawn Gibson. After the invocation, led by ASC Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Robert Land, a short video entitled "Why We Remember" was shown, followed by Roth's speech and a candle lighting.
Six candles were lit by members of Rock Island Arsenal and Roth, each representing 1 million Jews killed in the Holocaust.
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