FORT CARSON, Colo.-Both the heroes and atrocities of the Holocaust were remembered April 26 during a Days of Remembrance put on by the Fort Carson Equal Opportunity Program at the Wolf Dining Facility.
According to the Fort Carson EO office, the Holocaust was a time during World War II when approximately 11 million people were killed simply because of their skin color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or disabilities. The days of remembrance event is an annual time to memorialize those who died and survived, and recognize the heroes who emerged from what some say was the darkest hour in human history.
"Freedom and democracy are fragile. Wherever hatred and oppression occurs we have to stand up and protect our freedoms," said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Buono, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson equal opportunity officer. "The Holocaust is just an example of oppression that got out of hand and took away so many peoples' freedoms. So the days of remembrance is more than just memorializing the Holocaust and ... the people that died and survived ... it's also a reminder that we have to stand up and protect our freedoms."
Four candles were lit in remembrance of those affected by the Holocaust. The first candle representing the six millions Jews who were killed; the second candle was lit for the other five million plus who died because of their skin color, sexuality or disabilities; the third candle was lit to remember those who risked their own lives to hide and rescue those being sought after by the Nazis; the fourth was lit in the hopes that humanity would learn from its mistakes and that this time in history would never repeat itself.
Jack Adler, the sole survivor of his immediate family was the guest speaker for the day and told of his time during the Holocaust, his life and the hatred that fuels the evil of mankind.
"I have witnessed the darkest pages of human history," Adler said. "I spent five years and eight months in the Holocaust."
Adler talked about his time in concentration camps, death marches and ultimately his rescue by the United States May 1, 1945, where he was eventually moved to America to live with a foster family.
"The United States ... may not be a perfect nation, but it's the greatest nation on the face of the Earth," Adler said. "I am very proud to be an American. We have over 300 million people. We are represented by every race, ethnicity and religious group. It's a diversity we ought to be very proud of. It's a diversity that built and is continuing to build this great nation of ours."
Adler talked about respect and love between people of all races, religions and ethnicities, and that only through respect for others and the application of the proverbial golden rule - "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," - can events such as the Holocaust be avoided in the future.
"In order for us to survive as a people, we have learned to respect each other," Adler said. "Because mutual respect, guided by the golden rule, is key to the survival of humanity. Without it, we are going to continue to destroy each other."
Following Adlers' words, the Synergy Dance Academy performed a dance that re-enacted scenes from the Holocaust involving a young girl whose family was taken from her by the Nazis and executed.
"I think it helps people see how dramatic the events were," said Kari Tafoia, Synergy Dance Academy. "Although the content is kind of gruesome, the dancing kind of makes it a little more uplifting, a little more hopeful."
After a brief awards ceremony showing appreciation for all those involved in making the day happen, Brig. Gen. James Pasquarette, deputy commanding general for support, 4th Inf. Div., talked about how lucky Americans are to have the freedoms they do.
"We take a lot of things for granted as U.S. citizens, and ... citizens of other countries, they look at us with envy based on just our ability to walk down a street and say what we want to, and do what we want to," Pasquarette said. "The history of mankind has never been that way. So when you go to bed tonight, think about how lucky you are just to be Americans."
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