Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Holocaust Rememberance Day


The International Holocaust Remembrance Day  is the first universal commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. January 27 is the date, in 1945, when the largest Nazi death camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau (Poland) was liberated by Soviets troops (Wikipedia).

Every year, on the 22nd January, this train wagon appears in Piazza Bra. It is quite impressive, rusty red and battered and it bears a dreadful chalk writing saying "54 stucke", the german for "54 pieces". This nightmare wagon was used from 1943 to 1945. It makes me shiver to think that innocent people were treated like "pieces" and shut in this iron box for a long, terrifying journey to Auschwitz-Birkenau. 


11 comments:

lunarossa said...

I did not know about this train wagon in Verona, Valeria. I think it's the right way to shock people and make them think about the horros of the past. All the best. A.

Tamera said...

It gives me chills just looking at it. Even so, I'm glad you posted it here. We must never forget.

Babzy.B said...

Your shot really moves me , we had to remember !

Saretta said...

This is an important day for everyone, Valeria. I'm impressed with Verona for doing this every year. Your photo is appropriately dark.

Dawn Newsome said...

That train car looks so out of place among the beauty of Verona. It is good to be reminded of that horrible time.
Dawn

Saretta said...

p.s. I tagged you on my blog, come see...

Anonymous said...

Your photo surely shows the ugliness and horror that can descend upon the places where we live if we don't resist it.

rob said...

Quel vagone fa rabbrividire.
Ottima l'iniziativa di esibirlo annualmente! che brividi.

Ming the Merciless said...

It's a sobering reminder of how bad humanity can be sometimes.

USelaine said...

This is a moving post, and an important tradition for Verona. Thanks for showing it here.

Unknown said...

This is not easy to look at in a photo, I imagine in real life the effect must be much more disturbing. A painful but important reminder.

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