I have been experiencing some tenseness about this anniversary. I am fortunate to have discovered the great innovations that have taken place with technology and Holocaust education. Which led to my activist work with Auschwitz and education here in the United States. I was honored to be invited to attend the 80th anniversary, which seems so big to me. How can I mentally prepare to attend, witness this event, and let alone stand were so many suffered and were murdered.

As I grappled with this tautness in my chest holding me back from really committing to going I started to read Director Piotr M. A. Cywininski’s book Epitaph. Here he address the uniqueness of Auschwitz in the chapter The Place. He spoke of the two strongest pillars of the Auschwitz narrative: the voices of the survivors, and the authenticity of the place, coming together. These two form to create what must one must experience. Words alone cannot fill the void of knowing this place. Yet only hearing words of the survivors can one truly capture human suffering or emotion, as you stand on that ground. This is a real human accounting of the past at that place, as a number recorded in a log book replaced name.

That there are actual survivors voices that will speak at this anniversary, on this ground is a gift to humanity. People survived to tell us what happened. To inspire any human spirit into resolve or action, to care for others. Not destroy or climb on others, to better oneself. We may not know or understand our fellow-being. Yet we have come to know there are human right’s or dignity in life for all. Family is universal, care for one’s young. To give aid and ease pain.

By attending the anniversary i believe it demonstrates that a little hope out lasted the hate.