Fast Forward 66 Years (Theme 13)

The blame of an estimated 11,000,000 lives stolen can be directed back to one man.  Take notice that this does not even include those lost in a war he initiated by seizing Austria, then Poland, onto other significant surrounding neighbors of Germany, and even later, France.  Some say he was power hungry.  Others claim he was insane.  It can also be argued that it was a combination of the two.  Just imagine, the power hungry insanity of a single man, just one human being, charismatically manipulated nearly an entire country's population into believing his motives were for the good of the people.

Someone with any knowledge of the Holocaust can easily answer those who were targeted: the Jews.  A little research in school brings up a few more 'categories' of victims: homosexuals, the Jehovah Witnesses, POW's.  There is even an honest quote that shows what German's viewed as different breeds of prisoners:
"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me--
And there was no one left to speak for me."
The more time spent learning leads to what seems to be an everlasting number of stereotypes unacceptable to the Aryan race.  If ever there was ever a prime example of visible hypocrisy, Hitler didn't even fit his description of being a blond-haired blue-eyed Aryan he claimed to be human perfection.  But, this is what assisted in easily making Jewish Europeans such an easy target.

Now I'm aware I'll never have enough knowledge to answer every question our Universe holds, which in my opinion, is a blessing.  But there are some answers I'm determined to find.  Many deal with the controversial topic that is the Holocaust.  And while I search for answers, there are also questions along the way that I must deal with because of the severity of depression this genre of history is buried in. Most sounding something like, how can you submit yourself to studying all of these horrible events, doesn't it depress you?  That I have yet to find an answer to, but I've been searching for seven years.

Thirteen.  That number is the age I was when I was introduced to this real-life horror story.  I vividly remember the historical fiction project we were assigned in seventh grade.  My book of choice, If I Should Die Before I Wake.  This book, and the project that followed it, sparked so many questions that I still ask now.  By picking up this book several years ago, I found an easy answer to any future assignment allowing me to focus on a topic of my liking.

 As with everything in life, this holds both plenty of pros and cons.  Cons: missing out on other interesting subjects, depression in reading form, the big question Why?.  Pros: being well-informed on a single subject, advocating for "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," and one I tend to use a lot, accomplishing assignments with ease and successfully.

Need an example?

Well I shouldn't be proud of this, but fall of my first semester I was assigned (at the beginning) something called an I-Search report.  To say the least it's a really lengthy project that no freshman wants to do.   We're told to pick a topic we enjoy because we'll be stuck with it for three months.  Writing the fifteen page paper is going to be a continuous effort on our part.  Do NOT, by any means, wait until the night before it's due, to write your I-Search.  You will not be able to get an A unless you start now, three months ahead of time.

December 14th, 2011 I was an acception to the norm.