Never again

On November 9, at the end of the prayer of the Angelus, Benedict XVI recalled the 70th anniversary of “Kristallnacht” the pogrom carried out from November 9-10 1938 “which began the violent persecution” of the Nazis against the Jewish people. His Holiness called for “the education of young people”, so that “the horror of discrimination and anti-Semitism may be never repeated again”. The Pope said he is “still pained today over what happened in those tragic circumstances. The memory of those terrible events must serve to keep such horrors from never happening again”. This sad anniversary was commemorated also in Germany and Hungary. “The abyss of inhumanity”. The President of Germany’s Bishops Conference, Msgr. Robert Zollitsch, and the President of the Germany’s Council of the Evangelical Church, bishop Wolfgang Huber, issued a joint statement commemorating the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht. “November 9 is an important date in the history of Germany. In 1918 the Republic was proclaimed on that date. Whereas 9 November 1989 bears vivid memories for us contemporaries – this is the day marking the fall of the Wall of Berlin, which disclosed a new chapter in the freedom and unity of Germany. In 2008, our glance should be addressed to the darkest time of our history”. “We still recall the terrible images of synagogues set to fire that teach us still today that when there is no respect for the sacred and for all that goes beyond human action, there is no respect for the human person”. The leaders of the two Churches recalled the testimony of Christians that raged against the perpetrators of the pogroms, which, however “does not make up for the hesitance and betrayal of others”. It brings to our minds that humane voices and love for our neighbors are never silent even before the darkest abysses of inhumanity”. However, “it would be in vain to recall the pogroms of 1938 if we failed to view them alongside with the question of practical solidarity that we owe to all those who today are the victims of persecutions and violence”, they remarked. “Anti-Semitism and racism haven’t been overcome. The sin of indifference towards the suffering of others is never extinguished”, they pointed out. “The memory of that terrible night and its aftermath – they concluded – bears special significance especially now that the voices of those who witnessed those terrible events are fading away. This memory urges us to do all our best to work for the development of a society marked by mutual freedom and respect, responsible before God and mankind”. “Stinging shame”. “Many were killed and thousands were deported to concentration camps, over 8000 stores were destroyed, 1400 synagogues were set to fire and damaged but the world didn’t react”. “If it happened once, it could happen again”, cried out Cardinal Péter Erdö, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Primate of Hungary and CCEE president during the commemorative ceremony of the “Kristallnacht” held at the Holocaust memorial in Budapest. The representative of the Hungarian Parliament László Mandur, chief rabbi István Domán and Israeli ambassador Aliza Bin-Noun took the floor during the ceremony that also marked the opening of the 20th meeting of the Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee. The tragedy of the Holocaust – Cardinal Erdo declared – showed us that “this is the way in which history unfolds if humanity settles for the fact that people are discriminated and killed. It could happen today, if we remain indifferent when shop windows are violently broken, cars are set to fire or when the persecution of Christians continues in a number of Indian States”. “Every day we must look into the mirror of justice and truth – said His Eminence-. We ought to be aware that feelings of hatred may rise to the surface. It’s a short way separating evil thought from the heart to burned houses”, “from Birkenau to Butovo, from Voivodina to Bosnia”. In his address, the representative of the Hungarian Parliament László Mandur referred to the fact that the Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee chose Budapest as the venue of its 20th meeting. “You deeply contribute to emerging from this stinging shame. Your commitment, the force of your faith and your teaching based on the Holy Scripture along with human wisdom play a major role, despite our cultural differences”.