Live Updates: Leaders in Israel to Mark 75 Years Since Auschwitz Liberation

[TomSea]

In the Royals thread, someone asked "Why Prince Charles would go to Israel", well, this is why, along with a number of other world leaders.  Or maybe in Prince Charles' case, to represent the UK could be a proper description.

Live Updates: Leaders in Israel to Mark 75 Years Since Auschwitz Liberation
Jerusalem is hosting the largest political gathering in its history, as monarchs, presidents and premiers arrive to speak out against the rise of anti-Semitism and commemorate the Holocaust.

By David M. Halbfinger and Isabel Kershner

Leaders from around the world descend on Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was overflowing with Western presidents, premiers and potentates, all descending on the Holy City to recall the Holocaust and speak out against anti-Semitism some 75 years after the liberation of Auschwitz.

It is a gathering like nothing Israel has experienced before.

Read more at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/world/middleeast/auschwitz-liberation-anniversary.html

Other coverage: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-auschwitz-75-years-israel-yad-vashem-poland-victim-holocaust-geopolitics-putin-1.8432285

[TomSea]

Jerusalem Post Israel News
French President Macron orders Israeli police out of French church
Legally speaking, the church is a French-held territory outside of France and is under that country's protection.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF   JANUARY 22, 202

French President Emmanuel Macron confronted Israeli security forces in the Old City of Jerusalem when he entered the Church of Saint Anne on Wednesday.

Macron ordered the men to leave the site. "Go outside," the president said to security. "I'm sorry, you know the rules. Nobody has to provoke nobody."
The reason is that the church is, legally speaking, French-held territory like an embassy and is under the protection of the French Republic.

More at: https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/French-President-Macron-confronts-police-in-Jerusalems-Old-City-614989

So, President Macron is there too, for some of these heads-of-state and other dignitaries, it was go to Davos and then, go to this event in Israel. Quite a bit of traveling actually.  Zelensky supposedly went to both Davos and then, this event.

In fact, Zelensky, Pres. of Ukraine could meet with Putin in Jerusalem per this article where a "reporter" is the source:
https://112.international/politics/zelensky-putin-to-meet-in-israel-on-january-23-reporter-47756.html

"A meeting of Presidents of Ukraine and Russia will take place in Israel tomorrow. Where else would they meet?", he wrote.

Prior to that, Zelensky is also supposed to deliver a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

[mountaineer]

I've read a few books about Auschwitz lately (whenever I run across one at the local library, I check it out). The Tattooist of Auschwitz was compelling, even though some have criticized its inaccuracies.

[berdie]

I've read a few books about Auschwitz lately (whenever I run across one at the local library, I check it out). The Tattooist of Auschwitz was compelling, even though some have criticized its inaccuracies.

I have been reading/watching a lot about the Holocaust lately as well. I'll look into this book. Thanks.

[TomSea]

VP Mike Pence representing the United States, Prince Charles, the UK.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51219097

Zelensky gives his place at Israeli Forum to Holocaust victims
https://112.international/politics/zelensky-gives-his-place-at-israeli-forum-to-holocaust-victims-47799.html

[TomSea]

I've read a few books about Auschwitz lately (whenever I run across one at the local library, I check it out). The Tattooist of Auschwitz was compelling, even though some have criticized its inaccuracies.

I have heard of that book, I think it has been in the news lately. I wasn't aware of the part in error but only hearing it mentioned in various essays and so forth.

[Gefn]

I've read a few books about Auschwitz lately (whenever I run across one at the local library, I check it out). The Tattooist of Auschwitz was compelling, even though some have criticized its inaccuracies.

Haven’t read that, but I did read read “Night” by Ellie Wiesel.

[mountaineer]

I also recommend "Mischling," by Affinity Konar:

It's 1944 when the twin sisters arrive at Auschwitz with their mother and grandfather. In their benighted new world, Pearl and Stasha Zagorski take refuge in their identical natures, comforting themselves with the private language and shared games of their childhood.

As part of the experimental population of twins known as Mengele's Zoo, the girls experience privileges and horrors unknown to others, and they find themselves changed, stripped of the personalities they once shared, their identities altered by the burdens of guilt and pain.   ...

Fuller description at GoodReads

I got it out of the local library.

[TomSea]

Palace denies Prince Charles 'snubbed' Mike Pence

The Prince of Wales was greeting dignitaries, including world leaders, at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz - but seemed to ignore US Vice-President Mike Pence.

Video: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-middle-east-51227444/palace-denies-prince-charles-snubbed-mike-pence

I'll repeat, the BBC is covering this event well.  It's a somber event, that said, I had to report this with Prince Charles and Pence.  Pretty poor behavior by Prince Charles. That's not what this thread is about, it's about those who suffered the wrath of the Nazis especially in Auschwitz but this seem like extremely poor behavior by Prince Charles.

[PeteS in CA]

"The Palace" told an obvious lie because they had to. Charles could not, for just a moment, remember where he was and why and be minimally polite.

More on-topic, sort of, back when Mrs. PeteS in CA celebrated our 20th anniversary with a trip to southern Germany, we did a Sunday visit to Dachau. The Nazi-era administration building has been re-purposed as a museum with exhibits. The former camp compound is bare, except for two full-sized replica barracks that illustrate the four major stages of the camp (during WW1 it was a factory worker camp; after WW2 it was a refugee camp; after being a refugee camp the facility was in such an awful condition that it was razed). At the opposite end of the camp, near the wall that circles the compound is a chapel. Outside of the wall is a crematorium. Outside of the camp wall is given over to trees, wildflowers, and grasses as a memorial to the many who died there whose ashes were scattered outside of the wall.

It's an extremely haunting place, knowing what evil went on there (and Dachau was for political prisoners, not a death camp like Auschwitz) and seeing the physical beauty that surrounds the camp. I would urge every American who could to visit a former concentration camp like Dachau or Auschwitz. Or like the Killing Fields in Cambodia, as one of my kids has.

[TomSea]

January 23, 2020 3:56 pm
Muslim World League Chief al-Issa Joins Holocaust Survivors in Historic Tribute at Auschwitz

The head of the one of the world’s largest Muslim organizations paid an unprecedented visit to the site of the Auschwitz extermination camp on Thursday, where he participated in remembrance prayers for the Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust.

Dr. Muhammad al-Issa — the secretary-general of the Mecca-based Muslim World League (MWL) — joined with survivors of the Holocaust in paying his respects at the camp as the world prepares for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Jan. 27.

Read more at: https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/01/23/muslim-world-league-chief-al-issa-joins-holocaust-survivors-in-historic-tribute-at-auschwitz/?fbclid=IwAR0VpxwJ7gZeYe-AISvZA_P3RuSoCEf903vSnrpwaHsex8WJGaWMUqYjRkg

[mountaineer]

I would urge every American who could to visit a former concentration camp like Dachau or Auschwitz. Or like the Killing Fields in Cambodia, as one of my kids has.

Quite agree. Mr. M and I have visited Dachau, Flossenburg (eastern Germany) and Struthof (in France). His uncle (Serbian Chetnik, not Jewish) was a prisoner at one of Mauthausen's satellite camps, so we'd kind of like to visit it, as well.