This week has brought intense contemplations about human mortality, and the prospect of losing the voices of holocaust survivors seems doubly tragic. Last night’s panel of second-generation survivors brought two sources of consolation and hope, however. First, we are not alone in our efforts to honor the legacy of those who have come before us. Second, listening to the insights from the second generation about the lives of their parents has been both reassuring and inspirational.
As a historian, our memories of the past are better understood not as an item frozen in amber, but instead as a living membrane that continues to connect us to the past. To hear our panelists talk about their ongoing search into the lives of their parents strikes a resonant chord, as we seek to inspire future generations through this commemorative work. Notice should be taken, and the witnesses offered by the survivors and their children play a crucial role in reminding us of our collective obligation to realize the goal of peace and dignity for all people.