The sinking of the Titanic isn’t the only memorial being held this month.  On April 22 there will be a memorial celebration for those lost in the Holocaust.  The Holocaust is a horrible part of history, well documented with testimonies, pictures, and by survivors. Yet some choose to believe that it never happened.

Unlike the Titanic, which resulted in a number of people making poor choices and bad weather, the Holocaust was the result of one crazy man’s desire to rule the world.  He alone decided who was worthy to be a part of that world.  Not only the Jews were put to death, but also the handicapped, the mentally ill, gypsies, and old people.  If you were not able to serve Hitler in some way; or make his fantasy world better, the solution was simple, you had to die.

The buildup to the Titanic anniversary was quite obvious by watching the news.  All the movies, news features and TV exposure were meant to make us aware of what had happened.  I have not seen one news program or even a headline regarding the Holocaust.  None of movies that have been made about it have been shown on television this week, and no new movies were released.  There were 1500 lives lost on the Titanic.  The Holocaust claimed 6000 Jews and that isn’t counting all the others that were put t0 death.

Anne Frank and her family spent 2 years hiding above a warehouse before being discovered by the Nazi troops.  There were 4 adults and 3 teenagers hiding there.  They all died in extermination camps, except for Otto Frank, Anne’s father.

Even those who were found helping the Jews were killed.  Corrie ten Boom and her family from Holland  hid  Jews in a secret place in the rooms over their watch sh0p.  They were Christians, they all died in concentration camps, except for Corrie, who was released by a clerical error the day before all the women her age were gassed to death.

So what is the difference between these two tragedies?  Both claimed innocent victims, both could have been prevented if someone would have challenged the man making the decisions.

The guests on the Titanic died trying have a great time, with fancy dinners and dances, beautiful rooms and the royal treatment. They were mostly rich and famous people, except for those immigrants on the bottom deck.

The victims of the Holocaust were just trying to survive.  Their whole focus was to get away from Hitler and his evil Nazi soldiers.  The Germans killed indiscriminately, women, children, doctors, lawyers, poor, or wealthy .  They needed no reason to fire their guns.  If you walked too slowed, or needed the bathroom, or stopped to help a friend……you were beat to death or gunned down.

Some of the world’s most talented musicians and artists were treated just the same as the convicts. The German soldiers lied to these people, tortured them, took everything from their jewels to their teeth.

Hitler’s goal was to torture and destroy. The people responsible for the sinking of the Titanic were greedy and arrogant, but they weren’t vicious .   Both tragedies deserve to be remembered, lest we allow history to repeat itself.