Never again.

A re-post with more thoughts.

 

Never again. Nie wieder. Plus jamais.

(Holocaust Memorial Day, February, 27 January.)

Never again. Sweet words that lasted but a few moment in time.

(Did we learn. WW2 was the last war. How many massacres since? How many people murdered for their religion, color and sexual preference?  Today is to remember the Jews, Gypsies and handicap people killed by hate. Never again. Words forgotten and need to be remembered. One planet and one earth.)

(The old man spoke with tears.
Told me it must never happen again.
He  told me he watched his brothers and parent walk into death arms.
He could not do anything.)

I was sitting alone at the train station in Stuttgart in 1978.
A old man sat at my table and offered his hand.

I took it and asked what does he want?

He told me. “On this day 33 years ago.
A American soldier broke down  the wall of  the concentration camp.
Picked him off the floor and held him. ”

The soldier hand fed him because he was too weak to feed himself.
The soldier took care of him for three months.
He was very weak and never asked the soldier name.

He wanted to thank a American.
By  buying a American  Soldier a  meal today.

He showed me his mark.
A tattoo he held proudly.

Forced numbers put on  men and woman showing they were  Jews.

I told him. “Please sit with me.
I would be honor to eat with him.”

I listen to stories of good times and bad.
Tears came to his old eyes when he told me.
How they separate him from his family at the train station.
He never saw them again.

His family made the mistake of hoping for common sense and sanity.

Most of his family went to Auschwitz.
He never saw them again.

He was lucky being strong and young.
He went to work camps in Germany.

He lived in Switzerland now.
He  learn to appreciate everyday being alive.
He whispered ” I still don’t understand the hate for us from the Germans.”

I said very little.
I had great respect for this man.

He taught me what we can endure to stay alive.

His last words stays with me.

As he shook my hand.

His eyes filled with tears.

Told me.

“I  pray everyday this Never again happens again.
Nie Wieder.”

He left me sitting alone.
Thinking how hateful and cold this world can be.

Coyote

                                     November 2008

Author's Note

Thomas Buergenthal survived the death camp as a child. He had saved people. He didn't hold hate. He quoted. Maybe the death camps were the test ground for the future. He could be right.

Reviews

[katja]

this is truly a powerful, thought provoking piece, Coyote...
"I still don’t understand
the hate"
... will resonate in my thoughts for quite some time. it is such an important question to reflect on, given that we as a species are so intolerant & filled with hate
*
thank you for sharing
~yekaterina

[Coyote Poetry]

Hate is hard to understand. I'm tire of war. I pray we learn. Heal/not kill. Send food, water and medicine to places in need. Not guns and bombs to extend wars. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Bonaventure Onuabuchi]

Never again, let mankind tag these words on the entrance gate to war! Pains of war, it welcomes no relief till eternity.

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree. We did not learn. War had become a part of this generation.

[wordman]

you know remember my grand pa saying this was our last war,but I figure they didn`t read the bible
because the greatest was ever is right at our door where we lose 2 billion
you wrote a great poem

[Coyote Poetry]

Your Grandpa is maybe right. Ain't far away from a great war.. I hope not the last one.

[wordman]

yes my friend it will be our last one and it has begun

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree my friend.

[Matching Socks]

John, you have moved me once again with your telling of this story.
You remember every detail as though it was just yesterday, the memory is etched upon you.
There is bad, but there is good. And always there is hope even when it seems impossible.
This touches my heart in a special way, my own grandmother was in Auschwitz, she had been living in Poland at the time and hiding orphaned children but was caught.

[Coyote Poetry]

A new book called "A lucky child". Tells of a 6-11 year old surviving the death camps. He was saved by the Polish Army. The book gave respect to the Polish army and people. Your grandmother must of been a grand lady. I hoped she shared her story. The writer of the book worked for peace and was a world judge. A worthwhile book to read. I read the book twice.

[Matching Socks]

Yes, what she did was incredible. She saved the lives of many children.
She survived but it was difficult for her over the years I think.

[Coyote Poetry]

I believe it would be. I saw the death camps 30 years later. They had the feeling of death and sadness.

[~]

Very heartfelt and poignant..

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you. Too much violence. I pray for days when kids are all safe and sound.

[~]

And I join you in that prayer as well.

[Bree Schultz]

Please tell me this is real, it feels so real. Maybe play with words "old eyes" could become "wise eyes" or even go deeper and do "the once vibrant eyes of young man now broken down and worn". Then "weak" can become so much more, give the reader a more painful punch with every word you can. Great story to tell no the less thank you for sharing It!

[Coyote Poetry]

It is real. I took the photos when I was station in Germany in 1977. I went to three of the concentration camps in Germany and Poland. Today I was told. Hard to see.

[willweb]

Your poem is so sad Coyote. These memories will always be dark, but your story of this person and their strength and conviction is wonderful.

[Coyote Poetry]

I went to the concentration camps in Germany and Poland. In 1977. The smell of hair and death was still there. A sad time for the human race. The sad part. Was repeated in Asia and in Africa. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Dhaye]

War always leaves sorrow to people. God will not let it happen again, CP.

Your poem is so touching.

[Coyote Poetry]

The sad part been repeated in Africa and in Asia. Mass murder and erasing of a race is alive and well in our world. I pray for better days. Thank you dear friend for reading and the comment.