Somehow, this video popped up in my Google Reader this morning. I don't remember what website it initially came from, but I was intrigued by the headline and clicked through. So I watched it, and I cried. Because it's amazing.
And because some of you won't watch it, I'll just tell you that it's a video of a Holocaust survivor and his family dancing to "I Will Survive" by several Holocaust sites such as Dachau, Terezinstadt and Auschwitz, including by the famous Auschwitz "Work sets you free" sign. I think it's a really nice and kind of adorable (the old man dancing is super cute) celebration of life.
Seriously, are you not going to watch it? I cried!
Anyway, I was looking for the video again tonight to write this blog post and I stumbled across an article saying a number of Holocaust survivors and families are really upset about this video because they think it makes light of all the people that didn't survive and is overall disrespectful.
This is really upsetting to me because as much as Holocaust survivors may still be mourning the deaths of their relatives who didn't make it through, they have every right to be happy that they survived something called a DEATH CAMP.
My grandfather passed away almost 5 years ago, but I remember him saying that there was a point in his life, namely during the 5 years he worked at Auschwitz (again, DEATH CAMP), at which he never in a million years would have expected to survive, marry, have children and grandchildren and celebrate holidays with them. And I think that's exactly the kind of sentiment that video is trying to portray.
I guess everyone is entitled to an opinion, but frankly if this had ever been proposed as a family expedition I'm pretty sure my whole family, cousins included, would have been up for it. Because the survival of our parents/grandparents is what allows us to be here today, and if that isn't something to celebrate, I don't know what is.
3 comments:
That video is amazing. And the grandfather is so cute! I agree, people will find anything to be upset about, but the message here is clear. They survived. And they're going to celebrate that fact.
Arielle, thank you for sharing it. I definitely had tears in my eyes - did you watch the third video? He talks about how his family was huge and they're all gone - it brought back memories of talking to my grandfather and his realizing that his own family is gone.
I like this video. Thank you. Thank you for sharing this.
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