Remembering the Holocaust: The Unseen at Wannsee
By Dan Betzer

God help civilization if we ever forget the Holocaust and its millions of victims.

Several days ago, I participated in an interfaith
Holocaust memorial service at a local synagogue. As I
stood there, inwardly shaking at the memory of history's
greatest crime against humanity, I thought about a place
called Wannsee.

It was once a suburb of gorgeous homes in Berlin,
Germany. A wealthy Jewish family had their mansion
confiscated by Hitler's thugs, and it became a guest house
for SS soldiers and visiting Nazi police.

It was best known for a meeting held there on January 20,
1942. The meeting was called by Reinhard Heydrich, then
head of the Reich Security Main Office, who later became
known as "the Hangman."

Mass shootings of Jews in Poland had already begun,
seven months earlier. At Chelmno, the gassing of Jews
commenced in early December of 1941. Thus, Heydrich's
meeting with the SS elite did not initiate the "Final Solution,"
only "sophisticated" it.

It is believed 13 men, under the approval of Hitler, laid out
the plans that would choke the life of six million Jews.
Some of these thugs had earned doctorates, thus forever
eliminating the myth that education of itself breeds
elevated society.

According to historical documents, the Wannsee
meeting so pleased Reinhard Heydrich that he offered
everyone there a celebratory glass of cognac at its
conclusion. One can only wonder how well cognac
"breathes" in the stifling heat of Hell.

Interestingly enough, one of those original 13 later
reaped the wrath of his fellow Nazis, and he himself was
sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp where he
died of heart failure.

Christians believe in the doctrine of original sin--that is, all
of us are born with sinful natures which desperately need
a Savior. After Wannsee, who can seriously question it?

And God help civilization if we ever forget the Holocaust
and its millions of victims.

cbn