In Argentina: Testimonies of survivors who keep a historical act alive.
Six cities joined in commemorating the annual International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust.
January 27th, was the date designated by the UN as the International Day of Annual Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. For this reason, the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) through the project “Traces to Remember” held a series of commemorative events in six cities in Argentina; with the purpose of keeping the testimony of the survivors alive, as a way to prevent the repetition of the most sinister chapter of human history.
Government officials, representatives of the Jewish community, educational institutions, GEAP volunteers, the media and the general public joined in this event; the Holocaust must be remembered and taught so that it is not repeated in future generations, narrated a survivor.
The Global Embassy of Activist for Peace promoted Human Rights as well as the need to teach humanity about the Holocaust as a historical fact in order to help prevent acts of genocide in the future, Simultaneously, at the Cultural Centers of Córdoba, San Salvador de Jujuy, Plaza Julio 9 de Resistencia, and the pedestrian walkway of Jesús Mendía de Olavarría, in Tres Arroyos, and the Deliberative Council of the city of Mar del Plata.
The best tool to prevent genocide is through education
The Cultural Center of the Cabildo Histórico de Córdoba, presented the photo gallery that shows scenes of what happened in the Holocaust to the audience. In attendance was Mr. Edgar Wildfeuer, the only survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp that currently resides in this city.
As part of the “Traces to Remember” project, which consists of the exhibition of a plaque in the form of the Star of David, containing the hand prints of a Holocaust survivor as well as the hand prints of one of their children and one of their grandchildren, (and one of their great-grandchildren, if any); the plaque of the surviving Wildfeuer was unveiled, as evidence that Nazism could not extinguish the Hebrew people.
The event was opened by the regional coordinator of the GEAP in Córdoba, Mr. Mario Gabriel Veliz, who welcomed guests and the general public. The celebration was attended by distinguished personalities and government authorities; Among them, the director of Administration of Government Secretariat, Ms, Ariela Szpanin; The Undersecretary of Government of the Municipality, Mr. Roberto Yalovetzky; and the national coordinator of the GEAP in Argentina, Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez.
Also, the deputy director of the Institutional Relations, Marcelo Daniel Castagno; the director of Human Rights, Guadalupe Mías; the Director of Tourism, Tec. Sebastián Valenti; Tec. María Belén Urquiza; The director of the Central Area and president of the Democratic Party, Eduardo Martiniau; and the Deputy Director of Environmental Management programming, Analía Righetti.
Likewise, councilman, Javier Lafuente was present; Representative of the Monserrat School and the National University of Cordoba, Professor Enrique Robles; DAIA authorities, subsidiary Córdoba, Ms. Ana Bercovich, Vice President, Mr. Edy Horovitz; and also the General Secretariat of INADI, Andrea Abbona.
In addition, Representatives of the Israeli Union Center, the institutional director Ruth Sigal, Mr. Matias Sigal, Mrs. Liliana Recovsky, Mr. Gustavo Nelman; the author of “Stars of Abraham”, Representative of Comipaz, the wife of Mr. Wildfeuer, Sonia Schulman, children, nephews and friends also attended the ceremony.
The national coordinator of the GEAP, Mr. Guillermo Rodríguez, referred to a few words in his speech by the Global Ambassador and Activist for Peace, Dr. William Soto, who stated:
“The best tool to prevent genocide is education, based on respect for human dignity, and respect for each other. It is better to educate to prevent, than to judge to punish”
Then, the authorities of the Jewish community joined Mr. Edgar Wildfeuer and his family to the presidium to unveil the plaque in his honor, stating:
“Edgar Wildfeuer is a hero of whom we can learn a great deal by his bravery and testimony of life; which is an example of struggle, perseverance and a testimony of great courage to convey what happened and we do not want it to be repeated.”
Deliberating Council of the city of Mar del Plata
In the city of Mar del Plata, a moving act in commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust was carried out in the Honorable Council with the lighting of 7 candles, a minute of silence, the prayer “Kadish of mourning” and with the melodies of the film “Schindler’s list” by the violinist Pablo Albornoz (Municipal Symphony Orchestra).
In attendance was the municipal intendant, Mr. Carlos Arroyo; president of the Israelite Society Mar del Plata (SUIM), Isaac Saúl. The interim president of the Delegation of Argentinean Israeli Associations (DAIA), and Isaac Janna as well; councilors and members of the Executive Department; and Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.
Likewise, they were reference of the Diócese Mar del Plata of the local bishopric; officials of the Judiciary, university representatives, provincial legislators, nationals and members of the Defenders of people. Representatives of the School Council and members of the Center of ex-Combatant Soldiers.
Representatives of the Cuerpo Consular; president of the Ecumenical Dialogue, Alberto Di Paolo, referring to human rights organizations, trade associations, business chambers, the GEAP regional coordinator, Gisela Sosa, and the general public.
Attendees watched the institutional video “Stories of Grandmothers”, as well as the testimonial video “Identity is not imposed”, made up of actors from the Theater Auditorium-Provincial Center of the Arts, with the message: “You will always choose life.” In the same way, they visualized the testimonial video of the survivor Ceslada Eisen de Keselman, presented by the GEAP.
At last the participants were transferred to the municipal square, where they appreciated the exhibition “Traces to Remember”, composed of four plates where the prints of the survivors and their relatives were captured.
1,000 citizens participated in the commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust
In the city of Olavarría, approximately 1,000 people including those who walk daily through the Jesús Mendía Pedestrian Walk, visited the four-star exhibit containing the survivors’ hand prints: Motel Mesyngier, Rebeca de Mesyngier, Jean Kirschembaun and Liza Zajak. They also participated in the guided tour of GEAP volunteers, where they observed events such as: Ghettos, tattoos and “Night of Broken Glass.”
Space for reflection on the Holocaust as a paradigm of genocide
In Tres Arroyos, the testimonies of survivors were the protagonists in the Commemoration of the Annual International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. Stories and experiences by Mrs. Krina Scigalsky who spoke about the situations she had with her family on Dutch soil. Likewise, Alejandro Trybuchowicz stated that on arrival in Poland he found his sisters.
The regional coordinator of the GEAP in Tres Arroyos, Ms. Sara Barile, the Director of Culture of the Municipality, Ms. Adriana Etcheto and relatives of the survivors attended the celebration, which became a space for reflection on the Holocaust as a paradigm of genocide.
In San Salvador de Jujuy the exhibition of the plaques of the survivors were presented
In the White Hall of the Cultural House Héctor Tizón of San Salvador de Jujuy, the exhibition of three plaques of survivors of the Shoah and its descendants was carried out. The opening of the exhibition was the responsibility of the regional coordinator of Jujuy, Mrs. Andrea Cardozo who gave a brief overview where she spoke about the project “Traces to Remember”, initiative of Dr. William Soto Santiago, executive president of the GEAP.
The projection of the videos with testimonies of the survivors and the documentary of the events during the government of Hitler, were part of the program of the commemorative event attended by directors of educational institutions, teachers and the general public. It should be noted that the event was supported by the General Director of Municipal Culture, Mr. Edgardo César Vilte Hernández.
“Traces to Remember” in Resistencia
In the city of Resistencia, known as the “capital of Sculptures”, the GEAP participated in the commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust, carried out by the Jewish community and the Government of the Municipality; where bystanders participated in a photographic exhibition that took place in 9 de Julio square, remains the plaque of the survivor Irene Schwimmer of Korytnicki, which contains their hand prints and their relatives.
