shaun4860 Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Just watched Holocaust: Night will fall On channel 4 Very haunting, Used actual films from when the death camps were liberated, It was deemed to upsetting to show the original after the war. Certainly makes you think Very very sad :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Yes I have just finished watching it , some truly horrific footage and sad to think us humans can do that to each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Dad was at the 'relief' of Belson Berkenau. He never said a word about it, just that he was there - almost as though that was 'enough said'. Beyond comprehension and the worst of mankind and his unjustified prejudices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 I just realised that although it was on channel 4 and it was on for an hour and 20 minutes, there wasn't any commercial breaks, I suppose it would have been hard to show any joviality in any breaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 (edited) Dad was at the 'relief' of Belson Berkenau. He never said a word about it, just that he was there - almost as though that was 'enough said'. Beyond comprehension and the worst of mankind and his unjustified prejudices. Berkenau is effectively Auschwitz and a different camp to Belsen which was indeed liberated by the British, never been to Belsen, but have been to Auschwitz a number of times, and I will be going back again, as it is my intent that as many of my grandkids as possible see it, as I deem it one of life's musts. KW Edited January 24, 2015 by kdubya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Berkenau is effectively Auschwitz and a different camp to Belsen which was indeed liberated by the British, never been to Belsen, but have been to Auschwitz a number of times, and I will be going back again, as it is my intent that as many of my grandkids as possible see it, as I deem it one of life's musts. KW I have great respect for you after reading an earlier post about the camps, I find it incomprehensible that this horror happened, I find it almost impossible to watch and dread to think what state I would be in if I visited Auschwitz, they have instilled in me a lifelong hatred of racism Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister22 Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 surprising people in the towns nearby "never knew"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 I have great respect for you after reading an earlier post about the camps, I find it incomprehensible that this horror happened, I find it almost impossible to watch and dread to think what state I would be in if I visited Auschwitz, they have instilled in me a lifelong hatred of racism It is surprisingly not a depressing place , sombre yes depressing no, you used to be able to walk around at will, now they try to shepherd you into organised ( by language) groups it is effectively free to enter but you pay a small sum for your guide and earphone hire, but in the summer if you go early you can still get a local to "guide" you round for a couple of quid without having to join a large party, it is surprising what you react to out of all the exhibits and sights and stories, but this one stood out to me its a wall for the firing squads, somehow it was very moving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Dad was at the 'relief' of Belson Berkenau. He never said a word about it, just that he was there - almost as though that was 'enough said'. Beyond comprehension and the worst of mankind and his unjustified prejudices. Was stationed there for 5 years,obviously way after the war but its still a sombre place.Some of the pics and clips on show are a real eye opener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 Have we really learned our lesson from this? Just how long ago did we "cleanse" 110 000+ Iraquies?. We are no better than any other race-the British Government knew about the Concentration Camps well before the end of the war but chose to do nothing about it. Man is unfit to be classed as an animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 Yes I have just finished watching it , some truly horrific footage and sad to think us humans can do that to each other.Once a group of people have been vilified and dehumanised, for whatever reason, it is extraordinary what depths we humans can go to. It was really difficult to watch at times but I felt I couldn't, or probably more accurately shouldn't, switch off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double10 Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 wasn't just the allies that had to experience things like that at the liberation of the death camps, my grandfather aged 15 spent 3 days (along with his friends) lining up and identifying 600 dead bodies after the allies carpet bombed his hometown. I'm not excusing the death camps but there are two sides to a war. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psyxologos Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 Bertrand Russell wrote something that has since stuck to my mind: War does not determine who is right - only who is left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 Very moving, I went to Belsen in my late teens. It does make an impression on you. very quiet, not even birdsong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) It was the shoes and other belongings (suitcases, hair brushes, spectacles etc) that got me and their sheer volume, and the fact it was but a 'snapshot' ie a couple of weeks worth accumulated in between shipments made to Berlin (and only interrupted by the allies on liberating the camps). Edit The wider point to take from it should be that in the years before Hitler and WW2 breaking out Germany was a model free and democratic society. But it didn't take long for the Country to fall into murderous madness on an incomprehensible scale and when we talk of protecting our society's civil liberties it's not for today but for who knows what follows in the years to come. Edited January 25, 2015 by Mungler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 wasn't just the allies that had to experience things like that at the liberation of the death camps, my grandfather aged 15 spent 3 days (along with his friends) lining up and identifying 600 dead bodies after the allies carpet bombed his hometown. I'm not excusing the death camps but there are two sides to a war. I'm sorry but I don't think you can compare the two, War by its nature is destructive, and whilst blanket bombing killed far to many civilians, what the death camps did was just plain abhorrent, Bombs kill indiscriminately, what the Nazis did was pure evil, All the Jews belongings stripped off them, heads shaved (men women and children) so the hair can be sold , identical twins experimented upon by nazi doctors. Gas chambers working 24/7 just because Hitler blamed the Jewish people for past deeds. No, I'm sorry but you simply can't compare the two, One was an act of war with unnecessary casualties, The other was pure evil set upon a group of people by a madman. Did you watch the documentary? We should never be allowed to forget what happened :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I recorded it for a time when im ready to watch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 The Germans at the time experimented with methods to raise the numbers who could be put to death so that an 'industrial scale' could be achieved. Often trying methods which were only partially successful (for them). They started off by driving their victims around in a truck with the exhaust fed in through the back to a 'chamber' housing their 'prisoners'. How could anyone apply their mind to achieve more ways to exterminate their fellow man in ever greater numbers and 'more efficiently'. K, Dad always called it that (Belson Berkenau) - maybe he went to Auchvitz, or maybe they were relieved at roughly the same time. Sadly I will now never know why. I do know he was at Belson, from his ex WW2 maps and orders which he kept He was a Captain in the Royal Signals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 The Germans at the time experimented with methods to raise the numbers who could be put to death so that an 'industrial scale' could be achieved. Often trying methods which were only partially successful (for them). They started off by driving their victims around in a truck with the exhaust fed in through the back to a 'chamber' housing their 'prisoners'. How could anyone apply their mind to achieve more ways to exterminate their fellow man in ever greater numbers and 'more efficiently'. K, Dad always called it that (Belson Berkenau) - maybe he went to Auchvitz, or maybe they were relieved at roughly the same time. Sadly I will now never know why. I do know he was at Belson, from his ex WW2 maps and orders which he kept He was a Captain in the Royal Signals I think he was just confusing the name, its Bergen Belsen which is in Germany and was liberated by the Brits, Auschwitz Berkenau is in Poland and I believe was liberated by the Russians. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I'm sorry but I don't think you can compare the two, War by its nature is destructive, and whilst blanket bombing killed far to many civilians, what the death camps did was just plain abhorrent, Bombs kill indiscriminately, what the Nazis did was pure evil, All the Jews belongings stripped off them, heads shaved (men women and children) so the hair can be sold , identical twins experimented upon by nazi doctors. Gas chambers working 24/7 just because Hitler blamed the Jewish people for past deeds. No, I'm sorry but you simply can't compare the two, One was an act of war with unnecessary casualties, The other was pure evil set upon a group of people by a madman. Did you watch the documentary? We should never be allowed to forget what happened :( +1. And there are those who say that our children/grand children, should not be allowed to read or hear about what happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I think he was just confusing the name, its Bergen Belsen which is in Germany and was liberated by the Brits, Auschwitz Berkenau is in Poland and I believe was liberated by the Russians. KW Correct on both accounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 My grandfather went to Belsen when it was liberated. He told me that the stench was almost unbearable, and that an American captain (or higher in rank) made his men remove their hankies from their mouths/noses, and told them to 'take a good deep breath and never forget the smell,and what they have witnessed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) wasn't just the allies that had to experience things like that at the liberation of the death camps, my grandfather aged 15 spent 3 days (along with his friends) lining up and identifying 600 dead bodies after the allies carpet bombed his hometown. I'm not excusing the death camps but there are two sides to a war. One thing to bomb a nation that is trying to bring about your destruction, and quite another to round up women kids , tell them they are going to a better life in Canada (Auschwitz was portrayed as camp Canada by the Germans) then ship them like cattle before individually stripping them of every asset including hair and teeth, or if they were not fit to work gassing or simply shooting them (as they did if they were running late) pure evil not a result of a necessary action as bombing was,as for lining up and identifying 600, imagine 6 million then you get the jist. read the bit over the gate it didn't did it? KW Edited January 25, 2015 by kdubya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 I was humbled by my visit. pure evil made manifest on a huge scale. as I have mentioned before Jap tourists taking photos was very disappointing. The locals were aware of what was happening and some took great risks in approaching the camp. It bears remembering that this camp was in occupied territory so the locals were not exactly free to do much other than exist. Fair play to you KW with the repeated visits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 (edited) A good friend of mine sent this message:- The late Rev. Leslie Hardman was my uncle. I shall be watching the Hitchcock/Bernstein film tonight on Channel 4 at 9pm. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/leslie-hardman-one-first-enter-2147675 Edited January 25, 2015 by Gordon R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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