Some of us have talked about taking a short 3- or 4-day road trip together. One of the possible destinations is the Kansas City area. Union Station is hosting an exhibition, Auschwitz, opening June 2021. Details can be found on the internet. 

Considered the most comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the history of Auschwitz, it presents Auschwitz’s role in the Holocaust. The exhibition documents the largest mass murder site of both Jews and Christians in human history, and gives us a visual of the borderless manifestation of hatred and human barbarity that took place under the Third Reich.

I don’t know that we truly have the heart to go see this exhibition. To walk through the presentation, which takes three hours, and to witness the personal items; eyeglasses, suitcases, shoes ... would be an emotionally upsetting experience. However, every age should see this exhibit so that they never forget. Exposing younger generations to this history is important, and necessary to understand the evil that man can carry out when left unchecked.  

The Jewish population in Germany was made up of the cream of the crop at that time; scientists, doctors, lawyers, musicians, artists, and so forth. The Third Reich had rapidly reversed public emotions from that of a peaceful, friendly co-existence with Jews to hatred and reviling. They “reeducated” from the smallest child to the oldest citizen. They used schools, media, celebrities, posters, even some churches to promote their hate. The Christians stood as the  moral opposition to Hitler’s tactics. Many spoke up and paid for it with their lives. Those vocally opposed to this evil were either carried away in boxcars themselves, or remained silent and fearful. But many were heroes, hiding Jews, smuggling them out of the country, and risking their own lives.

We forget that natural man is a sinner, and corrupt in his heart. And there was none more corrupt and eviler than Hitler and his cronies. They were very persuasive in their “conversion” of the mass opinion through threats, bullying, fear tactics, and torture.

So where am I going with this story? 

I believe we are seeing signs of this kind of public accusatory assault again. This time the bad guys are the church and Christians, being accused of being “revolutionaries, trouble makers, antagonists, and on and on. It’s nothing new. The attempt to silence the church comes in waves throughout history.

It’s a time to be alert. History continually repeats itself. And perhaps we need to perk up our ears, get into cars, drive to Kansas City and see this exhibit.  

We all might learn something.        

Judi Tabler lives in Pawnee County and is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune. She can be reached at juditabler@gmail.com.