Changes to Holocaust Park
Monuments to honor homosexuals, others murdered in the genocide
By Thomas Tracy
Comment
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| The names of forgotten victims of the Holocaust will soon be remembered at Holocaust Memorial Park. |
Let not one victim be forgotten.
That was the message city officials relayed to members of the Holocaust Memorial Park Committee last week when they authorized one group’s longtime bid to have markers honoring homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the disabled, political prisoners and Roma and Sinti gypsies persecuted and killed by the Nazis.
The park, located at Emmons Avenue and Shore Boulevard, is dedicated to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.
The additions were outlined in a letter sent to Holocaust Memorial Committee honorary chair and founder Pauline Bilus last week.
“After careful consideration, the city has authorized the addition of inscriptions on smaller makers at the Holocaust Memorial which honor five groups targeted for persecution and extermination during the Nazi regime,” wrote Jonathan Kuhn, director of Art and Antiquities for the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, who added that the city must approve the inscriptions before they are constructed.
The push for the new markers was spearheaded by Rick Landman, co−chair of the International Association of Lesbian and Gay Children of Holocaust Survivors.
Landman said his organization has been trying to get the markers placed in the park for these forgotten victims since 1997.
“After 13 years, we finally have been given permission to take this to the next step,” Landman said. “I am so excited that everyone is finally working together on adding to the educational and memorial aspects of the Holocaust Park, by telling the story of what happened to the other victims of the Nazi Era.”
Attempts to reach Bilus for comment were unsuccessful as this paper went to press.
Neighborhood insiders said that Landman’s plans to honor other victims was initially met with opposition by some Orthodox religious leaders who thought that the park should be solely dedicated to the Jews who lost their lives in the ghettos and concentration camps.
Other residents disagreed.
“I don’t care who you are or what you are, if you’re a victim you should be remembered at that memorial,” said Community Board 15 chair Theresa Scavo. “They were all killed for the same reason, so it doesn’t matter what their sexual orientation or the color of their skin was.”
It’s not believed that these forgotten victims will be remembered on the centerpiece of the memorial park, but on five markers on the grounds. The markers are expected to be dedicated to the specific community that fell to the Nazi regime, as well as a brief synopsis of what happened.
That was the message city officials relayed to members of the Holocaust Memorial Park Committee last week when they authorized one group’s longtime bid to have markers honoring homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the disabled, political prisoners and Roma and Sinti gypsies persecuted and killed by the Nazis.
The park, located at Emmons Avenue and Shore Boulevard, is dedicated to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.
The additions were outlined in a letter sent to Holocaust Memorial Committee honorary chair and founder Pauline Bilus last week.
“After careful consideration, the city has authorized the addition of inscriptions on smaller makers at the Holocaust Memorial which honor five groups targeted for persecution and extermination during the Nazi regime,” wrote Jonathan Kuhn, director of Art and Antiquities for the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, who added that the city must approve the inscriptions before they are constructed.
The push for the new markers was spearheaded by Rick Landman, co−chair of the International Association of Lesbian and Gay Children of Holocaust Survivors.
Landman said his organization has been trying to get the markers placed in the park for these forgotten victims since 1997.
“After 13 years, we finally have been given permission to take this to the next step,” Landman said. “I am so excited that everyone is finally working together on adding to the educational and memorial aspects of the Holocaust Park, by telling the story of what happened to the other victims of the Nazi Era.”
Attempts to reach Bilus for comment were unsuccessful as this paper went to press.
Neighborhood insiders said that Landman’s plans to honor other victims was initially met with opposition by some Orthodox religious leaders who thought that the park should be solely dedicated to the Jews who lost their lives in the ghettos and concentration camps.
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“I don’t care who you are or what you are, if you’re a victim you should be remembered at that memorial,” said Community Board 15 chair Theresa Scavo. “They were all killed for the same reason, so it doesn’t matter what their sexual orientation or the color of their skin was.”
It’s not believed that these forgotten victims will be remembered on the centerpiece of the memorial park, but on five markers on the grounds. The markers are expected to be dedicated to the specific community that fell to the Nazi regime, as well as a brief synopsis of what happened.
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of yournabe.com.
Erin wrote on May 21, 2009 11:39 AM:
" I don't think people necessarily wish to forget the millions of Jews that were persecuted but only to include the other groups that were as well. "
andrew wrote on Jun 16, 2009 10:55 AM:
" Many non-Jewish groups, including homosexuals and gypsies, are already mentioned there at markers and on the main memorials. When you see the proposed inscription, you realize what is going on in the Holocaust Memorial Park.
AFTER THE NAZIS SEIZED POWER IN 1933, THE PERSECUTION OF THE HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITY DRAMATICALLY INTENSIFIED IN GERMANY. ON MAY 6, 1933, DR. MAGNUS HIRSCHFELD’S INSTITUTE OF SEXUAL RESEARCH WAS VANDALIZED AND ITS LIBRARY AND PHOTO COLLECTION WERE BURNED.
BY 1935 THE LAW THAT CRIMINALIZED HOMOSEXUAL ACTS (PENAL CODE PARAGRAPH 175, PASSED IN 1871) WAS EXPANDED. IN 1936 S.S. CHIEF HEINRICH HIMMLER ESCALATED THE PERSECUTION BY FORMING THE POLICE TASK FORCE TO COMBAT HOMOSEXUALITY AND ABORTION.
AROUND 50,000 MEN WERE CONVICTED UNDER PARAGRAPH 175 AND SENT TO PRISONS, PENITENTIARIES OR SANITARIUMS. SOME WERE RELEASED ONLY IN ORDER TO BE CONSCRIPTED INTO THE GERMAN ARMY. HUNDREDS, POSSIBLY THOUSANDS, OF MALE HOMOSEXUALS DIED IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS. SOME WERE IDENTIFIED BY PINK TRIANGLES THEY WERE FORCED TO WEAR. THESE DEATHS WERE THE RESULT OF HARSH CONDITIONS, HARD LABOR, MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION, BEATINGS AND MURDER.
AFTER THE WAR, WHILE MOST OTHER INMATES WERE LIBERATED AND SOME GIVEN RESTITUTION, HOMOSEXUALS CONTINUED TO BE ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED UNDER PARAGRAPH 175 UNTIL ITS REPEAL IN 1969. "
AFTER THE NAZIS SEIZED POWER IN 1933, THE PERSECUTION OF THE HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITY DRAMATICALLY INTENSIFIED IN GERMANY. ON MAY 6, 1933, DR. MAGNUS HIRSCHFELD’S INSTITUTE OF SEXUAL RESEARCH WAS VANDALIZED AND ITS LIBRARY AND PHOTO COLLECTION WERE BURNED.
BY 1935 THE LAW THAT CRIMINALIZED HOMOSEXUAL ACTS (PENAL CODE PARAGRAPH 175, PASSED IN 1871) WAS EXPANDED. IN 1936 S.S. CHIEF HEINRICH HIMMLER ESCALATED THE PERSECUTION BY FORMING THE POLICE TASK FORCE TO COMBAT HOMOSEXUALITY AND ABORTION.
AROUND 50,000 MEN WERE CONVICTED UNDER PARAGRAPH 175 AND SENT TO PRISONS, PENITENTIARIES OR SANITARIUMS. SOME WERE RELEASED ONLY IN ORDER TO BE CONSCRIPTED INTO THE GERMAN ARMY. HUNDREDS, POSSIBLY THOUSANDS, OF MALE HOMOSEXUALS DIED IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS. SOME WERE IDENTIFIED BY PINK TRIANGLES THEY WERE FORCED TO WEAR. THESE DEATHS WERE THE RESULT OF HARSH CONDITIONS, HARD LABOR, MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION, BEATINGS AND MURDER.
AFTER THE WAR, WHILE MOST OTHER INMATES WERE LIBERATED AND SOME GIVEN RESTITUTION, HOMOSEXUALS CONTINUED TO BE ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED UNDER PARAGRAPH 175 UNTIL ITS REPEAL IN 1969. "
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gary wrote on May 21, 2009 10:46 AM: