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The Holocaust: The Truth Will Out

‘Holocaust’ is a term derived from Greek, meaning to burn completely; and is used to describe the annihilation of about six million European Jews by the Nazis. They also hunted and killed five million Gypsies, physically and mentally disabled people (including Germans), homosexuals, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

They were made to use sandpaper for toilet roll and had strict regimes to make sure they actually did use it. At the very end, the point of death, when they could no longer be used for work, they were told to go for a bath but were given the gas chamber and a poisonous shower instead.

Mandatory Sterilisation

(A picture of an actual pink triangle homosexuals were made to wear on their “uniforms”)

Homosexuals were made to wear a pink triangle for quick identification because it (homosexuality) was thought to be catching. They would be terribly abused and targeted, and were especially hated because their practises were seen as no way to advance the superior Aryan race. When eventually dealt with, a lot of them were castrated.

Hitler believed that mixed race people were created either by rape, or in the case of white mothers and black fathers (that their mother was a whore). People today judge Hitler for being a wicked man, and would be appalled if told they had something in common with him – but they hold this very view. The way he took care of this “unnatural, freak of nature” was to forcibly sterilise all mixed race people to stop them from perpetuating their “vile, impure” blood lines.

The mentally ill and physically deformed (in all of these cases Germans were included as well) were also hunted down and sterilised, as a perfect, supreme race had no place for imperfect bodies and minds.

Spoils of the dead

The innocent people, merely spoils of war, were divided into groups as soon as they arrived at the camps (the blindfolded Arab man with the gun pointed at his head still won’t leave my mind). The weak and sick went one way, the healthy the other. The healthy were wrung out until physically dry, at nights they stayed in rooms like brooms carelessly thrown in a cupboard, no wash, no food, no books to read.

At sunrise they worked, but not only in factories, they were also made to chop up and burn their diseased and starved dead; a steady reminder of what they were to become and had done to them.

One of their most important tasks was to separate the human assets from the dead, by whatever means necessary. This involved shaving off women’s hair to use for making socks and mats, and prying open jaws to extract gold teeth.

Death Marches

Between 1944 to 1945, towards the end of the war the Nazis decided that since the Allies were approaching from both the east and west, it was time to get rid of the evidence of their atrocities.

They killed numerous Jewish prisoners in the camps, the rest, ill and weak from overwork and starvation, they marched for tens of miles to railway stations in snowy conditions. They stacked them into freight trains made for cattle without food, adequate clothing, or heat.

When they arrived to their destination, they were again made to march in very hostile conditions. Those who could not keep up were shot on the spot. The biggest death march took place in January of 1945 between Auschwitz and Wodzislaw which is 35miles away. 60,000 people were marched out of the concentration camps and 15,000 died on the way.

Frantic to get rid of their insane lust for power over lives they felt were below them, the Nazis forced 8,000 weak and ill Jews to march for 10 days straight. They shot 700 people and seemingly hoped for the rest to die on the way through this very gruelling march. This “hope” to me, is evidenced in the next action they took, as those who were still alive when they reached the coast, were forced into the Baltic Sea and shot.

So the Holocaust – fact or fiction? I would say beyond a shadow of a doubt – fact! Not only is this all documented in pictures, but the solid acid test of its authenticity remains the contemporary people who have spent the rest of their lives telling their stories to make sure that this slaughter does not happen again. Together, we should resist examples like the one above (the Digg story) so that all humans are treated with the equal respect we all rightly and justly deserve.

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  1. Alexa Gates

    On May 1, 2008 at 6:43 am


    great article!

  2. R J Evans

    On May 1, 2008 at 6:46 am


    Thought provoking and righteous! Great article!

  3. nobert bermosa

    On May 1, 2008 at 7:44 am


    nice historical piece Anne,i have read a lot about the holocaust and upon seeing your article, i was force to read the whole article because of the title-indicating whether it’s a fact or fiction, i thought there’s something about it that i have to know,anyway, thanks for sharing, I am a history teacher by profession that’s why i’m always interested on historical pieces like this, once again thank you..

  4. IcyCucky

    On May 1, 2008 at 8:17 am


    This is so sad and the pictures tore my heart!

  5. Dee Huff

    On May 1, 2008 at 10:12 am


    It’s all so awful. And the horrible thing is that these sorts of things still go on. Witness recent history in the former Yoguslavia, and look at what’s going on in various parts of the world today.

  6. Irene

    On May 1, 2008 at 10:12 am


    I have to agree with lionessofgd – this is a terrible thing to publish + very insensitive since today is Holocaust Remembrance day.

  7. Anne Lyken-Garner

    On May 1, 2008 at 10:39 am


    let me say that if parts of this article looks unfinished it’s because there were complaints (by people who obviously did not read it) which caused bits of it to be taken down. I will not submit a fix. I will leave it as it is.

    This article is to be read before a comment is made please. Thanks so much for your time.

  8. MysLykeMeeh

    On May 1, 2008 at 5:46 pm


    I believed though, Holocaust is a fact. There are many Jewish people who escaped and can testify that it happened.

    Very well-explain and organized article. There may be a discription of inhumane act but its actually stating the truth. The truth should come out.

    Great one.

  9. SunGoddess

    On May 1, 2008 at 6:08 pm


    Anne – First of all, let me say, I read the story. You are typically a great writer, however you selected a title and description poorly. It’s obvious you’re not Jewish.

    When I first saw this published on Digg, I was in shock! You must realize first impressions are lasting ones. This was submitted to Digg on Holocaust Remembrance Day and I can speak for many of my Jewish Friends from Digg, we thought this was an intentional attack on our people.

    People on Digg will read Title and Description before considering opening the article, much less Digging. You must realize your creative tactics to entice people to read did not work in this particular situation.

    You are writing about people who have been hated by other for centuries! Some discretion should have been used.

  10. Andy-N

    On May 1, 2008 at 11:24 pm


    One sad consequence from the contrived debate is the Holocaust is seen by many as a “Jewish” tragedy. That is simply not true. In fact I find it offensive that people do not see it as an afront to humanity.

    Clearly the majority of horrific murders were afflicted on to people who were Jewish. But there were a significant number of Jehovah’s Witnesses also included. But that is not even the point. This kind of henious atrocity should sicken all mankind. Jewish people I believe need to look at the bigger picture.

    For example in the USA there were was an untold amount of Japanese Americans that were brutally arrested and stripped of any legal rights just because their relatives were from Japan. It is true they were no murdered but I for one am happy they weren’t. But it doesn’t lesson the corruption and bigotry thrust on them.

    What of the genecide actions in Bosnia? Or Darfur? The list goes on.

    Nice article Anne!

  11. quiet voice

    On May 2, 2008 at 12:01 am


    …Anne, very profound article.
    Good intentions can
    be misinterpreted. The truth is
    the light. Look at Iraq, humans
    doing inhumane things, there are
    still bodies of civilians, which
    are in the rivers in Iraq, which
    are yet to be found. It’s a sad
    world, when there is no thought
    given to human life. Take care.

  12. valli

    On May 2, 2008 at 12:39 am


    This is very sad and I can’t stop my crying while reading.

  13. Anne Lyken-Garner

    On May 2, 2008 at 3:28 am


    Dear Sungoddess, with all due respect to you, I may not be Jewish but I have suffered starvation and abject poverty, torture and painful abuse (all during peace time, having had to pretend everything was normal on the outside, while being ripped thread by thread on the inside). Therfore, my heart and emotions are all with the sufferers of the Holocaust.

    I do not disrespect you, I’ve read your comments on different articles and perceive you to be an intelligent person. I actually do like you and your obvious love for life, evident in your profile and outlook. So when I say this, it is not because of anything negative, I am purely excercising my right to fight my corner.

    I think that the only reason you’re upset is because I made a link from this article to the picture you submitted on — (found in LionessofGod – #5)profile on another website. I could easily say which one here so people can find it, but I won’t. I want this to stop here, as the last thing I want to do is to offend people whose cause I understand.

    I said that I saw a parallel between asking people to choose hardware to to add to a gun which a soldier had pointed to an Arab prisoner. This was a man who already had his hands hancuffed behind his back and his eyes blindfolded. I made reference to the fact that his life was thought not to be equal to ours. If we could, in all human honesty laugh at his plight by thinking up ways we could blast him to bits, we’re part of what the Nazis stood for. He is equal to us, his life is worth just as much or as little as ours.

    I think that you’re upset that my link involved you directly, and without this link, you and your friends whose names were on that article as people who submitted and dugg it would not have been upset. My article is not about that though, so making a fuss about that, is taking away from the facts of the piece.

    Again, I did not set out to offend, so I’m sorry if I did. I AM IN TOTAL, EXTREME OPPOSITION TO WHAT HAPPENED IN THE HOLOCAUST!!(Anyone who reads this article would see that)
    How can I not be, considering I know how much abuse can hurt and how your skin burns after a beating, and your stomach throbs when it’s empty?

    You said the title offended you, so I’ve asked to have it changed.

  14. Moses Ingram

    On May 2, 2008 at 5:53 pm


    I found parts of this difficult to read. The problem too is that it’s still happens today, on a much smaller scale perhaps but it’s still happening. Well written

  15. ruby Hawk

    On May 2, 2008 at 10:01 pm


    There is nothing worse than what Hitler did to the Jews.As a child I read of all the atrosities and I have never forgotten and never will. Russia was no better. My better-half’s grandparents and nine of their children were murdered by the Russians. Surviving family were sent to Siberia where they died. His mother and her brother escaped to South Africa.It breaks my heart to think about it.

  16. Ruby Hawk

    On May 2, 2008 at 10:07 pm


    Let me say again thank you for publishing thie piece. We should never be allowed to forget. We should also be sure our children know what happened in Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Russia and the surroundign countries who joined them or stood by and did nothing. I can’t imagine anyone being offended and you have nothing to apologize for, or reason to change anything.

  17. Nick Kenney

    On May 2, 2008 at 10:22 pm


    I find it sad that people feel the need to bicker about how an article has been written…when we all need to remember the atrocity itself, its evil henchmen and the millions of (Not only Jews) but other innocent victims who suffered at their hands. This is a great article Anne…well done! I remember having to watch a film about it while in the 7th grade and its images will live with me forever. That is all that matters people that we NEVER FORGET so that it NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN!!
    I applaud your efforts Anne…
    God’s blessings on you.

  18. RAB

    On May 3, 2008 at 12:12 am


    Why the provocative title? Why did you find it necessary to write this article on Holocaust Rememberance Day!? I can not and will not dignify this article by spending more time here.

  19. Meri Jeffrey

    On May 3, 2008 at 9:01 am


    Great article, Anne!

  20. Ralph Brandt

    On May 3, 2008 at 9:46 am


    Good article, look a the sentence “While researching this article, it became crystal that the Nazis;”

    Believe you mean, crystal clear.

  21. Anne Lyken-Garner

    On May 3, 2008 at 11:55 am


    Thanks everyone for your comments. It is true that articles like these need to be written so that the mistakes of the past do not get repeated.

    Ralph, no, I meant to put ‘crystal’ as this means clear(see-through). The cliche ‘crystal clear’ although a nice term to use is actually redundant as both words mean the same. Thanks for pointing this out, I’m glad you did because it meant that you took time off to read the article.

  22. Speed Limit

    On May 4, 2008 at 2:04 pm


    “Mistakes”? These were crimes in the worst meaning of the word, not just “mistakes”.

  23. Judy Sheldon

    On May 5, 2008 at 9:53 pm


    It would be a bigger crime to act as if these atrocities had not been committed. In remembering we assure ourselves that we will not allow such a thing to take place again.

    I thought you did a compassionate portrayal.

  24. olber nicky

    On June 5, 2008 at 6:43 am


    great article,well researched but overtly emotional
    and of course i dont believe the Holocaust happened because of the racial issue!

  25. anonymous

    On November 23, 2008 at 11:08 am


    That didnt help because i was lookin 4 info on jehova’s witnesses, gosh no1 cares about J.W so y write bout em????? huh i bet thats wat u wer thinkin

  26. anonymous

    On November 23, 2008 at 11:12 am


    well they perservered more than any other group and hitler hated them the most so j.w. deserve their mention in history, think bout that next time u write an article!!!!

  27. Lily River

    On December 11, 2008 at 4:40 pm


    Hitler was an evil monster, and you write well. I also think that the Holocaust is a very sensitive topic, and there is no way to discretely discussing it without hurting someone.

  28. A Lake

    On July 29, 2009 at 8:34 am


    How sad you write about a subject in history that, is only recently, being put under the microscope and is beginning to have more holes in it than a colander. What is really shocking is that people who have earned a good living out of the “Holocaust” business are today commiting the same atrocities against Palestinians, mainly women and children. We live in the present. Lets here some discussion about Zionist atrocity and how people feel about their governments supporting such acts. I’m disgusted at mine.

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