The Holocaust

The Holocaust. It is a horrifying event to hear about, so imagine living it. Well Eva Olsson did and she came to talk to us about her atrocious memories. I think she was the best speaker I have ever heard. They way she told it, it made you feel great empathy towards her and all the Jewish people who had been killed. She made you feel like you had been there. She had great pictures and even though her speech was very professional and even though she had probably said it a million times, it still felt very personal and like it was hard for her to talk about it.

Her speech started with her describing her family and where they lived and how much money they had had before they had been taken away. She then moved on to talk about their walk to the train. Their seven mile walk. She said that the bystanders just lined up and watched them get taken away like a Santa Clause parade. She said that in other countries simply would not let the Nazis - or the Nazis bullies as Eva said - take the Jewish people. They would physically not let them. She said that the bystanders were just as guilty as the Nazis themselves when they would just stand and watch the Jewish people get taken away.

Eva then talked about how all the Jewish people were told to line up and this man at the front of the line would tell them weather to go to the left or to the right. If you were sent to the left you would be sent right to gas chambers to be killed. The people that were sent to the right were then sent to concentration camps where they would eventually be killed. Eva said that her mother had been sent to the left, as well as the rest of her family, besides her sister and dad. Her dad only survived four months after he was sent away. That was only the beginning of the horrendous things that she told us about.

The thing I liked most about her presentation was the messages she had for us. One was never lose hope because in the end, it will turn out good. Another was never use the word hate. It is okay to dislike someone but never hate. Another was never ever bully someone, because that was how the war started. Also that being a bystander is just as bad as a bully. I think she taught us all some great life lessons, some history and she was a memorable speaker. I hope to follow her courageous example for the rest of my life.