Young Writers Respond To Genocide

Imagine entire communities vanishing from the face of the earth, children being thrown into the flames alive, death marches, gas chambers, starvation, and torture. These tragic events and other horrors are elements of genocide. Coined in 1944 by Raphael Lemkin to describe what cannot be adequately put into words, genocide has been pervasive throughout the twentieth century, causing it to be known as the bloodiest century in history. These crimes against humanity are thoughtfully remembered and reflected upon by students of the Holocaust. In their touching and poignant anthology of poetry, essays, short stories, and letters, they increase our awareness of the power of the human spirit as well as the depravity of mankind, bringing to our memory the estimated 170 million civilians who were mass murdered in genocides. Their shared insights and youthful interpretations of these tragedies keep the memory of the innocent victims alive in the hearts and minds of those of us who perhaps never knew, but now will never forget. Holocaust survivor, author, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel emphasizes that “. . .for the dead and the living, we must bear witness . . . To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.” Remembrance and Reflection: Students’ Response To Genocide fulfills that noble purpose of bearing witness, revealing truth, and giving life to every man, woman, and child whose lives were taken the first time as well as honoring survivors and rescuers.

Editor Bio: An English teacher and Holocaust educator for sixteen years, Martina has studied in Israel, Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. She presents at numerous conferences and serves on the Pennsylvania Holocaust Education Council. Martina has received several awards including the Human and Civil Rights Educator Award in 2007 and a “Women At Their Best” award sponsored by Saturn, Inc. and Glamour magazine. Martina loves the theater, reading, and scrapbooking. She is also active in raising awareness and money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and is devoted to her husband, Jim, three daughters, and seven grandchildren.