Behind every name is a story, USAG RP, 21TSC hold Days of Remembrance Observance

On April 18, USAG Rheinalnd-Pfalz and 21st Theater Sustainment Command held a Days of Remembrance Observance ceremony to honor the six million Jews and millions of non-Jewish victims persecuted and murdered in the Holocaust. The theme for this year was “Behind every name is a story.”

“The U.S. Army remembers and honors those killed during the Holocaust — as their sacrifices commit us to vigilance against hate and persecution. Soldiers will never forget these crimes against humanity. Days of Remembrance provides Soldiers the opportunity to reflect on the moral obligations and responsibilities inherent in the Army values to show dignity and respect for all,” said Col. Reid E. Furman, Garrison Commander, in his opening remarks.

“We remember the lessons of the Holocaust and challenge everyone in our community, military and civilian, to remain vigilant. We remember, behind every name is a story; these are stories of suffering, stories of courage, and perseverance.”

Guest speaker, Benjamin Moses Chait, Kantor and Religionsbeauftragter of the Synagogengemeinde Saar in Saarbruecken, spoke to the audience about the meaning of the Holocaust Remembrance Day.

“We make a distinction between remembering and not forgetting. Most people would say that they are the same thing, remembering and not forgetting. For example, I ‘remembered’ your birthday –means, I did not forget it. I didn’t forget something usually means, of course, that ‘I remembered it’,” Chait said.

“In Judaism, not forgetting is not the same as remembering. When you remember something, you might regret something about it; you might have seen something on tv, or you might have learned something about it. But in Judaism, ‘not forgetting’ means that there are people that teach other people, not to forget. There are people that write books, so others can remember. People that write articles, people that make events like this — so that others remember.”

Today, the Army honors those individuals who took a stand during WWII, and we honor those individuals who continue to stand up against hatred and oppression.