Thursday 27 January 2011

Holocaust Memorial Day

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day and it reminded me of My trip to Auschwitz that I wrote about in a previous blog.

The trip was arranged by Allan Levy and I thought that I should pass on his thoughts

In Memoriam 
 
Today - 27th of January - is Holocaust Memorial day, which commemorates the liberation of those evil Nazi concentration camps in Poland -Auschwitz - Birkenau.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This e-mail is sent in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered,massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated with the German and Polish People looking the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iran, among        
others, claiming the Holocaust to be "a myth", it is imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are     others who would like to do it again.
 
I believe every person - regardless of     race, religion, colour or creed - evey         person should visit Auschwitz / Birkenau     and leave reciting those famous words                                     “Never Again”
   
We owe it to the millions who perished at     the hands of the Nazis, to visit their graves and say a small prayer for their souls and we owe it to future generations to - "Remember The Past To Build The Future"

You can accomplish this by visiting - http://www.rememberthepasttobuildthefuture.com/

Monday 10 January 2011

Cousins

Last Thursday my wife and I met up with my sister and my first cousins on my Dad’s side of the family.

My Dad had three sisters and a brother who is 4 years older than me. Two of the sisters each had a boy and a girl and the third had just a daughter. His brother is childless.

We met up in the restaurant in the John Lewis Department store in Oxford Street, Central London where my sister works.

With partners there were 9 of us including one aunt aged 89. Two cousins couldn’t make it and one of the cousins came down from Leeds (350 mile round trip) for the day. 

It was great meeting up and we have resolved to make it at least an annual reunion.  It  made me realise, however,  that we spend a lot of time tracing our ancestors, but not enough time recording details of the living. So I have resolved to contact all our first cousins and our nieces and nephews to make sure all their information is recorded in our family tree.

Of originally 25 first cousins, we are now down to 18, so it is important that the recording is started now.