the truth, jim, but not as we know it!
One of the more visible productions of the Nazi era was the creation of the cosmetic concentration camp known as Theresienstadt. Whilst in headlong pursuit of the infamous 'Final Solution', the Nazi death machine became aware that their activities in the deportation of Danish Jews to Theresienstadt had given wide publicity to this camp which was virtually unknown before the deportations. The Swedish Red Cross was planning an inspection trip to this camp, which was billed and indeed advertised aa a 'Spa Town' where elderly German Jews could 'retire' and live out their declining years. So, in a massive cosmetic exercise, the Germans arranged that gardens were planted, houses painted, and barracks renovated. The Nazis staged social and cultural events for the visiting dignitaries. An orchestra was assembled from the 'inmates' and ordered to rehearse intensively so that they might serenade their distinguished visitors, while children were marshalled and ordered to 'enjoy' themselves on the freshly-built playgrounds which were carefully inserted into the path which was planned for the visitors.
Needless to say, immediately the Red Cross left, the good times also dissappeared, the camp leaders were issued with fresh demands for them to choose who would be sent to other 'holiday camps' such as Sobibor, Treblinka and the infamous Auschwitz labour/ death camp conurbation.
I write of these things because I heard the report on the BBC of the reporter's visit, along with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to a Burmese Refugee Camp, where all the tents were both blue and new, where the children sang and everyone was very happy, under the eagle eyes of the accompanying Burmese Army.
Mike Cunningham
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