How the Holocaust Began

Shark Island Death Camp

I have just watched a BBC documentary called How the Holocaust Began, written and presented by James Bulgin, an historian at the Imperial War Museum.  Unfortunately, the link may not be live for much longer, so check it out while you can. 

The details of the killings of Jews and others in Eastern Europe, and the true extent of those killings, is only just beginning to emerge.  Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people were shot, their bodies thrown into trenches, after the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union.  This method of murdering peple ultimately proved unsustainable, as the people doing the killing started to experience mental health issues due to the stress involved.  The Nazis' goal was to wipe out all Jews in Europe. 

The work of those researching this history is vital.  Having said that, in the documentary, there was no mention of the fact that the first German death camp, known as "Shark Island", began operations around 1906 in Namibia, South West Africa.  It has been referred to as the blueprint for what the Nazis did later.  So it could be said that that was how the Holocaust began.. 

When uncovering history that has been buried, it is essential to tell the whole story, not just part of it.  

I learned about Shark Island from presentations at the Imperial War Museum by Tony Warner of London Black History Walks.  Go here to read my review of Brother Tony's first book, Black History Walks in London Volume 1.  

Go here for a report on the Shark Island extermination camp.  

The Holocaust is one huge example of why we must learn ways to get along together harmoniously, why we must learn to communicate nonviolently.  What is at stake is genocide.  What is at stake is the survival, or destruction, of our species. 

Go here for more from the Blogging Carnival for Nonviolence 2024.  

Black Victims of the Germans and the Nazis from 1904 Onwards

I attended another excellent Black history presentation with Tony Warner at the Imperial War Museum yesterday.

Black Victims of the Nazis traced the history of the atrocities committed by the German military and settlers in Namibia from 1904 onwards. 

One important point which Brother Tony emphasised is that the atrocities committed by the Germans against African people set the stage for the Holocaust and significantly influenced postwar events.

In order for us to heal ourselves, our families, our communities and our world, we need to know our history. See also: The Importance of History. 

For future events with Tony Warner, see London Black History Walks. 

See also: Small Island. 

In my book Black Success Stories Volume 1, I interviewed Len Garrison, founder of the Black Cultural Archives in South London. He describes how, when Black people in the 1970s started offering to donate their artefacts to museums, they were told "We are not collecting this type of material". So, off his own bat and without any funding or training in this area, he set up the Black Cultural Archives. 

Click here for more information and to buy Black Success Stories. 

For more books about Black history and Black achievers, go to African American Holiday Shopping.

Too Many Politicians?

In the light of the recent Parliamentary expenses scandal, David Cameron has been calling for a reduction in the number of politicians.

Surely there need to be more. Constituencies are way too big, which is one reason why the politicians have gotten out of touch with the electorate. One politician said his "private life", i.e. how he spends our money, is none of our business!

Meanwhile, there has been this row over the fact that all members of the London Assembly, including the BNP member, have been invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace by the Queen. Apparently, she invites the Assembly every year.

I do not hold with the argument that if she invites one, she has to invite all of them. The BNP are no better than the National Front, albeit with briefcases and nice suits. In other words, Nazis.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did we not fight a war against these people? Are these not the same people who dropped bombs on London and other British cities every night? Now they are attacking from the inside.

But I blame the electorate. These people would not be in power if people didn't vote for them. Similarly, people voted for Hitler. Learn from history, folks!

Maybe Cameron's right, we do have too many politicians.