The Question of Forgiveness
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The Sunflower by Simon Weisenthal
Simon Weisenthal is a survivor of the Nazi Concentration Camps. After he was liberated he quickly joined forces with those who dedicated their lives to capturing and bringing justice of Nazi war criminals. Many of these are in prison, some were executed, a few were notorious.
Knowing his history, I was surprised to find this haunting book, one that asks one of the most important questions of our life time.
My Purpose
My intent here is to begin a dialogue among us about the meaning and limits of forgiveness. I will tell the story that Weisenthal told to the great people who wrote for his book. I will then ask you to answer the question that he asked all of his corespondents.
This is not meant to be a debate, but a discussion. I thank all who participate.
The Importance of the Sunflower
Simon Weisenthal was an inmate in the Ostbahn Concentration Camp from late in the war. He escaped in October 1943, just before the Nazis began mass exterminations there.The camp contained a hospital for German soldiers. Many of them died as would most of the captive inmates. Weisenthal reported that death wasn't as much the issue as were the sunflowers. Each soldier who died and was buried there, got a sunflower planted over his grave. The inmates knew that they would be buried in a mass grave.
They envied the sunflower. It was a symbol of the humanity that was granted the soldiers, but denied the inmates.
The Request from the Young Nazi to the Jewish Prisoner
One day a nurse came to the bunker and motioned for Weisenthal to come with her. She took him to the bedside of an adolescent Nazi who was dying. Weisenthal had learned the natural wariness of a prisoner in that precarious situation, but was surprised at what happened.The soldier wanted to make a confession and more than that wanted forgiveness from a Jew, any Jew. Weisenthal happened to be that Jew.
The confession was horrific. Nazis had gathers up a couple of hundred Jews and forced them into a tiny two story house. That would have been horrible enough, but then they locked the doors and downstairs windows before they set the house on fire.
A man, woman and boy jumped from a second story window and the young soldier participated in shooting them to death.
He wanted to be forgiven.
Weisenthal's mind raced with so many emotions, but he did nothing and said nothing. He was taken back to the bunk.
Simon Weisenthal:
"I am someone who seeks justice, not revenge..."
Links to Simon Weisenthal's Work
- Simon Weisenthal's Words
- Simon Weisenthal talks about his search for Nazis who committed crimes against humanity.
- The Simon Weisenthal Center
- The official site for the Simon Weisenthal Center.
- 1908-2005
- Simon Weisenthal's Biography
The First Debates
Back at the bunks he told his fellow inmates what had happened and asked them what he should do.If you are not familiar with the Jewish law, it provides that if you harm someone you can only get forgiveness from that person, not anyone else.
Many of the men reminded him of this, few if any suggested that he should have granted the request.
After the War
Early in his career as a Nazi hunter found and visited the home of the mother of the dead soldier. She had no idea who he was and was told merely that he was someone who had known her son.She had lost her husband and only son in the war and her home was a monument to them.
Weisenthal wanted to tell her what a monster her son had been, but also felt some compassion for the lonely old woman.
He ended up repeating what he had done with her son. He said nothing, offering neither comfort nor the truth.
This too haunted him in his life.
Haunted for a Lifetime
Although Simon spent the rest of his life tracking down war criminals and bringing them to justice, something that sometimes lead to their deaths, he was haunted by these events. In the 90's he wrote the story of the Sunflower and then asked many prominent people to answer the questions: Could you, would you, should you grant forgiveness to this young man who had committed such terrible crimes? What Would You Do? Could You Forgive?
Weisenthal asked some of the great people of the 20th century to help him answer that question. There were many different answers.
I am asking you to think about this, feel the emotion and try to answer the question.
Some of you, if not all of you, may be able to answer on both sides.
This is not easy, it is not fun. But I think it is important.
If you feel called to discuss this, I request that you also pass it on to others who many also want to contribute.
I thank you for this.
What Would You Do? Could You Do? Should You Do?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byI Would Have Forgiven Him
LizzyJean says:
I would try, but I'm not sure I would succeed. There are people in my past that I SAY I've forgiven, but when I see them, the incident or event always pops in my head. If I had truly forgiven them, why am I haunted with memories?
Posted December 29, 2008
I Would Never Have Given the Forgiveness
papawu says:
In this case, I simply do not know. Two wrongs don't make a right, yet the Holocaust was something beyond most human comprehension.Could I have watched my friends and loved ones tortured and murdered and forgive those who perpetrated it? I don't think forgiveness is something I could give, but the utter hatred of them is something I think I could let go of. War is such an ugly and merciless thing, especially when you have genocidal psychopaths leading others to do things they may not even have dreamed of doing under different circumstances.
Posted November 05, 2008
"I Am Only a Survivor"
The Sunflowers A Most Worthwhile Read
The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness (Newly Expanded Paperback Edition)
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/12/2009)
Thoughts on This Lens Are Appreciated
LizzyJean wrote...
Forgiving someone is the ultimate gift. It cannot be taken lightly or for granted .
Great lens. I need to read The Sunflowers.
LizzyJean
Posted December 29, 2008
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
What a wonderful lens!
5* and rolled to Say Something Nice
Lizzy
Posted December 09, 2008
Margo_Arrowsmith wrote...
in reply to JaguarJulie The Dali Lama wrote a section. He talked about a friend of his, a monk, who had been imprisoned and tortured by the Chinese for years. When the Dali Lama asked him, "What was the worst for you" the friend relied, "They almost made me stop loving them". Even the Dali Lama was moved and impressed by him.
Posted November 16, 2008
JaguarJulie wrote...
Inspirational lens -- growing up I read all the books I could find about the concentration camps and the holocaust. They touched me deeply as an impressionable youth. Hopefully this book will return to print.
Posted November 16, 2008
papawu wrote...
This is still such a disturbing and sensitive subject, even after all these decades. How does one reconcile what they witnessed and experienced. It's such a nightmare, even today.
Posted November 05, 2008
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