MAVERICK ROVER WORLD Blog Post #53. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY(week 1) 5/22/2019
it's a lifestyle"
May 22, 2019
*
This post is based on
atrocities of
World War II,
specifically the Holocaust
in Hungary
"Outside"
In the courtyard are headstone markers of Jews
who were killed while in the courtyard
Mausoleum wall with stones inside the crypts
to memorialize the dead, since there were no ashes
of those who were sent to prison camps
or those who were never located
This "Tree of Life"
was donated by America's own
Tony Curtis (the movie star)
in memory of his Hungarian roots.
On its leaves are the names of many
of those lost during the Holocaust
The two photos below show the
Bronze Shoe Memorial
at the Danube River.
The victims were forced to leave their shoes behind.
These 60 pair of bronze shoes are a small representation of
the hundreds of thousands of victims
starved and murdered.
This action implies that the life of a Jew had no value,
however, their shoes did have value.
"(based on)
60 Pair Shoe Memorial at the Danube River"
*
*
This post is based on
atrocities of
World War II,
specifically the Holocaust
in Hungary
*
The
Dohány utcai Zsinagóga,
Dohány Street Synagogue
is a standout among the many
historical sites to visit in Budapest
The horrors of WWII
remain a large part of history the world over
The Synagogue and the Jewish Quarter
aptly immortalize the horrific WWII
impact on the Jewish community
Inside and out,
the largest synagogue in Europe
is an architectural wonder
The museum and courtyard exhibit
headstones and memorials which commemorate the
hundreds of thousands murdered
during the occupation
"Inside"
In the courtyard are headstone markers of Jews
who were killed while in the courtyard
Mausoleum wall with stones inside the crypts
to memorialize the dead, since there were no ashes
of those who were sent to prison camps
or those who were never located
This "Tree of Life"
was donated by America's own
Tony Curtis (the movie star)
in memory of his Hungarian roots.
On its leaves are the names of many
of those lost during the Holocaust
Holocaust Memorial
"NEVER AGAIN"
1944
This memorial illustrates the actions taken by
the fascist Hungarian Arrow Cross Militiamen.
Below you will see a modernist artist's depiction of
Jews standing at the Danube River
in wait of execution.
Often lined up and tied together
so that when the first person in line was shot,
the rest of the group would be pulled into the river behind them.
The militiamen said that "one Jew is not worth one bullet".
The two photos below show the
Bronze Shoe Memorial
at the Danube River.
The victims were forced to leave their shoes behind.
These 60 pair of bronze shoes are a small representation of
the hundreds of thousands of victims
starved and murdered.
This action implies that the life of a Jew had no value,
however, their shoes did have value.
*
Due to the impact on me of what I have shared above,
my visits to other important memorials throughout Budapest
and the entirety of this travesty,
I have written an original poem
to express my feelings.
Atrocity
"(based on)
60 Pair Shoe Memorial at the Danube River"
My throat stretched to the clouds suffocates me
a desire to retrieve shoe owners long forgotten
long remembered in bronze
men women children stepped out
one final time
My heart thrown headlong back in time
women’s braided hair stylish hat yesterday
today statuesque barefoot
anticipate a cranium
crushing bullet
My gut wrenched an unnamed knot my soul curled
sixty pair at river’s edge
high-heeled eighteen eyelets
businessmen’s shined
athlete’s soft-soled spent
children’s barely worn
none spared
My weight weightless I disappear
rich leather scent gone
stolen worn by assassins
sold bartered
stockpiled
muddled heaps stolen worn by assassins
sold bartered
My entirety is in overwhelm breathless
they fall headlong Duna Folyó waits below
massive grave
rush of cold blue
rush of cold blue
they meet again in bloody
crimson red
river's-end
crimson red
river's-end
Roger Allen Mosser 2019
*
With this poem, I will sign off from
MRW Blog #53
and let each of my readers contemplate the
massive injustice of WWII.
***
NEVER AGAIN
***
Hard to hold back tears
ReplyDeleteYour poem is such a heartfelt tribute to the atrocities. Beautiful.
DeleteDear Roger....What an incredible post! I never knew about that amazing synagogue of such monumental architecture. All the memorials are very moving. I don't know if you knew, but many relatives in my mother's family, including my grandparents, were killed in the Holocaust (in Poland). My mother only made it out on a fluke, as she and her sister had passports for their plan to go to France to study clothing design, and were advised by a relative in Baltimore to just get out...only a short time before Hitler invaded. I only wish "Never Again" were possible, as I hear that anti-Semitism is on the rise again in Hungary, as well as racial and religious hatred that seems to be coming out everywhere...mostly outside of larger cities. (Thanks tRump for encouraging this tragedy!!!) Anyway, dear pal - thanks for the beautiful thoughts and incredible poem. XXX, J p.s. It's snowing today in Idyllwild.
ReplyDelete