On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz
Today marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, one of the most notorious of the Nazi concentration camps during WWII. On this international Holocaust Remembrance Day , let's memorialize this atrocity as a harbinger, an omen, a warning, as many of the posts on the Guardian's live blog of this occasion remind us. One million people of Jewish descent were murdered just at Auschwitz alone. Wrap your mind around that statistic, and then remember that behind the number were living breathing human beings whose lives were snuffed out. The survivors have undoubtedly experienced a lifetime of PTSD, but also have been among our most powerful witnesses to the very worst of what humanity is capable. I've had the opportunity to speak with survivors of Auschwitz and other similar camps. Their stories are not pleasant but need to be heard. If you never had a chance to visit with someone who lived through that atrocity, there are other resources that are digitally...