Auschwitz Birkenau police says someone has stolen Arbeit Macht Frei sign from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, which in translation means Work Makes Your Free.
According to DW Israel already protested the stealing of one of the most representative inscription in Auschwitz Birkenau and described it as "abominable" form of antisemitism. The famous arch over the entrance of the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz, Poland, was stolen overnight. Authorities say it was probably stolen between 3 to 5 AM local time.
Arbeit Macht Frei is a 90 pound sign. It is 5-meter-long (16-foot-long).
Worldwide condemnation did not delay. It's is not only symbolic, but also tragic. Nearly one million Jews died in that concentration camp during the WW2, according to AP.
Museum officials had hard time describing it. They said this is a desecration.
In Israel, the deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said Auschwitz sign theft shows the hatred of Jews is still going on. "The theft "demonstrates that there is still hatred and violence toward Jews," Shalom said.
The Aushwiz Arbeit Macht Frei theft indeed shows that inter-ethnic hatred is still alive. As long as the world has not condemned all types of holocausts, genocides, and inter-ethnic hatreds these types of things will come back to haunt our societies.
One hatred, if not condemned begets another one. When the world and to this date Turkey did not condemn the Armenian Genocide in the Eastern parts of the Ottoman Empire the German Chancellor of the 30s took advantage of it. In the document, later identified at the Nuremberg Tribunal as L-3 or Exhibit USA-28 and quoted by Kevork Bardakjian, Hitler and the Armenian Genocide (Cambrdige, Mass: The Zoryan Institute, 1985) Hitler speaking of his decision to attack Poland and of anihilation of Jews reads the following: "Only thus shall we gain the living space (Lebensraum), which we need. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?"
Thus, the theft of the signs in Auschwitz is one more time a reminder that the World should wake up and condemn all types of hatred and genocides. This is first of all a call to Turkey to acknowledge and recognize the attrosities of the Armenian Genocide, already recognized by international genocide associations and more than 20 countries in the world.
Thus, we will make a better world and a better future to all of our children.
Written by Armen Hareyan
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