2015-J378

Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps

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2015-J378


LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the liber-
ation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps on January 27, 2015

WHEREAS, According to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, early in 1942, the
Nazi hierarchy formally decided on the "Final Solution" to the "Jewish
problem" -- annihilation; and
WHEREAS, Throughout occupied Europe, genocide began, and by 1945, at
the end of World War II, six million Jews and millions of others had
been killed; and
WHEREAS, Auschwitz-Birkenau was a huge complex of camps including
Auschwitz and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, Auschwitz III-Monowitz and 45
satellite camps, each dedicated variously to killing centers, concen-
tration, and forced-labor camps; and
WHEREAS, 1,000,000 of the civilians who perished at the camp were
Jews, along with 100,000 non-Jewish Poles, Roma, and Sinti individuals,
Soviet prisoners of war, Jehovah's Witnesses, gay men and women, and
other ethnic minorities; and
WHEREAS, These civilians included farmers, tailors, seamstresses,
factory hands, accountants, doctors, teachers, small-business owners,
clergy, intellectuals, government officials, and political activists;
and
WHEREAS, These civilians were subjected to torture, forced labor,
starvation, rape, inhumane medical experiments, and being separated from
loved ones; and
WHEREAS, The people of New York must never forget the terrible crimes
against humanity committed at the Auschwitz extermination camp; and
WHEREAS, The people of New York must educate future generations to
promote understanding of the dangers of intolerance in order to prevent
similar injustices from happening again; and
WHEREAS, Particularly in light of recent events in Paris, France, the
words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who was barely alive in
Auschwitz as the camp was liberated by Allied forces, resound louder
than ever: "We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never
the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Some-
times we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human
dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrel-
evant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race,
religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become
the center of the universe"; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-
Birkenau concentration camps on January 27, 2015; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, New York City.

actions

  • 28 / Jan / 2015
    • REFERRED TO FINANCE
  • 03 / Feb / 2015
    • REPORTED TO CALENDAR FOR CONSIDERATION
  • 03 / Feb / 2015
    • ADOPTED

Resolution Details

Law Section:
Resolutions, Legislative

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