The history of the modern world is not only a story of the unfolding of freedom and democracy, it also been a story of violence and tyranny, death and destruction. But one thing that stands out is that we have a memory of each success and each failure, as in the deeds of human beings and no-one could hide whatever bad he did because he is answerable in His court of justice. Holocaust is one such truth that fills one of the darkest pages of history and shows us that side of man which is no less than wild animals-full of hunger for people, a thirst for their blood just because they have not taken birth in his descent…….And over it using Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection and Herbert Spencer’s theory of survival of the fittest and killing all those who have been labeled as ‘undesirables’ and even weak and abnormal people of his own race…. Now and then, we hear stories about refuge and rescue but who could have ever imagined that even during the Hitler’s deadly regime, a story like this could come out. Thanks to Gary Lester for bringing out a wonderful tale of human emotions- how to stand for what you feel is right…..the story of a zookeeper Jan Zabinski, who in a display of extraordinary courage and commitment could save as many as 300 lives. The fact of the matter is that information about Nazi practices had trickled out of Germany during the last years of the regime. But it was only after the Second World War ended and Germany was defeated that the world came to realize the horrors of what had happened. The Jews wanted the world to remember the atrocities and sufferings they had endured during the Holocaust. Though the Nazi leadership distributed petrol to its functionaries to destroy all incriminating evidence available in offices, it could not wipe out living evidences; the dark mark it has left on the minds of the people and the darkest pages it has filled in the book of human history. Once, a ghetto inhabitant had said to another that he wanted to outlive the war for half an hour so as to tell the world about the horror. This indomitable spirit to bear witness and to preserve the documents cab be seen in many ghetto and camp inhabitants as they have written diaries, kept notebooks and created archives. It was a desire for peace that prevailed in the end. A desire of service; service to humanity; to Him that gave people like Jan Zabinski and his wife the real strength to save those marked and labeled. The fear of doing wrong is far more punishable than the fear of not doing what you know is right. This is the dilemma; the thin line between the two shades of grey- the right and the wrong…… ‘Safe Haven: The Warsaw Zoo’ has brought back what we call the ‘the universal meaning of humanity’ that existed then in our times to remind us all that if people like Jan Zabinski could risk their life to save 300 strangers in their times of adversity; WE too can! The memoirs about the holocaust have filled libraries and museums and they sit there still, just a tribute to those who resisted it, an embarrassing reminder to those who collaborated, and a warning to those who watched in silence. MANI MAKKAR |
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