[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 22 (Monday, February 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  STATEMENT ON H. RES. 1044 COMMEMORATING THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
 LIBERATION OF AUSCHWITZ, A NAZI CONCENTRATION AND EXTERMINATION CAMP, 
  HONORING THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST, AND EXPRESSING COMMITMENT TO 
          STRENGTHEN THE FIGHT AGAINST BIGOTRY AND INTOLERANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 22, 2010

  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today in 
support of H. Res. 1044 ``Commemorating the 65th anniversary of the 
liberation of Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration and extermination camp, 
honoring the victims of the Holocaust, and expressing commitment to 
strengthen the fight against bigotry and intolerance.''
  I would like to begin by thanking my colleague Representative Ileana 
Ros-Lehtinen for introducing this resolution in the House, as it is 
important that we never forget the horrible atrocities of the Holocaust 
and that we continue to fight against acts of genocide around the world 
as well as fight against bigotry and intolerance here at home in the 
U.S.
  The Auschwitz concentration camp in present-day Poland was one of the 
most horrific Nazi extermination camps during World War II. The camp 
was initially established by the Nazis in 1940 as an army barracks but 
soon took on a new role as the Nazis began targeting specific groups of 
people including Jews, ethnic Poles, Romani, Soviet civilians, Soviet 
prisoners of war, people with disabilities, homosexuals, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, and other political and religious groups.
  Between 1940 and 1945 Auschwitz grew into the largest of the Nazi 
concentration camps in Europe, and consisted of three main camps in 
addition to 45 other satellite camps around the area.
  During the Holocaust, more than 6 million Jews and other targeted 
groups were exterminated by the Nazis, and over 1 million of those 
killed in the Holocaust were murdered at Auschwitz.
  As prisoners were taken into Auschwitz, they would pass through an 
infamous gate that read ``Arbeit macht frei'' or ``Work makes free.'' 
This statement could not have been further from the truth however. The 
victims of Auschwitz were systematically exterminated in gas chambers 
while others were starved to death, tortured, and subjected to forced 
labor and horrific medical experiments.
  On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops entered the Auschwitz 
concentration camp and liberated over 7,000 prisoners from the Nazis. 
Prior to the arrival of the allied Soviet troops however, many of the 
Nazis who were responsible for the horrible acts at Auschwitz escaped 
back into Germany, killing as many prisoners as they could in their 
escape.
  Today we honor the victims of the Holocaust who were oppressed and 
killed by the Nazis at Auschwitz as well as those who were killed at 
the hands of the Nazis during World War II. Today we also stand with 
the other victims of genocide across the world and condemn the violent 
dictators and regimes that carry out these horrible and despicable 
actions.
  I would also like to express my appreciation for the soldiers, 
sailors and airmen who fought against the Nazi tyranny during the 
Second World War and helped to liberate millions of prisoners from 
concentration camps across Europe. Because of the actions of these 
brave men and women, Europe is now a free and democratic society and 
the world is a much better place.
  It is important that we never forget the horrible actions that took 
place during the Holocaust. Furthermore, I would also like to urge 
countries and leaders across the world to reassess their efforts in 
fighting racism, intolerance and anti-Semitism.
  Through providing education and instruction to adults and children 
alike, we can help to ensure that what happened in Auschwitz and other 
Nazi concentration and extermination camps is never allowed to happen 
again.
  I ask my colleagues for their support of this legislation as well as 
their support for victims of genocide across the world. I strongly urge 
you to support this resolution.

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