A tragedy that can't be forgotten

Sunday, January 22, 2006

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Holocaust memories are painful for the Kriegers, but they don't want people to forget the horrific time during WWII.

You may notice something out of the ordinary as you shop at some Bay area malls this month.

Large butterfly sculptures can be seen on the ground and hanging from the ceiling.

They're symbols of hope and freedom the Florida Holocaust Museum is using to educate the public about one of the world's worst tragedies, the Holocaust.

Hans and Della Krieger are Holocaust survivors, but talking about the experience is painful.

"One day on the wall in front of the school it said Della is Jewish and I was thrown out," she said.

"Bodies piled up as high as you can see," Hans Krieger said.

The Kriegers escaped the concentration camps where six million Jews were killed in gas chambers or starved to death during World War II. Krieger made it to America and joined the military. He then returned to Germany and helped free thousands from the concentration camps.

"People ... they couldn't walk anymore," Krieger said slowly. "They were falling on the floor 'cause they had no food."

Krieger hoped to find his family but didn't.

Many Jews in the concentration camps were either starved to death or died in gas chambers.

"I don't like to read 'cause they bring back bad memories," he said, showing letters his family sent from the concentration camps. "It was just horrible."

As much as the Kriegers want to erase these memories from their minds, many survivors have died and the Kriegers don't want this horrific time in history forgotten. That's where the butterflies come in.

Florida Holocaust Museum Spokesperson Irene Weiss said butterfly sculptures will be on display at Westfield malls in the Bay area this month. The project represents victims of the Holocaust as well as children of modern-day genocide.

"Hopefully we can enlighten people," Weiss said. "It's also to educate that fact that genocide has happened since and continues to happen."

The butterflies will be auctioned off at the Holocaust Museum's annual gala fundraiser.