Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski today represented the United States at an event far removed from his usual scope of duties - the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in Oswiecim, Poland.
Genachoswki delivered a speech at the site of the Nazi prison camp, where he shared his family’s story.
He told the tale of his great-grandmother, Bella Rabinovitch, and her family.
“Bella was a mother of four -- three grown girls and a boy -- living in Belgium in the first half of the last century,” said Genachowski. “As the German invasion of Europe spread into Belgium, Bella’s world began to crumble. One daughter and son-in-law fled the country, fearing the worst.
Then Bella’s husband and son were arrested and sent to a slave labor camp. Another son-in-law, Shimon, was picked up by the SS on a streetcar (his identity card checked; it was marked “J”). He brazenly escaped, and that night left the country with his wife, Bella’s daughter Dina, and their five-year-old son Azriel.”
Genachowski continued, “Bella went into hiding with her remaining daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. Like so many others, they were eventually discovered… On April 19, 1942, Bella and what was left of her family in Belgium were packed onto a train along with 1,396 others. After three days in the cattle car, they arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau…. The records state that Bella Rabinovitch, along with Sara, Isaac and four-year-old Jacob were ‘Gazes a L’Arivee’ --gassed on arrival.”
“My father, Azriel Genachowski, was the five-year-old boy I told you about,” said Genachowski. “Azriel Genachowski and my mother Adele are here today, with the American delegation. They survived the Nazi onslaught of Europe. They taught me what I have told you.”
“My daughter, Lilah, is five years old -- the same age as my father when he and his parents made their escape from Nazi-occupied Belgium.
My son, Aaron, is three years old -- the same age as his mom’s father in Nazi-occupied Holland when his parents handed him over to be hidden by righteous non-Jewish heroes who risked their lives to save people they didn’t know.
We preserve Auschwitz-Birkenau so that children all over the world like Lilah, Aaron, and their older brother Jake can visit and absorb the full dimensions of the unthinkable tragedy that occurred here.”
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