BIO: Jordana Lebowitz attended the trial of Oskar Groening in 2015. She is dedicated to Holocaust remembrance and set up a Nazi cattle car exhibit at her university that was seen by more than 2,000 people. From Toronto, she has worked for Holocaust organizations in Australia and California and travels frequently. I had a chance to interview her about her recent book, To Look a Nazi in the Eye.
- What made you decide to go to the trial?
When I read about this trial in the news and a mentor of mine, a Holocaust survivor named Hedy Bohm, told me that she would be testifying at the trial of a former SS officer known as Oskar Groening, I was struck with the desire to witness this trial for myself. I knew that it would make history as one of, if not the last Nazi trial of all time. I had learned about the Nuremburg Trials and the Eichamann trial- these events were crucial points in history that attested to what happened during that time but also had effects on the future such as the founding of the International Criminal court. I anticipated that through witnessing this important trial, I could gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and how and why it took place, enabling me and providing the legitimacy for me to pass on these messages to my generation and combat Holocaust denial. With this information, together, we can build a better future.
- How can you apply the lessons that you learned from the trial to your own life and to the future?
To me, the Holocaust or even the trial does not exist in a historical vacuum. It is a story that we can take with us each day to direct how we see the world and interact with the people around us. From this experience, I learned about the power of one- the potential of one person to succeed, to transform and to destroy. Moreover, I saw the power of many. Humanity coming together can uphold an ideal of justice that transcends generations. Humanity can also sink to the depths of immorality and commit unimaginable acts of evil whitewashed under the excuse of “following orders”. I learned about responsibility- responsibility to stand up against injustice and for each other’s struggles as human beings. Responsibility to carry on the legacies of all that existed before and finally, the responsibility to create a better tomorrow. In my own life, I strive to take this empowerment and responsibility seriously, doing all that I can to ensure equality in society; recognizing the red flags of genocide and acting in resistance to them.
- What are you doing now to further your goal of trying to pass this history on to your generation and those to follow?
The journey of spreading Holocaust Education and combatting intolerance has not ended with the Groening trial or even the publication of this book. I am currently in the process of starting a social justice- focused educational non-profit which will pursue these goals further. I plan to design an interactive and immersive multimedia exhibit inside of an exact replica of a WWII cattle car like the ones used to transport targeted groups to the concentration camps. This mobile exhibit will travel to various settings including schools, universities and community centres enabling visitors and students to personally engage with the story of the Holocaust and other genocides, as well as grapple with the human rights abuses of today and how they can make a difference in these matters. I will continue empowering students through this project as well as my speaking tours, to realize their power to make an impact and contribute in their own way to positive change.
- What is your message to your generation based on this experience?
In my opinion, the trial wasn’t as much about achieving justice for the survivors in the shadow of all the loved one’s lost, as much as it was in sending a message to the world: A message to those who breed hatred- intolerance will not go unchecked. A message to those who commit crimes against humanity, no matter how far in the past- there will be consequences. A message to all genocidal victims- you are not alone. But mostly, a message to the younger generation- what will you do?
Everyone leaves their mark on the world. Some are faint, while others are prominent. Some are good and some are bad. But together, they shape the future; we shape the future. Oskar Groening no doubt left a mark and this one person’s choices have affected millions but just as he left an imprint, so can we. We must have courage to care and the ambition to act. Do not stand by as injustices occur. Do not just follow the crowd. You have a say in how this world unfolds. You can make a difference. Never doubt that you can.
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