Open question regarding "public" profiles of Holocaust victims and adding them to projects

My opinion is that other people do not have the right to tell me what I can say or do. They do not control the names or the memories, nor can they dictate to others when and how those names can be recorded. I realize it is an emotional issue for some, and we can be sensitive to that, but that does not mean that we have to live our lives according to their wishes. You asked my opinion -- that's my opinion.

I would guess that most of the data comes from the Yad vaShem site or published books. It's documented and out there already.

I focus on villages that perished where my own family lived for probably a couple hundred years and on my own relatives, however distant. I think we should not forget the destruction of Jewish life in most of Europe and the victims of unthinkable evil. They should be remembered. The fact that I took the time to learn what happened and remover them is a good thing in my view.

Jack Marcel Klaber

As @ Hatte points out the data used is already mostly in the public arena originating in Dutch records, Yad vaShem and other published websites.
The horror and evil that was perpetrated on and destroyed Jewish Life must never be forgotten. It is precisely for this reason that the victims are remembered and honored by their inclusion into the Holocaust projects.

Thank you all for your thoughts and opinions!

To Jack: what is the reason the relatives give that they would not like the data be made public? I would think it would have to be a damn good reason.This was a crime against humanity,and therefore not just the province of a few relatives,the enormity of the crime makes it everybody's business.

Jack Marcel Klaber Resuscitating the names of the martyrs who died Kiddush HaShem and attaching them to living branches is mitzvah, like a virtual revival of the dead, "Tehiyas HaMesim".

As a daughter of Holocaust survivors I understand that this is an excruciatingly deep, painful process, and appreciate the caring and sensitivity of your question---so many survivors, including my father, still cannot speak about the family they lost.

However for life and Jewish history to be fully appreciated and celebrated, truth and full transparency is necessary--so future generations can joyfully embrace the giants of our past upon whose holy shoulders we all stand.

I agree with all that has been said by my esteemed Geni colleagues in this thread.

I have always felt like I was giving some peace and meaning to those who perished by adding them to projects on Geni, especially the ones who do not have surviving family members to speak on their behalf.

That said, I do know some others on Geni are wary of adding names to the Holocaust projects as it reminds them of the lists of Jews kept by those who persecuted them or those kept by governments that therefore made it easier for the Nazi regime et al.

Julia Weinberg Ensel Schor; It's complicated.......
These relatives of Shoah victims have apparently come to the final chapter of their personal Shoah memorial book and closed it.
Their family members were commemorated in a memoir book of Jewish citizens of the area and in a memorial in the town where they lived. These activities were initiated and completed by local German citizens and groups. For all these activities they gave their permission and cooperated supplying personal stories.
It seems they wish to leave it at that and go on with their lives.
Anything in addition to these Shoah memorials, such as Stolpersteine and other activities are, in their opinion, detrimental to the memory of their loved ones.
I have spoken with too many Shoah survivors first and second generation during my life in order not to understand that there cannot be a discussion with some of them about what is "appropriate", "done", "acceptable" or "satisfactorily". As a Shoah survivor second generation myself I think we are allowed to try to convince these survivors changing their position, but if they are stuck in perception, we should honor them and leave it at that.

Malka Mysels; precisely my point!
I am in contact with German school students learning about the Shoah and searching the Internet for information about former Jewish neighbors who were consecutively isolated, boycotted, humiliated, deported and killed by the Nazi government of Germany (and their helpers, some of these members of their own family!) during the Shoah.
For them to research and find the information, we need to make sure it is available. Geni is a wonderful tool for achieving this!

Jack Marcel Klaber What an inspiring, challenging and awesome work you do helping German students recreate the vitality and vibrancy of Jewish life in their neighborhoods before the Shoah!

Malka Mysels Yes, it is. Finally! After having visited this village for more than 20 years together with my father who had a farm there and faced the "silence of the Holocaust" during all the years after the war as Germans did not want to talk, relate or remember the Shoah.
After my father passed away I continued visiting the village and had to face the fact that in this village no traces of Jewish life existed. 26 Jewish citizens were murdered, some managed to flee abroad in time and only 2 survived (1 was my father).
Only since a few years things have changed in this village and I want to make sure the people who want to bring the Holocaust to its righteous place in history in this village will have all the help and support possible.

Jack Marcel Klaber What an electrifying story!
Do you have a Geni Project for your village?

As my own humble remark. As a child growing up in NYC (no known family in the Holocaust) there were no more electrifying and spiritually awakening moments, for me, than when teachers, friends, and their families shared their Holocaust experiences with me, either directly or by art.

I truly believe those who take the trouble to make these public records available to broader audiences are doing G-d's work.

In my opinion, we aren't doing something new. The most of the data is from public information, the well-known websites and published books. So, the only thing what's going on here on Geni is bringing people together, complete them with their families and much more.

And yes, I can understand that it could be difficult for family members to overview their murdered/perished people. You can also see it more positive: just complete this work so this could be also used as an remembrance to the victims of the Shoah, as a warning for the future and as a lesson for people. The jewish victims (and Jewish life) are worthy to show the history clear, transparency, truthful and faithful!

Jack Marcel Klaber - I thank you for bringing this to our attention so we were aware of it.

I lost my husband at an early age to a terrible disease and I know I cringe still 9 years later when people talk about it in public in front of me in a matter of fact voice. I feel like telling them to shut up because it's not their grief or their loss. Your comment helped me put myself in someone else's shoes for a moment and that's important to do to keep ourselves sensitive as we work on this big, shared World Tree.

Private User,; Sorry, but I do not quite get your point.... Care to elaborate?

Private User, exactly. I'm addressing this issue to the initial managers of these profiles. They made these Holocaust victims profiles public.
But as many here pointed out, the source of the vital data is from public records anyway and thus, this specific aspect of the issue under discussion is therefore resolved as far as I am concerned.

rvk: I think that everyone can do what they can. It's a question of collaborating. As for the Buchenwald project, Bart has systematically read the dutch sources. I don't speak dutch but I try to follow each and every profile/person. We all know it was one young man from the family to Buchenwald and the other members of the family to another KZ. I belive that when it's time for the norwegian and danish men to Buchenwald I would proberbly be able to read the sources better.

The most important is what Bart says: "The jewish victims (and Jewish life) are worthy to show the history clear, transparency, truthful and faithful!".

The sources used are public sources and I do hope young people will easily find the persons at Geni. As we all have heard the last month 6 million killed is not everyone killed. Hiding the correct numers, by hiding the victims, is not a good thing to do.