Reflection from Wannsee

My name is David Sanchez, the following excerpt was taken from some reflective writing I wrote after our first day in Wannsee, Germany where we visited a group of villas where many Jews once lived and thrived culturally. An important piece of the Holocaust also took place in this town at the Wannsee Mansion, where members of the Nazi party and other German government officials reviewed and accepted the goals outlined in the Final Solution as well as the specifics of how this policy would be implemented.

Sharon, our Israeli guide, speaks on the importance of euphemistic language that was used during the conference (and throughout Nazi history) held here in 1964. Vague vocabulary such as “relocation” and “natural selection” was used to help facilitate the dehumanization and rationalization process of Nazi soldiers (perpetrators), and accepting citizens (bystanders) that led up to the plans eradicate the entire European Jewish population (victims). As we walk around the interior of the home, the evidence of this type of language becomes more visible as we examine original Nazi documents with English translations shown alongside. Before going into the estate Sharon had suggested to not get too hung up on reading all the information posted, instead to try to analyze the location for what it is, for what it was. I take this into account as I look around, skimming through the overwhelming amount of exhibits. One displays in particular catches my eye as I look down at the bottom of the single piece of paper. I see a total of all the numbers listed above with corresponding names of cities. It reads 11,000,000. Although we had briefly discussed the details of the meeting, the meaning of this number is immediately clear to me. It represents the total of all the Jews that were planned to be wiped out. I walked around and took some pictures of other documents and the architecture of the house. All else seemed somewhat irrelevant in light of the master plan. I didn’t see many others on the team doing much talking, only observing, as everyone seemed to be in somewhat of an awe or daze; attempting to soak in all the different sights and feelings. After speaking with other members of the team we conclude the contrasting feelings of how a place so beautiful simultaneously holds an inseparable bond to evil. This irony is reinforced as I look outside into the backyard landscaped with colorful flowers trees and statues. As I exit outside I hear crows calling loudly in the garden area and I look up to see shadowy figures circling the cloudy sky. I feel that the presence of these birds is no coincidence and interpret their color and movement as a symbol of the planning of murders that occurred here only 60 years ago. I walk around the lush yard feeling like it’s a scene out of fantasy movie. The entire location seems so surreal. My group meets up on some steps out looking the lake and we discuss certain perspectives Holocaust scholars use to explain history. We then talk about members who partook in the conference. Our guide ends with a short excerpt that describes the facilitators’ (Himmler) and other officials’ attitudes and behavior during and after the meeting. The Nazis drank fine liquor, relaxed and enjoyed each others’ company soon after the plans for genocide had been laid out. The number 11,000,000 stays in my head for the rest of the day.