Before my visit to the Witte Museum

        The Witte Museum was a place that I wasn’t planning on visiting. The reason I chose to visit this museum is because I don’t come very often to San Antonio and had a planned visit to be here for a whole week. So after hearing good recommendations on this museum, I had to pencil it into my places to visit. Then what really got me even more excited about visiting the Witte Museum is when I was with a friend visiting a historical museum in Edinburg, TX. After browsing around the museum, I noticed some brochures for various locations around Texas. One of the brochures caught my attention, which had a picture of a piranha along with information and pictures that described the Amazon. I browsed through the brochure and things like, come and watch the piranhas feed live and see the poison dart frogs who all live in the Amazon. I was hooked and knew that I made the right choice in wanting to visit this museum. Things dangerous and rare interest me so much. I have NEVER seen a piranha, only in movies.

          I went online to see what it was about. I wanted to find out if we get to feed them, how close do we get to them and basically what this overall about. I was able to get on the website to find the phone number to find out the hours of operation along with how much the entrance fee is. Well to my surprise when I called, it was Tuesday morning and the lady informed me on how entrance to the museum is free after 3:00 but the temporarily exhibit of the Amazon was going to be a charge of $3.00. I saved a total $32.00, not bad if I say so myself.

         Something else I found quite interesting was how there were photos and information on dinosaurs that were found in parts of Texas. I thought dinosaurs lived somewhere totally far from Texas. These creatures are popular with anyone and any information that I can learn would be so beneficial for not just myself, but for my students.

         I really hope to learn much more about the various animals that are located throughout Texas. I sadly can say I only know of a few so the plan to visit this museum was an awesome choice since from what I see on the website, it offers tons of information. Here’s to learning! :) 

Danish Rescue Boat from World War II Exhibit

         Despite the evilness in what the railroad car was used for, there was still that hope that there was good in some people. After viewing the car, I noticed a boat and I thought to my head, I never remember there being a boat to torture people. That is when I came upon the stone that had some information on what this boat was used for and how it helped save thousands of lives.
        This boat was used for a 3-week period during the year 1943. Christians in Denmark risked their own lives to save more than 7,200 Jews from almost certain execution at the hands of Nazi Germany. The boat has been intentionally placed right next to the railroad car so it could teach students and visitors, the importance of each individual’s responsibility to act when confronted with injustice. The railroad car, tells of the evil committed by individual people to their neighbors. It reminds visitors of the horrible things that occurred while the world stayed idly who did little, or nothing at all. So by placing the boat next to the railroad car, visitors are able to learn of the heroic efforts of good people who refused to be bystanders and did the right thing, even at the risk of their own lives. Honestly why weren’t there more people out there like that? They could have formed something to go against Hitler. Then again he had a lot of power. It makes you think, if I were living in that time period, what would have happened? Would I have been able to withstand the work that was demanded of me? Would I actually eat the food that was served? Would I have tried to escape? Maybe switch it the other way around. If I was on the German side, I know I would have been against Hitler. I wonder how I would have helped. Even if you just saved at least one person. Saving one person is like saving many because you would have been able to do what you can to help those victims out.
        This authentic fishing boat was 7.1 feet long, 13.9 feet wide and 5.7 feet deep. So what happened was in the first few days of October 1943, when the Germans began a nationwide action to round up all Danish Jews for deportation to the concentration camps. Six percent of Danish Jews were captured, but Denmark’s citizens revolted and helped 7,200 make it safely to Sweden along with 700 non-Jewish relatives. The town of Gilleleje’s own 500 households cared for hundreds of refugees hiding them in attics of churches before ferrying them across to Höganäs in Sweden. Sadly to say, the Nazis eventually stormed the church and that is when the ferrying of innocent victims was put to a stop. Makes me happy to know that there are still those people who put their lives at risks for other people. The world is full of them but we still have that handful of people who still think nothing of the railroad car. It’s really sad but true.

World War II Holocaust Railcar Exhibit

After viewing the entire museum on the inside, as I was told by one of the museum members, that there are also a few other exhibits for me to view outside. I had no idea what she was talking about other than it having something to do with the Holocaust. As I walked down, I passed a sign that read:

“Railroads, using more than 30,000 cars, were essential to the killing process. More than 3 million innocent victims from all over Europe were transported to their deaths by the railroad system. We had no idea where we were going or where they were taking us.”      
-Mady Deutsch-Holocaust Survivor-Currently resides in Houston, TX

I was able to physically view a relic of the railroad car that was used during the Holocaust. It was the exact same type of car but not the exact one being used at that time if that makes any sense. Words cannot express how that made me feel. As I entered the train, my stomach turned in knots and I had an uneasy feeling by just standing in there. Just to know that about 200 people were forced into one railroad car just amazes me. How did they do it? There were two really small windows and that was about it. How did people use the restroom, how did they move, how could they function without food/water, how could they even breathe? Then to know that they were being taken to a place where it’s either work or die. That’s even if they were selected to work at these camps because the elderly and babies were right away killed, either instantly or brutally. The Holocaust Museum Houston is part of a handful of museums from around the world that can give visitors an authentic physical reference point from which to learn the horrors that victims of Nazi persecution endured, which makes me feel that I was really experiencing something. This railroad car was an internationally recognized symbol of evil and oppression, which was relocated from Germany to Houston, Texas to be transformed into a monument to hope that humanity may one day be free of hatred, prejudice and discrimination.

This 25.7 foot long car was originally built to haul cattle and grain. Historical estimates that 3 million Jewish people were taken to their deaths by train. Most trains had about 50 cars which could hold anywhere between 50-200 depending on where they were in use. Trips sometimes took days to complete and many died en route. During winter, these victims were exposed to freezing temperatures and during summer, they endured suffocating heat and stench. Almost all cars have fallen into despair which basically means they are either not traceable or they have been destroyed.           

The railroad system was something you definitely did not want to know anything about. I see the evil in them, which is why I felt what I felt when walking into one. What a learning experience that was.