Terezin to Oświęcim

Work in progress: need comment on Wansee conference, Allied inaction

Terezin (Czech Republic) to Oświęcim (Republic of Poland):

In another time:-

Theresienstadt (Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia of the Third Reich)
to
Auschwitz (General Government for the Occupied Polish Territories).

By road this is 340 miles/550 km with a predicted journey time of some 7 hours.
We are traveling on motorways in the air-conditioned comfort of a new Ford Mondeo with a peak speed 0f 130 km/h.

In 1942-45 the rail journey would have been less direct with a peak speed of perhaps 60 km/h. This implies a journey time of at least 24 hours.

The comparison of our journey with that endured by many thousands of men, women and children in railway cattle trucks in the cold of winter or the heat of summer could hardly be more profound.

Terezin is a garrison town cum fortress originally constructed in the late 18th century.
Gavrilo Princip who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 thereby precipitating 'The Great War' was incarcerated here in durance vile dying at the age of 24 from TB and malnourishment.

Renamed Theresienstadt following the German invasion of Czechoslavakia it became a 'concentration camp' predominantly for Czech Jews but also other parts of occupied Europe including the Channel Islands. Any deaths (although there were ens of thousands) here were incidental to the 'concentration' process; this was a transit point en route to the main 'extermination camps' in Poland - principally Auschwitz.

Oświęcim

Oświęcim is a small bustling town.
On its outskirts lie three more sombre places: the camps of Auschwitz.

Auschwitz I: the pilot plant.
Auschwitz II: the production plant.
Mm: the overflow plant.

Production line genocide: the raw material 1.5 million human beings - people like us;
the product: some labour, hair, gold & silver from teeth, carefully sorted personal possessions - spectacles, false limbs, children's clothes...


more ..

Frankfurt am Main

A litle while since my last visit to Deutchland: still manicured and litter-free but there seems to be less discipline in observing pedestrian crossing lights.

The Germans appear to have welcomed on-shore windfarms. However, as eleswhere, there seem to be at as least as many at rest as turning.

The happy toot of the vuvuzela accompanied Germany´s victory over Ghana yesterday evening. I now have 3 of these `instruments´ directly imported from S. Africa as gifts for grandchildren to be `enjoyed´ by their parents.

Elsewhere to `Crystalise´ an issue: to lose one General "might be regarded as unfortunate..."; the FT this morning reports a succession of 5 US commanders in Afghanistan since 2003 - Barno, Eikenberry, McNeill, McKeiran, McChrystal.
Good luck David Petraeus! - at least he has a copy of "The Story of the Malakand Field Force", a source he referenced in his recent talk to the Henry Jackson Society in Parliament. Lessons yet to be learned?

MPs' Independent Thought

See http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2010/05/david-cameron-has-won-1922-rule-change-by-168-to-118-votes.html#comment-6a00d83451b31c69e20134813b602d970c

Plus ca change...

When in that House M.P.’s divide,
If they’ve a brain and cerebellum, too,
They’ve got to leave that brain outside,
And vote just as their leaders tell ’em to.
But then the prospect of a lot
Of dull M. P.’s in close proximity,
All thinking for themselves, is what
No man can face with equanimity.
Then let’s rejoice with loud Fal la – Fal la la!
That Nature always does contrive – Fal lal la!
That every boy and every gal
That’s born into the world alive
Is either a little Liberal
Or else a little Conservative!
Fal lal la!

From the New World 2: UK Fixed Term Parliaments

Fixed term Parliaments and the 5 year deal.

A problem with a May election is that any Budget measures would have been put into effect only 5 weeks before it.
It would surely make more sense for all future Budget proposals from this government and its successors to be made in mid November. This would allow the proposals 2014 Budget to form part of the election campaign whilst leaving 6 months to plan the implementation of any changes.

Another benefit of fixed term parliaments would be the avoidance of the Machiavellian wash-up deals we have just seen.

From the New World 1 - Victoria BC: UK Science Policy

Prior to the election Adam Afriyie set out intended Tory policies in a presentation to RAEng: see
http://www.adamafriyie.org/AR%20-%20Royal%20Academy%20of%20Engineering%20Policy%20Network.html

Labour & the LibDems were also invited to present their policies but failed to appear.

It would be helpful if David Willetts were to reiterate the new government's policy given the change of Minister and the brave new world of coalition.

Parliamentary Progress and Processes

The list would of Conservative gains almost certainly have been longer, possibly producing an overall majority and a more settled European policy had Dave kept to his "cast iron" commitment on the Lisbon referendum and thereby secured the UKIP vote

In Dave's own words:-

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/eu_referendum/article273758.ece
"Today, I will give this cast-iron guarantee: If I become PM a Conservative government will hold a referendum on any EU treaty that emerges from these negotiations."

http://www.conservatives.com/News/Speeches/2009/05/David_Cameron_Fixing_Broken_Politics.aspx
"We will therefore hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty."

Look at the URLs in detail. In neither case is there any qualification about retreating from this commitment in the event that the Lisbon Treaty had been ratified.

The LibDems also have form. Their 2005 manifesto stated:-
"We are therefore clear in our support for the constitution, which we believe is in Britain’s interest – but ratification must be subject to a referendum of the British people."

Any Tory-LibDem concordat should therefore include commitments to referenda on (inter alia) Europe as well as electoral reform.

Following the shambles we witnessed last week this should also allow the introduction of a voting system more appropriate to the 21st century - rather than the 19th.

The "Special Relationship"

"US President Barack Obama and myself know that the U.S. has no better friend in the community of nations than Israel."
- Thursday 11th March 2010: U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden at Tel Aviv University