In a shocking interview, Holocaust survivor Eva Kor tells the Sydney Morning Herald: “if you forgive your worst enemy it will heal your soul and set you free”.
When Eva was a kid of 10, her family was sent to Auschwitz by Hitler’s loons. Her parents were “processed” while Eva and her twin sister came to the attention of the demented Dr Josef Mengele YM”S, whose quest for medical knowledge overrode every ethical consideration and fundamental respect for life.
Like sadistic gunfighters, Mengele and his minions blazed away with syringes, injecting Eva and Miriam with all manner of toxic compounds just to see what would happen. The sisters survived, but in 1993, when Miriam died, Eva felt compelled to retrace the lines of fate and found herself in contact with Dr Hans Munch, an SS doctor who has done what he could to help the Jewish guinea pigs and who, in the postwar years had sunk into deep depression and guilt. She decided to forgive him and, consequently, Mengele himself – Eva tell the SMH. Other survivors and the families of many who perished questioned her right to morally pardon the unpardonable.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
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39 Responses
at worse this idea sounds non jewish. at best selfish
Ridiculous. What mitzvah is it to pardon your NON JEWISH oppresser?! If that’s the case, we should be on our hands and knees forgiving the arab suicide bomber who blew up sbarro, the anti semetics who spray swastikas on holy tombstones- and wait-don’t forget the spanish inquisitors who tortured jews to death, and the ancient romans who destroyed the beis hamikdash- we forgive ya all! Just keep it up!
“Well if you forgive your worst enemies it will set you free.” ha.
hashem has no forgiveness for amalek.
My mother and mother-in-law, zey zollen zein gezunt, went through the hell. From what they tell me, the rasha (he was called the Malach haMaves in the camps) is unforgivable.
Nebbach, the drugs must have affected Ms. Kor.
Twisted morals. It’s totally a Christian concept. We don’t “turn the other cheek” to someone who commits such heinous crimes. This is not a commendable act, it’s shameful and disappointing.
“if you forgive your worst enemy it will heal your soul and set you free”.
This doesnt sound like forgiveness for the sake of allowing the Nazis any pardon but for her own comfort which might bring her some closure. So in fact, its not so shocking. In principal , her pardon is self serving!
ayiddele, the difference between Herr Doctor Hans Munch and the other people that YOU mentioned is that, as the article states, he did what he could to atone for what he did. The suicide bomber in Sbarros and the Romans and so on, did not.
We Jews like to think of ourselves as being L’malah Min Hatevah. If this lady went through something that you sitting on your couch in wherever would never dream of going through, found it in HER heart to forgive the animal, who are you to question her motives? G-D has forgiven people for much worse. And since we were created in his image, it’s her choice.
read Eva Kor’s own words are they so terrible? We judge without facts.
At the age of ten, twins Eva and Miriam Mozes, were taken to Auschwitz where Dr Josef Mengele used them for medical experiments. Both survived, but Miriam died in 1993 when she developed cancer of the bladder as a consequence of the experiments done to her as a child. Eva Kor has since spoken explicitly about her experiences at Auschwitz and founded The C.A.N.D.L.E.S Holocaust museum in Indiana where she now lives. In 2003 the museum was destroyed in an arson attack, believed to be by white supremacists.
Miriam and I were part of a group of children who were alive for one reason only – to be used as human guinea pigs. During our time in Auschwitz we talked very little. Starved for food and human kindness, it took every ounce of strength just to stay alive. Because we were twins, we were used in a variety of experiments. Three times a week we’d be placed naked in a room, for 6-8 hours to be measured and studied . It was unbelievably demeaning.
In another type of experiment they took blood from one arm and gave us injections in the other. After one such injection I became very ill and was taken to the hospital. Dr Mengele came in the next day, looked at my fever chart and declared that I had only two weeks to live. For two weeks I was between life and death but I refused to die. If I had died, Mengele would have given Miriam a lethal injection in order to do a double autopsy. When I didn’t die he carried on experimenting with us and as a result Miriam’s kidneys stopped growing. They remained the size of a child’s all her life.
On January 27th 1945, four days before my 11th birthday, Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviet army. After 9 months in refugee camps I returned to my village in Romania to find that no one from my family had survived
Echoes from Auschwitz were a part of my life but I did not speak publicly about my experiences until 1978 after the television series ‘The Holocaust’ was aired. People would ask me about the experiments but I couldn’t remember very much so I wanted to find other twins who were liberated with me. I wrote to newspapers asking them to publish an appeal for other survivors of Mengele to contact me. By 1980 I was sending out 500 letters a year – but still no response. In desperation one day I decided to start an organisation in which I would make myself President. People are always impressed if they get a letter from a president, and it worked. Finally I was able to find other twin survivors and exchange memories. It was an immensely healing experience.
In 1993 I was invited to lecture to some doctors in Boston and asked if I could bring a Nazi doctor with me. I thought it was a mad request until I remembered that I’d once been in a documentary which had also featured a Dr Hans Munch from Auschwitz. I contacted him in Germany and he said he would meet with me for a videotaped interview to take to the conference. In July 1993 I was on my way to meet this Nazi doctor. I was so scared but when I arrived at his home he treated me with the utmost respect. I asked him if he’d seen the gas chambers. He said this was a nightmare he dealt with every day of his life. I was surprised that Nazis had nightmares too and asked him if he would come with me to Auschwitz to sign a document at the ruins of the gas chambers.. He said that he would love to do it.
In my desperate effort to find a meaningful “thank you” gift for Dr. Munch I searched the stores, and my heart, for many months. Then the idea of a Forgiveness letter came to my mind. I knew it would a meaningful gift, but it became a gift to myself as well, because I realized I was NOT a hopeless, powerless victim. When I asked a friend to check my spelling, she challenged me to forgive Dr. Mengele too. At first I was adamant that I could never forgive Dr Mengele but then I realised I had the power now…the power to forgive. It was my right to use it. No one could take it away.
On January 27 1995, at the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, I stood by the ruins of the gas chambers with my children -Dr. Alex Kor and Rina Kor – and with Dr Munch and his children and grandchild. Dr Munch signed his document about the operation of the gas chambers while I read my document of forgiveness and signed it. As I did that I felt a burden of pain was lifted from me. I was no longer in the grip of pain and hate; I was finally free.
The day I forgave the Nazis, privately I forgave my parents whom I hated all my life for not having saved me from Auschwitz. Children expect their parents to protect them, mine couldn’t. And then I forgave myself for hating my parents.
Forgiveness is really nothing more than an act of self-healing and self-empowerment. I call it a miracle medicine. It is free, it works and has no side effects.
I believe with every fibre of my being that every human being has the right to live without the pain of the past. For most people there is a big obstacle to forgiveness because society expects revenge. It seems we need to honour our victims but I always wonder if my dead loved ones would want me to live with pain and anger until the end of my life. Some survivors do not want to let go of the pain. They call me a traitor and accuse me of talking in their name. I have never done this. Forgiveness is as personal as chemotherapy – I do it for myself.
Who cares if SHE forgave Dr Mengele!! No one else did, and he’s still burning in גהינום. I don’t think the flames were lowered because SHE forgave him.
This is very, very, sad. This reminds me of the story that was told after the war.
An American soldier was stationed in a D.P. camp and a well dressed “burgher” came in. One of the Jewish residents recognized this “burgher” as a S.S. officer from Auschwitz who had killed his own family. The yiddele walked up to the American soldier and told him what he saw and what he knew. The American soldier grabbed the “burgher” and then gave his service revolver to the yiddele as a way of allowing him to avenge his family’s blood. The yiddele turned the gun this way and that and then gave it back to the American soldier and said “Ich ken nisht ihm schissen”, “I can’t shoot him.” Very, very sad……
It is one thing to forgive someone who regrets,repents, apologises, and begs forgivness. It is quite another to forgive someone who was an unrepentant sadistical murderer who perverted the medical proffession to advance his own career and sick interests. Mengele viewed Jews as “Sub Humans”. No better than vermin that were a threat to the German race. Hence it was the same as experimenting with lab rats. Forgiving him will make you free the same way Arbeit Macht Frei. Forgiving evil is a Christian belief. We Jews believe in Justice.We believe in the eradication of evil. We believe in uncompromisingly standing up to evil and destroying it. The appropriate Jewish response to the Holocaust, Menegele, and Germany, is the classic line scraweled in Blood in the Ghetto. “Yidden, Nekama!!!”
Poor Mrs Kor. I pity her life long suffering. Perhaps forgiving others helps her to forget and be at peace. But those of us who are of sound mind and strong spirit should never forgive nor forget. We should remember that Ohavei Hashem Sinu Ra – Those who love Hashem Hate Evil. We hate evil, we despise evil, and we remind ourselves of this at every Kabbolas shabbos. This is a form of Hatred which is required of one who loves G-d. It may not be healthy,comfortable,or pleasant, but it is neccesary if one aspires to the align oneself with the ideals of truth.
I forgive Eva because we cannot comprehend what these people went through, therefore I’m assuming she went crazy. All such people are pardoned from society
Let us say she forgave him for what he did to her what about what he did to her parents and the rest of her family. Is she in a position to forgive that?
This is decidedly a very X-tian concept of “turning the other cheek”. Burn Mengele, burn.
she went thru such a terrible thing that we cant even judge her. if this is what makes her feel better- what do you care?
Nothing to add on this score: that we can’t judge her and can only grasp the smallest of insights into where her head is at.
But one exceptional thing she’s done is get the document from Dr. Munch. Wonder what Holocaust deniers can say to that and other documented work she’s accomplished.
And to her children, whose childhoods as children of Holocaust survivors likely differed from that of their friends on some score, and who may have their own issues to deal with, may you continue to give your parents nachas, may you have the strength and opportunities to live full, meaningful Jewish lives, which is the ultimate and truest revenge we can ever take for the 6 million who were lost.
Wow, powerful.
These are the lessons and words of a very, very strong woman. A person who went through gehinom on this earth and lived. A person who understands, truly, what a cheshbon hanefesh is.
Someone who did not go through that hell that Mrs. Kor did has no right to judge her actions. But I, for one, find them admirable, remarkable, and a lesson for us all.
This is a woman who forgave not, I think, in the sense of “slicha, kapara” but who forgave so she could come to terms w/ what must have been, and understandably so, a tormented life. Who must have wrestled daily w/ inner demons that she could only conquer by letting go, and not dwelling on, the hatred and anger built inside of her.
If, ultimately, the only way she could do this was to forgive then so be it.
Thank you sniktakram1.
To all those who have Not read the article…
‘Forgiveness is really nothing more than an act of self-healing and self-empowerment…’
If it makes Her feel good-who are you to take that from her. After what she went through-she deserves to feel good.
Lawman,
‘But I, for one, find them admirable, remarkable, and a lesson for us all.’
Maybe a lesson for YOU! Please dont speak for the rest of us!! There is no Chiyuv to forgive these Rishoyim. If pardonning them makes her feel good and gives her closure, then more power to her.
Halevei we would be so forgivving amongst eachother, Moshiach would have been here long ago…
I agree with comment 14: “It is one thing to forgive someone who regrets,repents, apologises, and begs forgivness”.
He YM”S never regreted or appologized. He would do it today again Chas Vesholom if he had a chance.
By forgiving him she is forgiving to everyone else who is still alive and share the same feeling towards Jews that he had.
We do not see in any of our sources that Yidden forgave Paroh, Amolek, Homon or Tituss YM”S.
Her decision is as sad as her life’s story. Can we judge her?
25,
No I do not put on tzitzis everyday, thatts because I am not obligated.(although Bruria wore tzisis)
But dont compare being ‘lifnim meshuras hadin’ in doing mitzvos to forgiving these Nazis. As the article clearly points out, she did it for herself.
sniktakram1
ThaNK you for the explanation, this is a personal decision that is made by the person not by us. If the pain and suffering is lessened, than gam zu letovah.
Personally, I couldn’t care less about one persons forgiveness of the Nazis; it’s her personal feelings, and if in some warped way she can forgive the monsters thats her problem. In no way does her forgiveness impact on their horrific barbarism toward the rest of Klal Yisroel.
Some questions for Eva.
1.In what way is your soul imprisoned & sick now that forgiveness will heal it & set it free?
2. How do you know that by forgiving your worst enemy that it heals your soul & sets it free?
if she was doing it for personal reasons and to make herself feel better, why say it to a newspaper, why not just forgive him in private, when you do it publicly it’s hard to understand how it’s for personal reasons
To Feif Un: Very well posted!!
To Shazam: I think I wrote this once before, but
you really should change your “name”. The source of it is “not appropriate”.
The Pusek says “V’NEEKEISEE, DUMOM LOI NEEKEISEE”. They will never cleanse themselves from the sin of killing us.
Those are the words of the Rboinoi Shel Oilem. Period. Non-debatable
I’m not impressed w/ this Dr. Munch. why are we so naive to just believe that ‘he has nightmares & really regrets his decision…’
first of all does it make sense that someone who was involved in such horrific acts on a long term basis suddenly “regrets his actions”? 2- of course he says it – to protect himself! he saw what happened to many of his S.S friends & he’s simply scared for his life. groisa kintz that he claims to feel sorry. poor guy! those nightmares must be so awful….
It is no mitzva in the Torah to forgive reshoyim. The fact that hashem forgave his children is no rya- we are YIDDEN after all!!!
we’re talking about nazis here for heaven’s sake! how can you compare one to another??
I have to wonder about two things:
1. “When I asked a friend to check my spelling, she challenged me to forgive Dr. Mengele too” – what is that supposed to mean? Who is the friend? Why did she want her to forgive Dr. Mengele YM”S?
2. What was Dr. Munch supposed to do? How was he supposed to behave? When someone who is the “president” of an organization contacts you about a very public interview, are you supposed to be nasty and mean? Remember, the Germans are known for being “cultured”.
Just my 2c….
You summed it up right #33
The KDOISHIM will never be forgotten and the murderers will never be forgiven.
“V’NEEKEISEE, DUMOM LOI NEEKEISEE”.
The murderers will burn forever and ever.
My take on Forgiveness:
You can forgive someone for what they did to you.
And if that is what Ms. Kor is doing (forgiving that monster) I have no taana. Because contrary to some of the posters, she may forgive for what that rosho ym’s did to HER. And only to HER.
BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE MAY YOU:
forgive someone for what they did to your mother; father and sister etc..
I ask you the following question: Are you a baal duvur on THEIR life; THEIR pain and last but not least all the murdered doros that the monster caused.
May H-shem heal her pain which I am sure is still great. (forgiveness notwithstanding)
May H-shem continue to watch Kllal Yisrael.
Avinu Malkeinu Aseh Lman Harugim Al Shem Kudshecha.
And May H-shem take nekuhmah for all the kedoshim. Nekom Nikmas Dam Avadecheh Hashufuch. HY”D
And May H-shem give her the strength to live her life with menuchos hanefesh.
She cannot “forgive” him. What does that accomplish? He will still be paying for his deeds, because G-d did not “forgive” him. And I do not belive that she could possibly “forgive” him ym’sh, belaiv sholeim.
How many of you posting here are Holocaust survivors? How many of you grew up in a house with parents that are Holocaust survivors?
How many of you have or had (like i did) parents that the scars that they went through were still visible 60 years after the Chorban? How many of your parents can’t or could’t go to sleep without taking some medication or tranqulizer night night after night for the past 60-65 year?
And now this Eva comes along and ‘forgives them’,
and still has the audacity to publicize it.
a selfish woman who only thinks of HER feelings HER closure HER pain, a typical ‘moitzi atzmo min haklal’.
( ‘couldn’t find another way to grab some publicity.)
i would wager that she is NOT frum.
i have yet to hear a frum person that went through the Holocaust be ‘moichel’ does ‘sub-animals’.
yes…not ‘sub-humans’ but ‘sub-animals’!
Eva needs a refuah.
I don’t understand that kind of forgiveness, but what I do understand is the release of the feelings against someone who hurt you. When you keep those feelings inside it eats you up. It doesn’t hurt the other person but, it hurts you. When you release those feelings, you feel free, you feel relief. I can only say this because I experienced something terrible that was done to me by someone else, and I had terrible feelings against that person. I learned how to let go, not forgive or forget, but to let go, and I feel much better now.
IN HEAVEN THEY TOOK A VOTE ABOUT MENGELE:
5,999,999 VOTED : LET HIM BURN IN HELL UNTIL ETERNITY AND BEYOND
1 VOTED : FORGIVE HIM
BATEL B’ROV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(OVERHEARD:
GAVRIEL: HEY REFAEL, WHO IS THAT LADY? HIS WIFE?
REFAEL: STAM CHUTZPAH, SHE THINKS SHE CAN SPEAK FOR MILLIONS.
URIEL: OH! I KNOW SOME LADIES WHO CAN DO THAT.
#32: MY “source” of Shazam is hardly “not appropriate”. It is the Roshei Teivos of my name.
I’m sorry if it means something else to you. As the ugly man said to the Tanna, if you don’t like it, complain to my Creator.
I could change it to Rashi, but I don’t have Smicha, so I think I’ll keep my handle. You’ll just have to get over it…
“They call me a traitor and accuse me of talking in their name” (from post 10)
with that statement she is clearly saying that she speaks for herself only!
#10 – Great post — Thanks.
#3 – I agree.
Just to clear a few facts.
“injecting Eva and Miriam with all manner of toxic compounds just to see what would happen.”
This is incorrect Only one of the twins was subjected to experimentation, the other was kept as a “control”. When the test child died, the other was immediately killed and the difference between the two were examined. It would seem that Miriam was the test child and Eva the control.
Next;
Dr. Hans Munch was in fact the only Auschwitz Doctor out of 44 to stand trial and be ACQUITTED. This was because of the compassion that he showed to the Jewish prisoners, many who testified on his behalf at his trial. He is the only Auschwitz Doctor that REFUSED orders to participate in the selections. He held a group of prisoners for “research” but in fact saved the lives of many of them. He was an opportunist that joined the Nazi party, regretted it, but was trapped in it. He is arguably the only Nazi that served in Auschwitz that had a conscience. I do not need to be dan l’kaf zchus, but those are the facts. As Far as Eva Kor is concerned this is old news. this story is from 1995. The only thing interesting about her website is the C.A.N.D.L.E.S. organization and the list of Mengele twins, some of whom are known to me personally.
While we are not obligated to forgive the Nazis, we are also not the ones to take vengance. Kel nakamos Hashem, everything has a purpose, there is a din v’cheshbon behind everything. It’s not up to us to keep score. The Nazis will get theirs, Eva Kor will get hers, and the Jewish people will get theirs.