Just out., May 18, 2007, Page 37, Image 37

MAY 18. 2007 JUStjOllt
Grief Revisited
Remembering the Holocaust from a queer perspective
first visited the Oregon Holocaust Memorial in
Portlands Washington Park last month in hon­
or of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance
Day. Feeling part of a small minority as a Jew in
Oregon, I was surprised to learn of its existence.
But what surprised me more was the memorial’s
acknowledgment of the often-disregarded gays and
lesbians killed in the' Holocaust.
As a child 1 attended eight years of private
Hebrew day schwl where the Holocaust was more
than a subject covered in history class. It was the basis
of our mission statement—why we were lucky to be
BY MALKA GEFFEN
alive and getting a Jewish education at all. Most of
my classmates had grandparents who escaped Europe
inspection I saw sculptures of a broken pair of glasses,
just as Hitler and the Nazi party gained power in the
a doll, a violin and an empty, overturned suitcase.
1930s. Some had ancestors who escaped Russia in the
They lie scattered about to represent the haste in
late 19th century where they were threatened by
which Nazi officers rounded up people. Their unob­
pogroms. A day did not pass when we weren’t
trusive placement represents the ease with which
reminded of their losses and our privilege.
people living in European communities could ignore
the plight of their neighbors.
The alternating brick pattern
approach to the concave wall resembles
the train tracks that brought millions of
people to the death camps. The wall itself
begins with a solemn and brief history of
the Nazi genocide and the relevance of
the handful of survivors in Oregon and
Southwest Washington. I was moved by
the inclusiveness of the summary, which
lists so many of the groups affected by the
Holocaust. “Defeated in WWI, Germany
aimed to undo what it saw as the humilia­
tion of its surrender. But first it turned to
internal enemies whom the Nazi state
The Oregon Holocaust Memorial recognizes homosexuals
among the millions who perished.
believed menaced its socihl and biological
purity: socialists, communists and labor
1 did not come out until many years after my
leaders; liberals and intellectuals; homosexuals and
formal education about World War 11 and the
nonconformists; gypsies and Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
Holocaust ended. It evolved in my consciousness
Continuing to the right, I read the plaques of
that the Holocaust claimed more lives than 6 million
statements by survivors, such as “Never will 1 forget
Jews. At some point 1 became aware that, similar to
the smell of Auschwitz.” I thought I’d stay stolid
the yellow Star of David that Jews were required to
because I’d listened to survivors tell their stories
wear, homosexuals had to wear a pink triangle. This
firsthand when I was young. But the numbness with
is a reclaimed symbol widely used today by queer
which I’ve learned to face the details of the
organizations and activists.
Holocaust—while watching Schindler's List and
In 1999 1 saw the U.S. premiere of the German
visiting Anne Frank’s house and the remains of
film Aimee and Jaguar at the San Francisco
Auschwitz—melted into emotion when I read one
particular plaque: “As I looked back, my mother
International Gay and Lesbian Pilm Festival. It
beautifully portrays the true-story relationship
turned her face to avoid mine and my little sister
between a Jewish lesbian and a Nazi general’s wife.
gave me a frail and knowing wave.”
The tears 1 shed after seeing that film were my first
According to Reed, the majority of Holocaust
in memoriam of the members of my sexual minori­ survivors in Oregon are of Jewish heritage. He
ties community who perished.
3
reminded me that survivors won’t be around much
Jump eight years to a recent Portland Area
longer and said he wants to locate gay and lesbian
Business Association meeting, where my boss met
survivors in Oregon, or survivors who were
Chris Reed, an executive board member of the
connected to the gay community at that time, and
Oregon Holocaust Resource Center. He is a straight document their stories. He said he hopes the gay
business owner who joined PA BA with his gay best
community will become more supportive of the
friend two years ago. Reed became involved with
Oregon Holocaust Resource Center, which fully
the resource center after filming the memorial’s
funds the Holocaust Memorial and its upkeep. Reed
dedication for public access television in 2004.
added, “It’s the gay community’s memorial as much
When I spoke with him before my visit he said,
as it is everyone else’s.
"Our recognition of the gay community sets us
apart nationally from other memorials.”
For more information about the OREGON
Washington Park is gorgeous, rain or shine, so the
H olocaust M emorial visit
walk to the monument from the parking lot did not
ohrc. pacificu.edu/memorial or contact the Oregon
prepare me for the sadness every inch of the memori­ Holocaust Resource Center at 503-352-2930.
al bears. I almost disregarded objects on a nearby
I
Out of My Mind
jr
2007 Just
GEFFEN
Out
Amateur
Photo Contest
bench and the path to the memorial wall as trash or
things left behind by previous visitors. Upon closer
Staff Writer MALKA GEFFEN has plenty of room in
her head. Fill it by e-mailmg malka@justout.com.
It is once again time
for the Just Out
Amateur Photo
Contest. As with
last year, the
winning photos and
accompanying
profiles will be
featured in the
June 15 Pride issue
of Just Out. This
issue will be
distributed from
our booth at the
This year, the rewards and the
prizes are even better!
- The contest will award a great
PACIFIC NORTHWEST WEEKEND
GETAWAY to one winner in each
of the following five categories:
• People
• Pets
• Travel
• environment
• Abstract
Portland Pride
Waterfront Festival.
In addition to the five grand prize
é
%
winners, honorable mentions will
be awarded for Just Out staff
favorites. And, all entries will be
on display at Q Center, throughout
the month of July.
All entries must be received at the Just
Out office no later than May 29.
Great Prizes!
Win a PACIFIC NW
WEEKEND
GETAWAyt
Entries Due May 29.
Photos may be mailed to:
P.O. Box 14400, ”
Portland, OR 97293-0400,
or dropped off at:
123 NE Third Ave., Suite 465.
NO ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL
BE ACCEPTED. The minimum size
is 4 inches by 6 inches, with no
maximum size requirements.
For more information visit www.justoutcom.
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