June 28, 2006

We have come here this morning to remember one of the most heinous events of the Holocaust in Romania. Sixty-five years ago today, the streets of Iasi were filled with the sounds of breaking glass, gunshots, screams -- and then the crying and sobbing of thousands of people as they were herded from their homes and sent towards unspeakable horrors.

Yet in the face of this horror, in some quarters of the city, there was only Silence. Silence, perhaps, from supporters of this atrocity. Silence from individuals afraid to come to the aid of their neighbors. Silence, too, from individuals who were indifferent to this horrific degradation, and the hatred that preceded it.

On a wall of the U.S. Memorial Holocaust Museum is the famous quotation: "Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander."
It is a quote that aptly captures the core dilemma of the Holocaust -- of victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. It also serves as a reminder to all of us that we must always remain vigilant so that our societies never tread down this dark path again.

Romania has made tremendous strides in breaking a nearly sixty year silence over the true history of the Holocaust in this country. Following recommendations from the ground-breaking International Commission for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania, the Romanian government created in 2005 the new "Elie Wiesel" Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania, which serves as an important engine for education and commemoration. The government has also designated October 9 as National Holocaust Remembrance Day, a date which commemorates the first deportation of Jews from this very region of Romania. And the government has taken important steps to teach high school students the truth about what happened in Iasi and elsewhere during this tragic period. I urge that this effort be expanded, including in universities, where tragically some history professors continue to deny that the Holocaust occurred here and that the Antonescu regime bore responsibility.

I urge all Romanians to become more familiar with the true history of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism in Romania, and the vibrant Jewish life that once was so much a fabric of Romanian society. Indeed, that diversity was and remains a source of strength for Romania to be cherished and discovered. While no act can return the lives and dreams of those who perished in Iasi 65 years ago, the greatest tribute we can offer is to remember, and to stand up against hatred, intolerance, and bigotry whenever we encounter it in our own lives.

Even today, democracies cannot ignore extreme nationalism when it resurfaces. It is, in fact, a cancer that can corrupt an entire body if unchecked. We cannot turn our backs when crowds of football fans brazenly use hate-inspired racial and ethnic epithets against opposing teams or violently attack peaceful marches by minority groups. We cannot stay silent when some in the media report half truths about the Holocaust or appear to glorify war criminals. We cannot remain mere bystanders when fringe movements reach out to young people using hate language and images of Legionarism. Nor can we stand by when there remain individuals on the national political scene who continue to advocate anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and bigotry.

I would like to express my admiration for Foreign Minister Ungureanu, who is with us here today, and who has shown such impressive leadership in setting Romania's approach towards these issues on the right path. I would like to express appreciation to all who played a part in organizing these two-days of events, including the Wiesel Institute and General Mihail Ionescu, the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi, and the Romanian Federation of Jewish Communities. I applaud the Romanian government for its strong support for and commitment to this endeavor. I thank the people of Iasi for so graciously hosting us in their beautiful city and solemnly commemorating with us this important anniversary of a horrific tragedy we must never forget.

Thank you.

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28 Iunie 2006

Discursul Ambasadorului Statelor Unite ale Americii Nicholas Taubman
cu ocazia Ceremoniei de Deschidere a celei de-a 65-a Comemorari a Pogromului de la Iasi

sustinut la Universitatea “Alexandru Ioan Cuza”,
Iasi, Romania

28 iunie 2006

Ne-am reunit aici, in aceasta dimineata, pentru a ne aminti de cele mai atroce evenimente ale Holocaustului din Romania. In urma cu exact 65 de ani, strazile orasului Iasi rasunau din cauza sticlelor sparte, a focurilor de arma si a tipetelor si, ulterior, din cauza lacrimilor a mii de oameni izgoniti din casele lor si trimisi spre orori inimaginabile.

Cu toate acestea, in fata acestor orori, in unele cartiere ale orasului era doar Tacere. Tacere din partea celor care sprijineau aceasta atrocitate. Tacere din partea celor care se temeau sa vina in ajutorul vecinilor. De asemenea, Tacere din partea celor indiferenti fata de aceasta degradare ingrozitoare si de ura care a precedat-o.

Pe unul din zidurile Muzeului Memorial al Holocaustului din Statele Unite este scris urmatorul citat: “Sa nu fii victima. Sa nu fii agresor. Mai presus de toate, sa nu fii spectator”. Acesta este un citat care ilustreaza, in mod corespunzator, miezul dilemei Holocaustului – victimele, agresorii si spectatorii. De asemenea, acesta ne aminteste tuturor de faptul ca trebuie sa ramanem alerti pentru ca societatile noastre sa nu mai calce niciodata pe acest drum.

Romania a inregistrat un progres enorm prin ruperea unei taceri de 65 de ani privind istoria Holocaustului din aceasta tara. In urma recomandarilor Comisiei Internationale pentru Studierea Holocaustului din Romania, Guvernul Romaniei a creat, in anul 2005, Institutul “Elie Wiesel” pentru Studierea Holocaustului din Romania, care serveste drept motor important in scopuri educative si comemorative. De asemenea, Guvernul a stabilit ziua de 9 octombrie drept Ziua Nationala de Comemorare a Holocaustului, zi care comemoreaza prima deportare a evreilor din aceasta regiune a Romaniei. In acelasi timp, Guvernul a luat masuri importante pentru a preda liceenilor adevarul despre ceea ce s-a intamplat la Iasi, si nu numai, in timpul acestei perioade tragice. Incurajez extinderea acestui efort inclusiv in universitati, unde, din pacate, unii profesori de istorie continua sa nege existenta Holocaustului in aceasta tara, precum si responsabilitatea lui Antonescu in acest sens.

Indemn toti romanii sa cunoasca mai bine adevarata istorie a Holocaustului si a antisemitismului din Romania, precum si viata dinamica a evreilor care a fost, odata, parte integranta a societatii romanesti. Intr-adevar, acea diversitate a fost si ramane o sursa generatoare de putere pentru ca Romania sa fie descoperita si pretuita. Nicio masura nu poate readuce vietile si visurile celor care au disparut la Iasi in urma cu 65 de ani, dar cel mai mare tribut pe care il putem aduce este acela al amintirii si al luptei impotriva urii, intolerantei si bigotismului, ori de cate ori ne confruntam cu acestea.

Chiar si astazi, statele democratice nu pot ignora nationalismul extrem, atunci cand acesta iese din nou la suprafata. Este, de fapt, un cancer care poate corupe intregul corp daca nu este depistat. Nu ne putem intoarce spatele atunci cand microbistii folosesc calificative care instiga la ura rasiala si etnica impotriva echipelor adverse sau cand acestia ataca, in mod violent, marsurile pasnice ale grupurilor minoritare. Nu putem pastra tacerea atunci cand unii reprezentanti ai mass-mediei comunica jumatati de adevar despre Holocaust sau cand acestia par sa glorifice criminali de razboi. Nu putem ramane spectatori atunci cand tinerii sunt influentati de miscarile extremiste prin limbaj instigator la ura si prin imagini ale legionarismului. De asemenea, nu putem ramane indiferenti atunci cand, pe scena politica nationala, exista oameni care continua sa promoveze antisemitismul, xenofobia si bigotismul.

As dori sa imi exprim admiratia fata de Ministrul Afacerilor Externe Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, care se afla astazi alaturi de noi si care a facut dovada unui leadership impresionant in directionarea pe calea cea buna a abordarii Romaniei fata de aceasta problema. De asemenea, as dori sa imi exprim recunostinta fata de toti cei care au organizat acest eveniment, inclusiv Institutului Wiesel si Generalului Mihail Ionescu, Universitatii “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iasi si Federatiei Comunitatilor Evreiesti din Romania. Felicit Guvernul Romaniei pentru sprijinul solid si pentru implicarea in aceasta initiativa. De asemenea, doresc sa multumesc iesenilor pentru ca ne-au gazduit in acest oras frumos si pentru ca sunt alaturi de noi la aceasta importanta comemorare a tragediei ingrozitoare pe care nu trebuie sa o uitam niciodata.

Va multumesc.