Repentance Makes Forgiveness Possible
To understand the magnitude of the German soldier’s war crime one needs to examine the soldier’s graphic description of it and to enter into it with one’s own imagination.
“…Behind the windows of the second floor, I saw a man with a small child in his arms. His clothes were alight. By his side stood a woman, doubtless the mother of the child. With his free hand the man covered the child’s eyes…then he jumped into the street. Seconds later the mother followed. Then from the other windows fell burning bodies…We shot…Oh God!” pp. 42-43.
This is truly a scene from hell. You can almost smell the burning flesh, almost hear the screams of the victims, taste the salt in the tears of the child who must have been …show more content…
Nor was it necessary, for the way he spoke and the fact that he spoke to me was a proof of his repentance.” P. 53.
After expressing repentance, the German soldier begs for forgiveness.
…I have longed to talk about it with a Jew and beg forgiveness from him…I know what I am asking is almost too much for you, but without your answer I cannot die in peace.” P.54.
His plea is so moving that it would be easy to miss an important distinction. The German soldier is not asking Wiesenthal to forgive a sin committed against Wiesenthal himself, but against others. This is too much for Wiesenthal.
“At last I made up my mind and without a word left the room.”p.55.
So Wiesenthal has denied the request, left the soldier without forgiving. I don’t think I could have done this, but I am not sure. The point is, should one ever forgive atrocities committed on others? Josek jumps on this point :
“Do you know,” (Josek) began , ”when you were telling us about your meeting with the SS man, I feared at first, that you had really forgiven him. You would have had no right to do this in the name of people who had not authorized you to do so. What people have done to you yourself, you can, if you like, forgive and forget. That is your own affair. But is would have been a terrible sin to burden your conscience with other people’s sufferings.” p.
To understand the magnitude of the German soldier’s war crime one needs to examine the soldier’s graphic description of it and to enter into it with one’s own imagination.
“…Behind the windows of the second floor, I saw a man with a small child in his arms. His clothes were alight. By his side stood a woman, doubtless the mother of the child. With his free hand the man covered the child’s eyes…then he jumped into the street. Seconds later the mother followed. Then from the other windows fell burning bodies…We shot…Oh God!” pp. 42-43.
This is truly a scene from hell. You can almost smell the burning flesh, almost hear the screams of the victims, taste the salt in the tears of the child who must have been …show more content…
Nor was it necessary, for the way he spoke and the fact that he spoke to me was a proof of his repentance.” P. 53.
After expressing repentance, the German soldier begs for forgiveness.
…I have longed to talk about it with a Jew and beg forgiveness from him…I know what I am asking is almost too much for you, but without your answer I cannot die in peace.” P.54.
His plea is so moving that it would be easy to miss an important distinction. The German soldier is not asking Wiesenthal to forgive a sin committed against Wiesenthal himself, but against others. This is too much for Wiesenthal.
“At last I made up my mind and without a word left the room.”p.55.
So Wiesenthal has denied the request, left the soldier without forgiving. I don’t think I could have done this, but I am not sure. The point is, should one ever forgive atrocities committed on others? Josek jumps on this point :
“Do you know,” (Josek) began , ”when you were telling us about your meeting with the SS man, I feared at first, that you had really forgiven him. You would have had no right to do this in the name of people who had not authorized you to do so. What people have done to you yourself, you can, if you like, forgive and forget. That is your own affair. But is would have been a terrible sin to burden your conscience with other people’s sufferings.” p.