Brenham, TX: The March of Remembrance returns to Washington County on Saturday, April 26, when it comes to downtown Brenham. In the same county where a group of people came together for the cause of freedom 178 years ago to declare Texas independence, the people of the community will again come together to stand for human dignity and freedom from oppression.
Some of the key points of the March of Remembrance are “to honor those who gave their lives to rescue and to stand for justice, and to remember those who were killed because of hatred,” said Pastor John Paul Cruz, of Cornerstone Christian Center and Lead Pastor of the March in Brenham. We participate “not just to hear a message, but to be present, to stand and say we remember. This is the call of our identity, to break down oppression, to set free those who are oppressed.”
The March of Remembrance is an event sponsored by Christians, and held in cities throughout the US, to honor and remember those who suffered in the Holocaust, their descendants, and the rescuers who risked their lives to help their fellow man. It provides a unique opportunity to learn about the Holocaust through first-hand accounts of survivors, and to raise awareness on the issue of social justice in a time of increasing anti-Semitism and when people groups worldwide suffer persecution.
The March in Brenham
The March in Brenham will begin with free registration and music at 1:00pm on Saturday, April 26, at Cannery Kitchen (314 E Alamo St). The opening ceremony and Memorial service begins at 2:00pm, and will be followed by a prayer walk. The event will conclude with a time of fellowship, food, and music.
The Memorial service will feature special guests, Alex Pollak and Dr. Franziska Eckert. Alex Pollak is a Croatian Holocaust survivor who, at the age of 80, will be sharing his story of survival publicly for the first time. Having lived through the Holocaust, Mr. Pollak saw it bring out the the worst in people, but also the best. Coming in from Tubingen, Germany, to speak during the service is Dr. Franziska Eckert, a descendant of a Nazi SS member and trainer. Dr. Eckert is a medical doctor and part of a national committee in Germany to work through the history of radiology in Germany, including its use during the Holocaust.
For more information about the March of Remembrance, and to register for the event, click here.
About the March of Remembrance Houston
The 2014 March in Houston will be held at five Houston area locations, with synagogues and churches from many denominations participating. Each location will hold memorial services with testimonies from Holocaust survivors, along with a prayer and awareness walk. Several locations will also host descendants of Nazi members who will be flying in from Germany to acknowledge the wrongs of their ancestors and to express repentance.
At the same time as the March in Brenham, three other Marches in the greater Houston area will be taking place: in Baytown (Trinity Episcopal Church), in Kingwood (Christ the King Lutheran Church), and in Webster (Praise Chapel). Then on Sunday, April 27, the central event in Meyerland will begin at 12:30pm in Godwin Park (5101 Rutherglenn Dr) and conclude at Congregation Beth Yeshurun, where participants may join with the Jewish community’s memorial service coordinated by Holocaust Museum Houston.
