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This a picture I have taken of the sign at the front gate of the Auschwitz concentration camp during Easter vacation 2009.

The reason for putting that picture in this blog now is because the German language sign 'Arbeit Macht Frei' ('Work makes you free') has been stolen from the former Nazi Auschwitz death camp. Come to think of it, I am lucky to have visited the camp when the sign was still there.

The sign was intended to delude Jews and others brought to the camp to be gassed to death into thinking they were entering a work camp. This brought back memories when I was at the Auschwitz concentration camp museum. Over there, you can see displays of suitcases and personal belongings of people who are brought there to be gassed. Some of the suitcases still have names on them. One of the most shocking thing is that bodies of those gassed were treated as 'things', meaning body parts such as fats and hair can be separated and be sold for a sum of money.

I am not surprised that the theft of the sign sparks an international outcry, especially within the Jews. The thief (as well as private collectors) should be ashamed of themselves for stealing something that bears the very presence of those outrageous war crimes of Nazi Germany.