Many people around the world
are acquainted with the numerical figure of 6,000,000. If someone
were to pose the hypothetical question of "what comes to mind when
I say six million?" many would simply state that this was the devastating
total of European Jewry exterminated during World War II under
the auspices of the Third Reich. But, if someone were to ask you, "what
does the figure 300,000 signify to you?" many of us would be stumped!
We might respond in various fashions with thoughts centered around
cities with a population figure like Omaha, Newark or Portland.
The grim reality is this was
the number of disabled individuals whose only reason for "liquidation
by the state" during World War II was that they were considered "lives
not worth living." In itself, this is a staggering figure, but
we tend to be numbed at the even larger figure of 6,000,000. Maria
LaGanga, a Times staffwriter, challenges her audience to
contemplate a powerful question regarding these figures by simply
asking—"is there enough grief to go around?"
Equal Victims
In her article of January 19,
1999, titled "Fighting for 'Other' Victims of the Holocaust," she
focuses on the efforts of Sid Wolinsky, who is litigation director
of Disability Rights Advocates. Beyond his job title, he has a
personal stake in this endeavor in that he is both Jewish and his
brother is developmentally disabled. His mission? He is fighting
so that people with disabilities will be remembered as equal victims
of the 20th century's foremost horror. LaGanga shares in her article: "For
starters he is pushing for greater acknowledgement of the 'invisible'
first victims—the German men, women and children who were murdered
or sterilized in the '30s and '40s because of conditions such as
schizophrenia, genetic diseases, physical handicaps and developmental
disabilities." Wolinsky is not only focusing on the past, but trying
to assist in the present and point towards the future. LaGanga
goes on to say: "Last month, Disability Rights Advocates stepped
into the controversial Holocaust-related litigation filed against
Swiss banks. Although the suits have resulted in a $1.25-billion
settlement, lawyers are still fighting over how it will be distributed.
The organization wants surviving disabled victims to receive a
share of that settlement and wants another share to be used for
setting up a foundation to advance rights of people with disabilities,
primarily in Central and Eastern Europe."
