Maine Holocaust Education Network
Never Again: promoting Holocaust, genocide, and human rights awareness
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Ernie Easter
- New Sweden, Maine
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Ernie Easter's Discussions
Adding Classes to the Ning
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Started this discussion. Last reply by Angela Cunningham Sep 24.
Ernie Easter's Videos
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Janusz Korczak
Added by Ernie Easter
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Death Camp a poem by Ashley
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Do We Know Who You Are
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Voices on Genocide Prevention
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Ernie Easter's Page
Latest Activity
A project by high school students from "The Urban School of San Francisco" has collected 30 hours of stories from Holocaust survivors.
Other non Holocaust related oral histories are also on the site.
I started following @jewishlibrary on Twitter. He sent be links to some resources about the Holocaust in the Baltics (Lituania, Latvia, Estonia).
Wyman Brent (@jewishlibrary on Twitter) also included a link to an article from the Museum of Family...
I look forward to connecting some of my students with yours as the year progresses.
Comment Wall (16 comments)
- At 12:28am on July 15, 2009,
Debbie Daggett said…
- Hello, again, Mr. Easter. Thank you for your comments. In answer to your question of whether I am a student, an educator or concerned citizen, I would have to say all three. I feel like a student, although not officially or for any degree, certification or the like. I simply feel that it is important to learn all I can so that I might add to a solution to hatred and violence - and not to the problem. I am an educator - of sorts. One of my three positions is for our local Adult Education program and I am attempting to put together a series of lectures/programs about the Holocaust, open to the public. I am not a degreed teacher, but I would love to take classes eventually on teaching the Holocaust. Mostly, I am an interested citizen. I have always believed that each of us should persue ways to contribute to solutions and I feel driven to do something - anything - to address hatred and prejudice. I have joined the Adopt A Survivor program and have met with a woman who was a hidden child. Together, we plan to tell her interesting story. I love to do research and to write and hope that those interests might help in some small way to offer new knowledge to the public. I hope this answers your questions, Mr. Easter. I guess my position is nearly as complicated as the subject. I am basically just a person who wants to learn more to be able to do more. And since I truly believe that education is the answer to every challenge, I have begun by trying to educate myself first. So far it is a fascinating, heartbreaking, inspirational and challening quest.
Thank you,
Debbie
- At 12:05am on July 13, 2009,
Debbie Daggett said…
- Thank you for the welcome, Mr. Easter. I have so many questions. My insights basically center around what I am learning through reading personal survivors' memoirs. The will to live of those in the ghettos and in the camps is absolutely amazing to me. I am thankful for every single person that was able to make it through such horrible treatment and conditions. I doubt I would ever be able to summon such determination and courage. I wish I could say I am sorry to every one of them. I am forever grateful to those brave individuals who faced death (or worse) to help save others. And I wonder whether faced with the same possible consequences of helping, would I choose to help or ignore. I pray to God, I would help, but until truly tested, do we really know? I am horrified that this happened on such such a massive scope for so many years. Where was the help? And how could anyone even begin to think they are better than another simply because of religion, race, sex or any other label? And what are we missing now.... Are we all capable of such brutality given certain circumstances? With all of my heart and soul, I hope not. I haven't read any memoirs from anyone admitting to being a Nazi war criminal. Have you? If so, are there regrets, any kind of explanations (and how could there be?), any feelings at all? How could a human being do such things and remain alive without their conscience leading them to self destruction? I have so much to learn....does anyone ever understand this nightmare called the Holocaust? This is certainly a most emotional, heart-wrenching exploration, but one I feel compelled to pursue. Does any of this make sense? Do most people studying the Holocaust have these provocative thoughts and feelings? Why can't we all just get along....why is that so hard? Don't we all just want the same thing: To love, be loved and to live a productive life? I struggle to find any words to adequately and appropriately describe what I am learning, but I feel it is most important to continue to learn what I can for as long as it takes, which feels right now that it will probably be a lifelong quest for understanding. Thanks for your welcome, Mr. Easter, and your ear. I look forward to any and all input. My best, Debbie Daggett.
- At 1:25pm on May 21, 2009,
Alan Derosby said… - Ernie, I am sorry it took so long to reply to your comment. I will encourage all students to sign up. Thanks
- At 5:15am on March 29, 2009,
omgitshim said… - Thank you. Means a lot for me to belong to this and other memorial sites. Anything to keep others aware of the horrors that happened under the hands of the Nazi's keeps the memories alive. Events were so horrendous that people today can not even grasp it in their head, and already there are those that believe it's fabricated. There is not a day that goes by where I don't find myself trying to imagine even remotely what it had to be like. Although not Jewish I have gained more respect and admiration for the Jewish people from my studies of the Holocaust then I thought could be capable of. I can't find very many times when since the birth of man these poor people haven't had to be on the offensive, always persecuted for
one reason or another.
Images of mothers leading their children to death will always haunt me. Keeping there memories alive is a major priority of mine so that they did not die in vain. Like Simon Wiesenthal said I have never forgotten you.....
- At 1:30am on February 18, 2009,
Angela Fiedermann said…
- Dear Mr. Easter,
thank you for your comment.
If you would like to know something more about the memorial please use our website www.dora.de to have a first impression about the memorial.
With my best regards,
Angela Fiedermann
- At 6:30am on December 11, 2008,
Damián Andrés Melcer said…
- Thank you. I´m sorry but I don´t speak and write in english very well.
I read the document and other info in this page (site). It´s a important site for my.
Again, thank you for your message.
Damián
- At 3:59pm on November 3, 2008,
Niki McCaffrey said… - Would it be worth my students in the UK having access to this?
- At 3:58pm on November 3, 2008,
Niki McCaffrey said…
- Thanks for the welcome, Ernie. Where do you teach? What did Pierre do when addressing your class? I think survivors really do bring home the reality to students. I find in the UK there is such little relevance and time placed o the Holocaust. I usually have 5 weeks to teach it in - which of course is not enough time. What perspectives do you use when teaching it?
- At 7:48pm on August 25, 2008,
MLincoln said… - Thank you for your message and welcome, Ernie. I was very glad to discover the Maine Holocaust Education Network. You and other members have created an excellent online resource! I look forward to contributing and sharing some Holocaust education projects in which I’ve been involved.
- At 1:21am on May 14, 2008,
Pierre Berg said… - Ernie,
Thank you for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful group. I've already had students send me messages. I'm looking forward to answering them tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Pierre
Profile Information
- Name
- Ernie Easter
- About Me:
- I am the 7th & 8th grade teacher at the New Sweden School in New Sweden, Maine. This is the 4th unit on the Holocaust that I have taught since I began teaching in New Sweden 6 years ago.
In 2003 I had the privilege to participate in the HHRC Mission to Poland which was truly one of those "life changing events."
Ernie Easter's Photos
Ernie Easter's Blog
Maine Teachers Go To USHMM with ME-HHRC Alternative Spring Break 2009
ME-HHRC Alternative Spring Break 2009
Ernie Easter
Teacher, Grades 7 & 8
New Sweden School
New Sweden, ME 04762
Our April, 2009 School Vacation had arrived and I was heading to Washington, D.C. to take part in the Maine Holocaust Human Rights Center’s Alternative Spring Break. Having already taken part in their Study Tour to Germany and Poland in 2003 I knew what to expect from the ME-HHRC organizer, Jackie Littlefield, and I was ready. I had been through several Holocaust museums in German… Continue
Ernie Easter
Teacher, Grades 7 & 8
New Sweden School
New Sweden, ME 04762
Our April, 2009 School Vacation had arrived and I was heading to Washington, D.C. to take part in the Maine Holocaust Human Rights Center’s Alternative Spring Break. Having already taken part in their Study Tour to Germany and Poland in 2003 I knew what to expect from the ME-HHRC organizer, Jackie Littlefield, and I was ready. I had been through several Holocaust museums in German… Continue
Posted on June 29, 2009 at 5:50am —
Kelsie's presentation on the Plaszow Labor Camp
Posted on August 19, 2008 at 9:25am —
The World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust (WFJCSH) is hosting a conference in the Washington, DC area the weekend of November 7-10, 2008.
I received this announcement from one of my Facebook groups. If you are on Facebook, check out and join one (or several) of the many groups having to do with remembering the Holocaust. If anyone does go to this conference please write about the conference and your experiences there.
Ernie Easter
From: notification+m2wgexqn@facebookmail.com
Subject: "Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors" sent you a message on Facebook...
Date: August 16, 2008 9:48:50 PM EDT
Aaron Biterman sent a message to th… Continue
Ernie Easter
From: notification+m2wgexqn@facebookmail.com
Subject: "Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors" sent you a message on Facebook...
Date: August 16, 2008 9:48:50 PM EDT
Aaron Biterman sent a message to th… Continue
Posted on August 17, 2008 at 10:01am —
HHRC Celebrates the Public Opening of the Michael Klahr Center
I had the honor to attend the Public Opening of the Michael Klahr Center, the new home of the Holocaust Human Rights Center of Maine. We were treated with some light fare and wonderful music by the Casco Bay Tummlers Klezmer Band as we waited for the program to start.
The program began with an address by Gerda Haas, Founder of the HHRC. Governor Baldacci followed and began the Story Circle where each person who spoke made a connection to human rights issues or to the Holocaust itself. Others wh… Continue
The program began with an address by Gerda Haas, Founder of the HHRC. Governor Baldacci followed and began the Story Circle where each person who spoke made a connection to human rights issues or to the Holocaust itself. Others wh… Continue
Posted on May 26, 2008 at 9:18pm —
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and iTunes U
If you have not visited iTunes U on iTunes you should. The amount of free educational oriented video and audio podcasts is growing by leaps and bounds every day. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) also has a presence on iTunes U. The USHMM presents a wealth of information on the history of the Holocaust, Genocide today, and Anti-Antisemitism allowing teachers to access this on computers as well as iPods. It includes content by notables such as Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor a… Continue
Posted on April 28, 2008 at 10:30pm —
twitter.com/holocaustmuseum
HHRC Michael Klahr Center Dedication May 25, 2008
The Michael Klahr Center
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Announcement: Change in appearance - no ads
You will notice a change on our website. All ads have been removed. This was made possible through actions that Ning, Google, and the educaitonal community undertook on behalf of all educational nings which involve students. From my perspective this is a much appreciated action that they have taken.
Thank you,
Ernie Easter
Thank you,
Ernie Easter
The Maine Holocaust Education Network was Nominated for an Edublog Award 2008
http://edublogawards.com/2008/best-educational-use-of-a-social-networking-service/
Thank you to all members for your participation in our Ning and your continued interest in trying to understand the Holocaust and working towards preventing future ones.
© 2009 Created by Ernie Easter
