001~ Only nice things happen during Spring time, in Berlin

Blog Introduction:

My name is Allon Zaslansky, I was born in Israel in 1972, and coming from a musical background, I grew up to become a pensive photographer... So naturally, this will be a pensive Photo-Essay, and I used to call it 'The 3G Ripple Effect'- since I am...sort of, the third generation descendants from the Holocaust turmoil, but recently, with growing voices utilising the historic event, or unwilling to compare such an extreme social disaster to what ever occurs ever since, I really like the more catchy title

"Don't touch MY Holocaust!"

Although I've started this journey/quest formally in 2008, at the age of 37, there are shards of events, leading to this moment in various junctions in my life - all leading to this blog I feel I need to create.

I've read tons of literature, collected anecdotes, and what not, and I wish to pour it all out in this blog.

I will try keeping the picture clear, with unavoidable flashbacks and fourths along the blog and I hope each post title (and sequence number) can help keep track.

But first a little background...

me, at the age of 5

Growing up in Israel, in the 70's-80's. The Israeli Un-planned and Unorganised Holocaust education classes we had, back when I was in School, really...sorry, but for the lack of a shorter words to describe...sucked. Not for the terrible, and rich content, rather for the way it was transcended to us. I imagine it was a difficult topic to deal with rationally, In fact, the lessons we had were super amateur. There seem to have had no organisation, idea or message master-planned to transcend to us, the 3rd generation, a real lesson to learn and take further with us towards making sure this never happens again in the future (...Present...).

There were lessons, in later classes, of course but in elementary school and all the way up to the eighth grade maybe (?) I remember sitting in class, being introduced to some kind grand mother or father, who would sit among us and share stories, usually horrifying ones, and of course - exposing scars and the tattoo.

Stories of famine, death, disease. and many times partisans or underground resistance survivors. They would burst out in tears and even breakdown quite often in these occasions. We would sit quiet as the teacher brought a cup of water or tissue, asking for us to understand... Understand what??

It was a terrible scenario to be in so I think it is only natural that I've developed a healthy detachments and reject process, but information seeped in, nevertheless, and maybe more so.

Here is the strange thing about this Collective memory which seeps in - I had no such real survivor in our family which came on Aliya in 1971 from South Africa.

My ancestors, back in Europe, From Radom, Poland, and Vilnius, Lithuania understood each, and separately, where the wind is blowing, and left for South Africa back in the late Twenties and early Thirties of the last century.

I Never woke up to a screaming nightmared Grandparent, or a food stashing post traumatic survivor, none of that. I only heard of those, and read about them.

So I'm pretty much 'the fruit' of the Israeli educational system...

Perhaps being merely a 'sort of' a 3G descendant, is what enables me to look closer, and look at things differently and maybe that is what makes my journey interesting? maybe.

And maybe it could be an interesting journey/blog for others to follow who feel coupled to this Mega turmoil, but are not really connected, enabling to ask open questions, and stay critical in a healthy and constructive way.

Back to my childhood - I especially remember, as a 15 year old kid, the scene in the Highlander first movie, the scene of revenge, which I replayed over and over in my 14 year old head, during the annual holocaust memorial one minute siren.

More posts will follow. Weekly.

I really hope you like this Blog, find it interesting and enriching. I am well aware that I am treading on some highly sensitive topics and issues, and that is the reason it has taken me so long to start uploading my thoughts and materials online.

Comments, thoughts and ides are most and very welcome! I believe some of the issues and ideas can trigger automatic stipulations, and I hope some enriching and enlightening responses. However - I will insist we keep it civil.

Please find a nice way to share your thoughts, or at least try.

Thank you. :-)