David Bell

31.03.1943|Polish man Prof. Leon Pomirowski died of typhoid fever at the #Majdanek concentration camp infirmary. He was a teacher, lecturer, renowned literary critic, and resistance member. Even as a prisoner he held secret lectures for others incarcerated in KL Lublin.

145 Polish fighter pilots flew for the RAF in the Battle of Britain. No 303 Polish Fighter Squadron entered the Battle of Britain, credited with 126 kills, and was rated the highest-scoring fighter squadron of the battle. Winston Churchill said: "Never was so much owed by so many to so few". It is worth recalling the Polish contribution to the UK war effort in WW2. On 1 April 1918, the @RoyalAirForce was officially established, marking a turning point in military history.

2 April 1935 | A Dutch Jewish girl, Lea Benjamins, was born in Amsterdam. In 1942 she was deported to #Auschwitz together with her mother Branca and brothers Simon and Marcus. They were all murdered in a gas chamber. --- ▶ Video about the first two gas chambers created near Auschwitz II-Birkenau: youtu.be/Rr6lF75fDmU

1 April 1939 | A Belgian Jewish boy, Rene Melzer, was born in Antwerp. He arrived at #Auschwitz in a transport from Malines / Mechelen on 18 January 1943. He was murdered after selection in a gas chamber.

King Charles III sent a letter to @Astro_Jeremy to acknowledge Canada’s role in the Artemis II mission. “I was deeply touched to receive this message, which honours the collective vision and dedication behind this historic moment.” — Jeremy Hansen

April 1, 1933 | Nazi Storm Troopers (SA) paint Jewish businesses all over Germany with yellow stars and block entry to them. The boycott of Jewish shops had a huge impact: as there was no public opposition to it, German Jews understood they were alone.

31.03.1942|Ca. 1500 Jews were deported from Lublin to the German Nazi extermination camp SS-Sonderkommando #Belzec. Among them there was Henryk Bekker: engineer, architect, head of the Lublin’s Jewish council. 📷From left: Marek Alten, Salomon Kestenberg, Henryk Bekker #Holocaust

01.04.1943|Home Army Bulletin: The death camp in Sobibór became active again. Jews are transported in passenger cars and are convinced they are heading east to work. On 14 March a transport of Dutch Jews was even welcomed by an orchestra. The next day, not a soul was left alive.

The boycott against the Jews of Germany #OTD 1 April 1933 was the first nationwide act carried out by the Nazis against the Jews after rising to power two months earlier. The boycott was announced as a Nazi response to what they claimed was "propaganda" spread by world Jewry against the Nazi regime. Groups of uniformed Nazis, some armed with rifles, stood outside of Jewish-owned businesses and tried to prevent customers from entering. The boycott was marked by widespread looting and instances of physical violence against Jewish storeowners. The boycott served as the initial step in undermining the economic foundations of German Jewry. Only one week later, the first national anti-Jewish laws were enacted, specifically designed to purge Jews from public service. This legislative shift eventually led to the systematic removal of most German Jews from their professional roles and occupations.

31 March 1900 | A Polish Jew, Josef Landau, was born. In #Auschwitz from 5 May 1942. No. 34732 He perished in the camp on 12 May 1942. --- 📖 Jewish prisoners at KL Auschwitz: lekcja.auschwitz.org/29_zydzi_en/

March 31, 1933 | A decree in the city of Berlin says that Jewish doctors are suspended from the city's charity services. This same month, Hitler orders that all Jewish doctors are to be fired from their jobs. #NotLongAgoNotFarAway

30 March 1934 | A French Jew, Marc Ast, was born in Reims. He arrived at #Auschwitz on 10 October 1943 in a transport of 1,000 Jews deported from Drancy. He was among the 491 people murdered in a gas chamber immediately after selection. --- ▶ A short video showing the ruins of gas chamber and crematorium III: youtube.com/shorts/ipQmBPA…

Baking matzah in hiding in the Lodz ghetto, 1943 View more photos of Passover during the Holocaust >> bit.ly/410Pei6

Hildesheim, Germany, 1941-1942. In 1941, approximately 338,000 Jews remained in Germany. Until this point, Hitler had been reluctant to deport them until the war was over because of a fear of retaliation from the German population. But, in autumn 1941 their deportation began.

Remember when people were warned about the catastrophic consequences of Brexit but were told it was, "project fear"

March 31, 1943 | Approximately 3,000 Jewish men, women and children arrive to #Auschwitz from the ghetto and labor camp in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. They are all most likely killed in the gas chamber of the newly constructed Crematorium II.

Have you ever been in a crisis? #PrayTogether

50 years ago Harold Wilson suddenly resigned as Prime Minister. Here is a programme examining some of the theories behind that shock announcement with a host of fascinating current voices and archive. bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Marc Ast was born in Reims, France in 1934. Before WWII, he lived in St Memmie. He was deported to #Auschwitz, when he died at only 10 years of age. #WeRemember #NotLongAgoNotFarAway

We pray for Keats House & Kirkstall House, for Ukraine & the Nr & Middle East. Today: 9.30 am Mass. Tomorrow: Palm Sunday 8 am Holy Communion, 10.30 am Sung Mass with Blessing of Palms & Procession, 5 pm Evening Prayer & Service of Reconciliation.