Tuesday, April 16, 2019


April 16, 2019 Tuesday

Bedtime Story 


Regulations in the Riga Ghetto


One of the conditions imposed on the Jews living in Riga Ghetto went by the title of “Regulation One”.

According to this “Regulation One” Jews were banned from public places such as parks, swimming pools, libraries and almost anything which was constructed out of public money.    

The “Regulation Two” was the imposition of wearing yellow badges carrying the emblem of six-pointed star that is considered as the Star of David.

Violation of this code was punishable by death.

In the beginning only an arm band would have sufficed but that turn out not enough as the days passed by since the authorities felt that the arm band was not sufficiently visible enough for identification.  

Humiliating decrees flew out from the government offices as and when desired.

Not content with the yellow badges being worn on the arm sleeves the Nazis came out with yet another decree that made it mandatory for the Jews to have a second star on the back of their garment.

This would make their identification easy in the crowds thus enabling them to be picked out comfortably both by the authorities and the civilians alike and then administering them any kind of humiliating treatment that was felt appropriate.

This decree would also be used against them to impose yet another condition that they stay away from the footpath.

Any non-Jew had complete right to assault any Jew without having to explain any reason for such a dastardly action.

Even before the Gestapo took over the Riga Ghetto on July 11, 1941 Latvian gangs had free reign and killed several Jews.

Even their food supply or the ration was limited to just half of any non-Jew.

Here is another condition that was imposed on the Jews in the Riga Ghetto which violated their most basic biological right – the right to have sex and reproduce.

Yes, the Jews in the Ghetto were not allowed to have children.

Attempts were made to separate the sexes and they were forbidden to indulge in sexual relationships.

Knowing us apes you will understand it was hard to impose this rule even for the Nazis for there were at least 30,000 Jews imprisoned in the ghetto.

I use imprisonment with great caution as the ghetto was surrounded by barbed wire and anyone who even came close to the wire would be shot dead by the Latvian guards.

Reproduction is the primary biological driving force of any living organism.

As Lawrence Rifkin says:

“By making babies, we continue life’s pageant.

In children, we cheat death.”

Stay tuned to the voice of an average story storytelling chimpanzee or login at http://panarrans.blogspot.com
                              
Good night Mon Ami and my fellow cousin ape.
                           
  
                

             












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Another great educator and a teacher that I am aware of is Professor Subhashish Chattopadhyay in Bangalore, India.

While I narrate stories, Professor Subhashish an electronic engineer and a former professor at BARC, does and teaches real mathematics and physics.

He started the participation of Indian students at the International Physics Olympiad.

Do visit him here:


All his books can be downloaded for free through this link:


For edutainment and English education of your children, I recommend this large collection of Halloween Songs for Kids:


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