American Heritage Museum in Hudson unveils rail car used during WWII for Holocaust Remembrance Day
HUDSON - A German rail car from 1913 that was used to transport Holocaust victims sits on display at the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, showing a dark chapter of human history.
"Well, it's important people that understand what the Holocaust is all about. I mean it was the ultimate discrimination when six million Jews were put to death. And worth living and understanding and having a real artifact that people can relate to," President of the American Heritage Museum, Rob Collings said.
The 30 foot long two axle rail car was imported to the U.S. by the museum from Nuremberg, Germany last year and has undergone a six month restoration.
"It's 110-years-old, going on 111. The wood was fairly deteriorated. The metal was in good shape," Collings said.
During WWII Nazi Germany's national railway system played a critical role in orchestrating the Holocaust and genocide of the Jewish people.
"And most of them were transported in rail cars just exactly like this," he said.
Mary Pierce came to visit the display with her sister.
"It's very important and we all need to realize that this really happened and never let it happen again," Pierce said.
Fred McGrane says he's retired and spending a lot of his free time learning about WWII and the Holocaust.
"I am overwhelmed by what I see here today. Just looking at this here and to think people were shipped on that to their deaths I found it amazing," McGrane said.
Museum officials say with the rise of antisemitism taking place across the country this rail car has significant meaning and will remain here for remembrance, education and understanding.
"How we as Americans all pulled together to defeat Hitler and we need to get back to that sense of pulling together," Pierce said.