yinyin1-deactivated20151027:

I am of Jewish descent.

First of all, I would like to clear up some of the misconceptions floating around - the Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas is a Holocaust Memorial for Jewish-only victims of the Holocaust. It’s not POC inclusive unlike what many of you have stated.

Second of all, unless you’re from Europe, have a guide/local person to explain or are informed in some other way, there is absolutely no way for you to know that it is a memorial. It only says “by Germany under Hitler’s regime” and yes, to us it rings bells but if you’re not informed about WWII Europe these words mean nothing to you. There’s not a single mention of Holocaust/Shoah, there’s no adequate explanation on what this memorial represents. It’s just there.

Honestly, the Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas has attracted a lot of criticism from the Jewish community for ‘suggesting a hierarchy of suffering’ by excluding other groups that suffered from the Nazis just as much. It was called unnecessary by German-Jews, there also were the Degussa and Grindr controversies, it was vandalized by neo-nazis. 

I was 11 the first time I was brought to the memorial (and 15 the second) it shocked me, the way it looked in hot sunlight but it never became a significant place. While on one hand it does perfectly represent Holocaust, on the other it doesn’t. It doesn’t reveal it’s meaning. As long as there is no acknowledgement of Holocaust on the memorial grounds, it has no meaning, no voice. It’s a piece of abstract art and if BigHit used it in a respectful manner I have no problems with it. If Berlin failed to introduce it’s visitors to the monument properly it’s their own fault.

What angers me in this situation is not Bangtan, but you, kpop fans. It’s always the same: people shouting, fires burning, fans leaving fandoms, blogs being deleted. How much of Korean history are you taught at school? You think their people didn’t suffer? Personally I wasn’t taught anything about Asian history aside from Great Britain colonizing India and a brief introduction to Japan during WWI, so the fact that you expect them to know everything about your white history makes me beyond sick and angry.

They took down the photos and you’re still not over it. People stumble and we can teach them without being so harsh. Honestly, it’s always a bunch of angry white girls breaking glasses just to hear them break. 99% of the people being angry about this aren’t even Jewish/of Jewish-descent so please shut up and stop putting words into our mouths.

Sorry, it’s a bit inconsistent but I haven’t slept in a while.

Sorry but this person does not get to speak for all Jews. I am a Jew and I found this act highly offensive and if it is in their photobook I will be pretty pissed.I don’t see how it being “Not POC inclusive” is relevant (also there are many POC Jews so???) as there are other memorials near this one for the other victims of the Holocaust besides the Jews. 

This was an act of pure ignorance. I don’t entirely blame Bangtan as it was their company who managed this photoshoot but come on. You can read signs.

Also they did not get any permission to shoot here. They have absolutley no right to publish these terribly inconsiderate photos and I pray that they don’t

Reblog my side of the argument if you can please. I don’t want this person speaking for the entire community. All of my other Jewish friends are also very upset by these actions, so I am not alone in my opinion.