White Cane Day

 

Werner Teitz

Today is World Cerebral Palsy Day.

(Werner with his Mother.)

Werner Teitz was a bright boy who loved collecting stamps and writing letters to his Parents and Relatives.

At 6 years old in 1931, he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and was admitted to a Medical Facility in Munich.

Shortly after a rise in Antisemitic violence in 1938, the facility informed Werner’s Parents, Emil and Sophie Teitz, that it would no longer care for Jewish Patients.

While the Family managed to move Werner to a Facility in the Netherlands, the rest of the Family, including their younger Son, Walter, eventually found refuge in England.

They left Werner behind, believing he would be out of harm’s way in the Netherlands.

When their Visas arrived, Emil, Sophie, and Walter immigrated to the United States in April 1940.

US and UK Immigration laws forbade entry to People who were likely to become dependent on Government Support.

Werner likely would not have received Visas for either Country due to his Physical Disability.

Germany invaded the Netherlands just one month later in May 1940.

“I hope that I will be able to go home next year,” Werner wrote in a letter to his Parents in 1942. “I so would like to be at home next year for our dear Walter’s Bar Mitzvah. How is father’s business? Does Mother still knit mittens? Where is Grandmother now? I wait with anticipation on a letter from my Parents … .”

Werner, however, never made it home.

A year after he wrote this letter, Werner was removed from his Facility because he was Jewish and taken to the Westerbork Transit Camp.

 From there, he was deported to the Sobibor Death Camp in German-Occupied Poland, where he was murdered upon arrival in May 1943.

He was 18 years old.

CP Day

 

Stuttering

 

Doris Fedrid

Doris Fedrid

(Doris (center) and her Husband, Fred (far right), pictured in the front row of an English Class offered by the Hebrew Society for the Deaf sometime before 1963.)

Doris Fedrid was June 26, 1927, in Tarnopol, Poland (Present Day: Ternopil, Ukraine.)

She was born to a Jewish Family and was Deaf.

At 7 years old she went to live at a Jewish School for the Deaf in Lwów, Poland (Present-Day: Lviv, Ukraine.)

She described the School in the following way: “It was all lip reading … if they caught us signing, they would hit our hands with wood, or they'd tie our hands behind our back.”

When the Germans invaded her area of Poland in June 1941 (which had been occupied by the Soviets from September 1939 until June 1941) 14 year old Doris and her Family were imprisoned in the Tarnopol Ghetto (Polish: (Polish: getto w Tarnopolu, German: Ghetto Tarnopol.)

18,600 Jewish Men, Women and Children were forced into the Tarnopol Ghetto.

Jews from other, smaller Ghettoes were then sent into the Tarnopol Ghetto where 20,000 were murdered inside the Ghetto and at the Belzec Death Camp (124 miles away.)

Being Deaf, Doris had to work extra hard to understand the German Guards and the ever changing rules in the Ghetto otherwise it meant death.

In June 1943 Doris escaped from the Tarnopol Ghetto and went into hiding and survived the War.

In 1945 she learned that her Parents and Sister, Esther, had also survived.

The Family moved to New York in January 1947.

Doris found a vibrant Deaf Community and began to learn American Sign Language.

She met Fred Fedrid at an American Citizenship Class for Deaf Immigrants and they married.

He was also a Deaf Holocaust Survivor.

Fred died in 1963.

Doris Fedrid died on May 17, 2014.

She was 86 years old.

16,000 Non-Jewish Deaf People were murdered by the Germans under their T4 Program (the Mass Murder of the Mentally and Physically Disabled in Germany and Austria) from 1939-1945.

17,000 Non-Jewish Deaf People were Forcibly Sterilized by the Germans under their T4 Program) in Germany and Austria from 1939-1945.

25,000 Jewish Deaf People were murdered by the Germans during the War simply for being Deaf (being Jewish was secondary.)

An Unknown Number of Jewish Deaf People from across German-Occupied Europe were murdered for simply being Jewish and are included in the 6 Million Jews murdered by the Germans from 1933-1945.

Pet Kit

 

Whether a Hurricane, a Snowstorm, or any other kind of Disaster please plan ahead for your pets too.

Have an Evacuation Plan for your pet. Many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside. Know a safe place where you can take your pets before disasters and emergencies happen.

Develop a Buddy System. Plan with neighbors, friends or relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so.

Have your Pet Microchipped. Make sure to keep your address and phone number up-to-date and include contact information for an emergency contact outside of your immediate area.

Contact your Local Emergency Management Office, Animal Shelter or Animal Control Office to get additional advice and information if you’re unsure how to care for your pet in case of an emergency.

Have an Emergency Kit ready to go at your house and in your Car with: Food. Keep several days’ supply of food in an airtight, waterproof container.

Water: Store a water bowl and several days’ supply of water.

Medicine: Keep an extra supply of the medicine your pet takes on a regular basis in a waterproof container.

First aid kit:. Talk to your veterinarian about what is most appropriate for your pet’s emergency medical needs.

Collar with ID tag and a harness or leash: Include a backup leash, collar and ID tag. Have copies of your pet’s registration information and other relevant documents in a waterproof container and available electronically.

Traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier: Ideally one for each pet.

Grooming items: Pet shampoo, conditioner and other items, in case your pet needs some cleaning up.

Sanitation needs: Include pet litter and litter box (if appropriate), newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach to provide for your pet’s sanitation needs.

A picture of you and your pet together: If you become separated from your pet during an emergency, a picture of you and your pet together will help you document ownership and allow others to assist you in identifying your pet.

Familiar items: Put favorite toys, treats or bedding in your kit. Familiar items can help reduce stress for your pet.

Lymphoma

 

25: Wheelchair

 

25 years ago today (on September 11, 2001) 22 year old John Cerqueira and his Boss, Michael Benfante, went from the 81st Floor down to the 68th Floor of the North Towers of the World Trade Center after the planes hit the Towers.

On the 68th Floor they came across a Woman they had never met, Tina Hansen, in a mechanized wheelchair who needed help evacuating since the elevators weren’t working.

The 2 Men transferred Tina from her mechanized wheelchair to a nearby evacuation wheelchair and started carrying her down from the 68th Floor.

It took an hour for the 2 Men to carry the wheelchair and Tina from the 68th Floor to the outside (through thick smoke, fires and lots of people.)

They had made it down 20 Floors when the South Towers Collapsed rocking the North Towers.

They quickened their pace and made it down to the outside where a News Reporter took their picture (right after they handled Tina Hansen to Paramedics and moments before the North Tower fell.)

A year later John Cerqueira was at Michael Benfante’s Wedding as was Tina Hansen, in her new wheelchair.

Picture: John Cerqueira on the left and Michael Benfante on the right shortly after leaving the World Trade Center carrying Tina Hansen in a wheelchair from the 68th Floor and handing her over to the Paramedics. Moments later the Towers fell.)

25: Blind

 

Michael Hingson has been Blind since Birth.

He worked as a Regional Sales Manager and Head of Operations for Quantum/ATL, a Data-Protection Agency, on the 78th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center with his Service Dog, Roselle.

On September 11, 2001 Michael was setting up the Conference Room for their Breakfast Meeting and Roselle took her position near the door to great People.

Moments later Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower swaying it back and forth.

Michael and Roselle walked down 78 flights of stairs to safety.

Roselle passed away on June 26, 2011 with Michael and his Wife, Karen, by her side.

They subsequently formed Roselle’s Dream Foundation in her honor; the Nonprofit Charity educates People on Blindness and assists Blind Children and Adults in obtaining technology to help them navigate the world around them.

Veterans Line

 

Accept Everyone

Dolly Parton accepted everyone.

 

She accepted you if you were:

Gay

Straight

Southerner

Not Southerner

Black

Hispanic

Latino

Asian

White

Republican

Democrat

Independent

Religious

Not Religious

Rich

Poor

Homeless

Hungry

Illiterate

A Veteran

Female

Male

Disabled

Not Disabled

 

We need to ALL be more like how Dolly Parton was.

Like make September 25th  (9-25) Dolly Parton Day.

I Swear

 

I just watched a British Movie on Netflix called “I Swear.”

It’s the true story of John Davidson who has Severe Tourette’s Syndrome.

John Davidson was born on June 1, 1971 in Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland.

He started experiencing tics and other issues when he was 12 years old.

He regularly had issues in School including being whipped on his hand by a belt by the Headmaster for “acting out.”

John left School at 16 years old without any Qualifications.

Distraught and feeling abandoned by his School his Friends and his Family John tried to commit Suicide by walking into a river, but is saved.

He then worked as a Caretaker at Langlee Community Centre in Galashiels.

His Tourette’s causes him to have tics, Coprolalia, Echolalia, sudden and violent body movements, along with severe Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD.)

When he was 15 years old in 1989  a BBC Television Documentary was made about him, “John's Not Mad.”

The Documentary followed John around in his daily life and how his Family, his Friends, and Strangers interacted with him and his Tourette’s (which many had never experienced before.)

“John’s Not Here” was ranked one of the 50^th Best Documentaries in 2005.

After “Jonh’s Not Here” aired John became nationally known across the United Kingdom as “Ambassador for the condition - a Spokesman for this previously hidden Neurological Disorder, campaigning to educate people about it."

In 2002 another Documentary “The Boy Can't Help It” shows John at 30 years old.

In 2009, a third Documentary “Tourette’s: I Swear I Can't Help It” was made about the 27 year old John.

John has visited Schools, given talks and helped Police Officers and Others to learn how to support people with Tourette’s.

 In 2019, he was a Board Member of Tourette Scotland.

In the 2019 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to People with Tourette's Syndrome, in recognition of "his efforts to increase understanding of the condition and helping families deal with it across the country."

While being presented with the Award at Holyrood Palace, John unexpectedly swore at Queen Elizabeth II.

He said that the Queen, aware of his condition, responded with patience and understanding.

In 2025 the Movie “I Swear” came out about John’s life and his struggles with Tourette’s.

Purple Heart

Today is Purple Heart Day.

General George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit on August 7, 1782 (during the American Revolution.)

After the Revolution ended in 1783 it fell out of use until 1932 when the Army Chief of Staff, Douglas MacArthur brought it back and renamed it the Purple Heart

The Purple Heart is awarded to Military Members who are injured and killed in combat, through an act of terrorism or by Friendly Fire. It acknowledges the physical sacrifice of service to the nation.

 Receiving a Purple Heart is an honor and comes with many Benefits from State and Federal Governments and Nonprofit Organizations.

Purple Heart Recipients qualify for a wide variety of Benefits, including Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Benefits and Fee Waivers, Special Discounts on VA Home Loans and Automatic GI Bill Benefits.

Many states also have special Benefits for Purple Heart Recipients. Several Nonprofit Organizations, such as the Purple Heart Foundation, have special Benefits and support for Service Members who have been awarded a Purple Heart.

An estimated 1.8 Million Purple Hearts have been awarded to U.S. Troops.

Story

More To The Story

That Senior Citizen counting out pennies at the Cashier probably raised a Family who are now all gone and they feel alone and just want some company.

That Family sleeping in their car probably works hard full-time and still can’t afford a decent place to sleep.

That Veteran sitting on the park bench probably risked his life on a daily basis to protect us and now feels forgotten.

There is usually more to the story than just what we see.

93: T4

93: Aktion T4

(Gas Chamber at the Hadamar Euthanasia Center in Germany where 15,000 Men, Women and Children with Disabilities were murdered. Hadamar is still in use as a Hospital today.)

93 years ago today (July 14, 1933) the Nazi’s Aktion T4 started.

Nazi Germany had the Aktion T4 Program (called so because of the Headquarters’ Address in Berlin - Tiergartenstrasse 4.)

From 1939-1945 Germany murdered (in Gas Vans, by Lethal Injunction and then in Gas Chambers - before the Death Camps were built) 300,000 Disabled Men, Women and Children (200,000 in Germany and Austria and 100,000 in German-Occupied Europe.) It was planned by Hitler and carried out by German Doctors.

From 1939-1941 the Germans focused on murdering Disabled Children and from 1941-1945 they included Disabled Adults.

The Germans also Forcibly Sterilized another 400,000 Disabled.

Aktion T4 was condemned by the Pope in 1940 and then Hitler officially had the Program stopped – while in secret it continued until the war ended.

The use of Gas Vans and then the Gas Chambers were later implemented in the Holocaust of the Jews.

There were 6 “Euthanasia Centers” in Germany and Austria (Grafeneck, Brandenburg, Bernburg, Hartheim, Sonnenstein and Hadamar) and 13 in German-Occupied Poland.

After the War, the Americans and Soviets (and later the West Germans and the East Germans) tried many of the Doctors, Nurses and other helpers involved in Aktion T4.

Several of the Doctors committed suicide either right when Germany was Defeated in 1945 or shortly before their Trials began.

As with most things dealing with Mass Murder in Nazi Germany the West Germans gave light sentences to many of the Doctors and Nurses involved.

In 2014, Germany opened The Memorial to the People with Disabilities Murdered by the Nazis on the site of Aktion T4 wartime Headquarters in Berlin.

While Nazi Germany was one of the few places that murdered or murders the Disabled many Countries also Forcibly Sterilized or Sterilizes the Disabled:

In Canada (from 1803-1982), in China (from 1978-Present), in Czechoslovakia (from 1973-1989), in Denmark (from 1936-1976), in East Germany (from 1945-1990), in Japan (from 1907-1996), in Peru (from the 1920s-1998), in Sweden (from 1934-1976) and in the United States (from 1883-1978.)

Fireworks

 

Disability Pride

Disability Pride

July is Disability Pride Month (commemorating the 1990 passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act – the ADA.)

This is the Disabled Pride Flag designed in 2021 by Ann Magill with each element symbolizing a different aspect of the Disabled experience.

All six "standard" flag colors: Disability spans borders between States and Nations

Black Field: Mourning for victims of ableist violence and abuse

Diagonal Band: "Cutting across" the walls and barriers that separate the Disabled from Society

Red Stripe: Physical Disabilities

Gold Stripe: Neurodivergence

White Stripe: Invisible and undiagnosed Disabilities

Blue Stripe: Psychiatric Disabilities

Green Stripe: Sensory Disabilities

I Stand

I Stand With/For

In a time where saying or writing this can get you physically and verbally attacked I will continue to say:

I am NOT Homeless, but I stand FOR Homeless Rights!

I am NOT a Woman, but I stand FOR Women’s Rights!

I am NOT Homosexual, but I stand FOR Homosexual Rights!

I am NOT in an Interracial Relationship, but I stand FOR Interracial Couple’s Rights!

I am NOT Jewish, but I stand WITH the Jews!

I am NOT Ukrainian, but I stand WITH Ukraine!

I am NOT a Veteran, but I stand FOR Veteran’s Rights!

I am NOT Disabled, but I stand for Disabled Rights!

Don’t let any Person, Politician, Religious Leader or Organization try to place blame or incite fear towards the above Groups.

They are merely trying to use them as Scapegoats so we don’t look too deep at the real reasons for our current problems.

Rolf Krause

Rolf Krause

Rolf Edgar Krause was born on July 22, 1933 in Hamburg, Germany.

He was the second Son of Wilhelm Krause and Anna Krause (née Reimer.)

His Parents married on April 26, 1930 in Hamburg, Germany.

Anna had two Sons from a previous marriage: Wilhelm (born in 1922) and Werner (born in 1924.)

His Parents first Child together, Helga was born in 1931.

Rolf had no complications at his birth.

He was described as being a lively Child.

He learned to walk when he was one and a half years old and started to speak when he was two and a half.

He liked to look at Picture Books, did small errands and obeyed everything he was told to do.

It wasn’t until he was nine years old that he was diagnosed with Down Syndrome.

At the time it was not usually called Down Syndrome, but Mongoloid (German: Mongolismus) because the People were said to “have the eyes of Mongolians.”

When Rolf was 6 years old his Twin Siblings, Gerd and Margit were born in 1939.

At the same time Rolf was examined by the Hamburg Social Authority because it was deemed he could not and should not be sent to a Regular German School.

The results of the Testing showed that Rolf was:

“The Boy is quite restless, lively and curious. He is good natured and friendly, but becomes silly in the end. Over all he comes across like a 3-4 year old Child, also in his speech. He pronounces a great number of words correctly, but only in telegram style. He plays quite nicely and can address and name basic things when looking at them. During conversations between Adults, he listens and takes part in these through appropriate interjections. During the physical examination, he takes off the stethoscope and telephones very cutely with it. The Boy is very much in need of love and is very attached to his Mother. During the examination he is initially suspicious, but soon loses his mistrust. Before every new activity, he is full of suspicion which is not lasting long."

Dr. Zahn, the Investigating Assessor of the Hamburg Youth Welfare Office considered it necessary to send Rolf to the Alsterdorf Asylum.

Rolf’s Parents viewed this with suspicion, but believed the Nazi Officials and the Nazi Doctors and hoped Rolf would make progress in his development with the Professional Care at Alstordorf.

On December 28, 1940 Rolf was admitted to the Alsterdorf Asylum.

In his Records at Alsterdorf Rolf was noted as being “well-behaved and obedient.”

Then Walter was called-up to serve as a Private in the Wehrmacht.

While on Leave from the Wehrmacht Walter wrote to the Alsterdorf Asylum regarding Rolf.

In the Letter he wrote that Rolf was becoming “more reserved and quiet” since he was admitted and that was a major change from when he was at home and was a “lively and joyful Boy.”

The Following Month, Anna was informed by Dr. Gerhard Kreyenberg, the Chief Physician of the Alsterdorf Asylum, that Rolf had been transferred to another Department where he seems to be thriving.

On April 20, 1940, Alsterdorf made the following note about Rolf in their record: “Rolf is quiet and well-behaved. He gets pleasure from playing finger games and has become more sociable and trusting.

In April and May 1941 Rolf’s Twin Siblings, Gerd died of “weakness” and Margit died of “Nasopharyngeal Diphtheria.”

In August 1943 Hamburg was heavily damaged by Allied Air Raids and space was needed at the Alsterdorf Asylum (to care for the wounded from the Attacks.)

Pastor Friedrich Lensch, a Pro-Nazi Pastor, decided that the Patients at the Alsterdorf Asylum should be removed to other Places to make way for the wounded.

On August 10, 1943 Rolf was one of the 113 Children removed from the Alsterdorf Asylum and sent to the Nursing and Care Home Mainkofen near Passau.

The Krause Family home was destroyed by the Air Raid and Anna had to flee Hamburg and was unable to prevent Rolf’s transfer.

Anna was now in Leipzig and wanted to visit Rolf at the new Care Home.

Before Anna could get Official Permission to visit Rolf in Mainkofen she learned that he had died.

Rolf Krause died on June 1, 1944 at the age of 10.

His Nazi Death Certificate stated that he was a “Mongoloid Idiot” and he had died from Tuberculosis.

The Mainkofen Asylum was a Nazi Asylum where its Patients were staved to death,

Patients, like Rolf, were given the “3 B-Diet” which consisted of little to no food or water and almost no Personal Care from the Staff.

The effects of the forced starvation and neglect were noted for “Professional Reasons” and when the Patient died they were given an autopsy to continue the study.

Their Relatives were given fake causes of death and not allowed to receive the body or ashes of their loved ones.

The Patients who arrived at Mainkofen were marked for death before they even stepped foot into the Asylum.

On June 3, 1944 Anna received a Telegram response to her request that she receive Rolf’s ashes so she could bury him.

Anna was told that Rolf’s ashes could not be transported to her until after Victory had been received

14 days later Anna sent a box of Rolf’s toys to Mainkofen in which he wrote the following letter: “Sadly my little Rolf can no longer share in the joy which we wish to all the little Children from Hamburg".

Even after the War in 1945 Anna was never given Rolf’s ashes nor was she told where he was buried.

In 1977, Anna visited that Registry Office in Nattenberg to find out where Rolf’s grave was but learned it never existed.

In 2014 the Mainkofen Cemetery, which had been neglected since 1945, was redesigned into a Place of Commemoration.

Rolf Krause was murdered under the Nazis’ Aktion T4 Program.

T4, called so because of the address of its Headquarters in Berlin: Tiergartenstraße 4, saw at least 300,000 Disabled Men, Women and Children murdered throughout Nazi Germany and Austria from 1933-1945.

380,000 Disabled Men, Women and Children were Forcibly Sterilized between 1933-1945.

T4 started In July 1933 with the "Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring" (German: Gesetz zur Verhütung erbkranken Nachwuchses) ordered Forced Sterilization for People with conditions thought to be Hereditary, such as Schizophrenia, Epilepsy, Huntington's Chorea and "Imbecility.”

The Germans first murdered Disabled Children in what they called a “Mercy Death” (German: Gnadentod) and then moved on to the murder of Disabled Adults.

When the Germans started murdering Disabled Adults any Disability (Hereditary or not) was grounds for killing the Person (Blindness, Deafness, Down Syndrome, Amputations (including World War 1 Veterans), etc.

The German Interior Ministry used Special Hereditary Health Courts (German: Erbgesundheitsgerichte), which examined the Inmates of Nursing Homes, Asylums, Prisons, Aged-Care Homes and Special Schools, to select those to be sterilized.

On December 2, 1940 the Catholic Church in the Vatican declared that T4 was contrary to Divine Law and that "the direct killing of an innocent Person because of Mental or physical defects is not allowed".

It was the first time the Catholic Church openly opposed Mass Murder by the Nazis.

In the Summer of 1941 Mass Protests were held across Nazi Germany calling for an end to T4.

It was one of the few times the German People actually stood-up against Hitler and his Policies.

Officially, T4 was ended in August 1941, but Unofficially it continued until Germany was defeated in May 1945.

There were 6 “Euthanasia Centers” in Germany and Austria (Grafeneck, Brandenburg, Bernburg, Hartheim, Sonnenstein and Hadamar) and 13 in German-Occupied Poland.

Disabled Children and Adults were murdered in various ways.

Many were starved to death, some were gassed in Gas Vans and many were given Lethal Injections.

The Germans later used the same methods and the same People to murder other Groups (the Jews, Slavs, Homosexuals, Roma and Sinti, etc.) in Concentration and Deaths Camps.

After Germany’s Defeat in 1945 The Euthanasia Trials (German: Euthanasie-Prozesse) took place to try those responsible for T4.

The Americans and Soviets (and later the West Germans and the East Germans) tried many of the Doctors, Nurses and other helpers involved in Aktion T4.

Several of the Doctors committed Suicide either right when Germany was Defeated in 1945 or shortly before their Trials began.

Philipp Bouhler the Reichsleiter (National Leader) and Chief of the Chancellery of the Führer of the NSDAP. He was also the SS official responsible for the Aktion T4 committed Suicide in May 1945 after being captured by the Americans.

As with most things dealing with Mass Murder in Nazi Germany the West Germans gave light sentences to many of the Doctors and Nurses involved.

In November 2010 the German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology (German: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Nervenheilkunde) apologized for their role in T4.

In 2014, Germany opened The Memorial to the People with Disabilities Murdered by the Nazis on the site of Aktion T4 wartime Headquarters in Berlin.

Hadamar Killing Center in Hadamar, Hessen, Germany  where 15,000 Disabled Men, Women and Children were murdered under T4 continues to be a Hospital (there is a Memorial at the Gas Chamber and Crematorium.)

1,300 Disabled Men, Women and Children were murdered by the Nazis at the Mainkofen Asylum.

Autistic Pride