Schindler's Hive: Collective Sin and Responsibility

Content Warning: Holocaust, Residential Schools

Last night, as we watched Schindler's List with our German nephew, I realized that it had been more than twenty years since I'd seen that movie, and also how different it seemed when watching it through more mature eyes. However, as the enormity of the Holocaust played out on screen, we also had to deal with the predicament of bees nesting in our chimney, facing the prospect of having to exterminate them. The irony was not lost on me, and it left me feeling genuinely guilty about our furry new friends.

Because of where they are, we can't physically remove them without paying thousands of dollars to open up the chimney. We've tried burning roaring fires to make the location so uncomfortable that they move on, but they haven't taken the hint. If we do nothing, they will end up coming down the chimneys and into the house. They'll also fill the space between the flue and the steel chimney liner with honey and wax, creating a fire risk. What's more, if we do nothing, we'll probably end up chasing the bees out in the fall when we start building fires on a daily basis, but at that point, they won't have the resources to survive the winter. We've consulted with the NL Beekeeping Association, and it's hard to imagine a scenario where the bees don't end up dead.

Now, let me emphasize that I'm very uncomfortable comparing exterminating bees to the Holocaust. I'm uncomfortable enough to say that again in great big letters.

I'm very uncomfortable comparing exterminating bees to the Holocaust.

Yet, in a strangely relevant way, the comparison reveals the horrors depicted in the movie. The Holocaust was enabled by the systematic dehumanization of Jewish people. We watched people gather their belongings as they are taken to the ghettos, then experience degradation and devaluation, and finally endure the trauma of being stripped naked at Auschwitz.

This is also applicable to the ongoing struggle in Canada with the cultural genocide resulting from the Doctrine of Discovery, Indian Residential Schools, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. While Canadian colonialism isn't solely rooted in denying the humanity of indigenous people, it does rely on treating them as outsiders. European settlers often justified their actions as attempts to do what they believed was right. However, we now realize that this explanation may serve as justification rather than an excuse, offering little solace to the victims and survivors of our shared wrongdoing.

An important warning arises from both these stories, connecting them together, and relating to the bees. Addressing collective sin and systemic issues is essential, but it cannot overshadow personal responsibility. We cannot absolve ourselves from personal sins by solely focusing on systemic problems, or vice versa. As an example. to confront racism, we need to acknowledge individual actions at the same time as challenging systemic racism. Likewise, in addressing the environmental crisis we currently face, we need both individual behavioral changes and corporate responsibility.

What is at stake is our deep interconnectedness with all of Creation. I cannot ignore the unspeakable atrocities that six million Jewish people and their descendants experienced simply because it didn't happen to me. Neither can I ignore the trauma inflicted upon indigenous peoples in Canada. When one part of Creation suffers, we all do. So why would it be okay to ignore the suffering in the case of these bees?

Some may find it ridiculous that I feel guilt over bees in my chimney. However, reflecting on Oskar Schindler's story makes me question if we have truly exhausted all peaceful options. Even as I write this, it's been a while since we've seen any coming and going from the chimney. Maybe they really have taken the hint and set out for a new home. Or maybe it's time to call the insurance company to see what would happen if we tried to make a claim for bee removal.