The NYT of today, 9/29/2019, reviews a recently published Dutch book that describes how punctual Dutch railway workers were in transporting Jews to Westerbork, a camp at the border with Germany. Almost 80 years later it is still shocking. The banality of evil; then and today.
The trains from Amsterdam to Westerbork departed from the Central Station, platform 1. From our living room we had a clear view of platform 1. With binoculars we would have been able to see that people were hoarded into railroad cars meant for cattle, not regular passenger cars. It happened right under our eyes and we did not know. Had my parents known, what could they have done? But the railroad workers did know and it took them to September 1944 to go on strike. In Dutch history the "Spoorwegstaking" is reported as an act of courage that showed integrity and compassion. It was too late; most Jews were deported already.
All could see that Jews were being deported. But the ultimate drama was far away. Most went on with their life
All can see that glaciers and tundra's are melting. But the ultimate drama is years away. We all go on with our life. We all do it, so it cannot be too bad.