About once a month, Fred Kofin still makes his way up the 20 steps into the Fitzhugh office.

Usually it’s to promote the museum book sale, or drop off payment. Still at 93 years of age, with not a word of complaint, he slowly ascends the steps, greets the staff cordially, and is on his way.

It’s an existence he’s carved out in Jasper, volunteering for several organizations after settling in the community decades ago.

Sixty years ago, Kofin was forced to make difficult decisions. After being captured by the Gestapo, and watching his friends be publicly executed, he was forced to perform menial tasks in Auschwitz, or forfeit his life. In a location where 12,000 people were killed in a day, he was left only with prayer and hope of seeing his home again – a prayer that never materialized.

This is the reality of war.

On Nov. 11, it’s important to remember the lost soldiers, their heroism and their pride, but also the agonizing decisions and horrors associated with combat. The First World War was to be the war to end all wars. That statement seems so naive today, but there is power in the ideal. It is not a statement  war veterans wish the public to forget, lest they repeat the atrocities of the past. Since the Second World War, we have seen a near endless string of conflicts as well as genocide. This is seen as a failure by those who fell in both world wars.

Jasper is rich in military history. Home to various secret projects, to stories from The Great Escape and secret military projects. It’s also home to stories such of those of Neil Kennedy and Fred Kofin – two very different stories with very different endings. We encourage the public to find out more about the sacrifices made at home to support the war effort.

Sixty years later, and Canada is at war. One hundred and forty three Canadians have died in the war in Afghanistan. Debate will rage until at least 2011 whether Canadian troops should remain in the war torn country; whether the war is winnable and what that really means.

Yet as the debate rages, lives affected on both sides of the conflict must be considered.

Decisions must be made to ensure the lives of young men such as Neil Kennedy aren’t for forfeit, and locations such as Auschwitz do not blot world history again.

That is why on Remembrance day, we say, lest we forget.