South Cook News

State Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) earlier this week recalled two different points of historical conflict, the Holocaust and end of the United States' involvement in Vietnam.

On Thursday, Jan. 27, Curran used his Facebook account to remember both.

"Today is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in1945 as well as the signing of the Paris Accord in 1973," Curran said in his Facebook post. "Take a moment to reflect on that time in our world's history."

The Soviet army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, about 37 miles west Krakow, on Jan. 27, 1945. During the appoximately five years prior, at least 1.3 million people were imprisoned in Auschwitz and the vast majority - at least 1.1 million - were hideously murdered.  When the Soviet army arrived, only about 7,000 prisoners remained alive at Auschwitz.

Auschwitz was one of several camps where six million European Jews and at least five million prisoners of war, Romany, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals and other victims were killed.

Less than 40 years later, the 1973 Paris Peace Accords formally ended the United States' involvement in the war in Vietnam. The document, "An Agreement Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam" was signed by representatives of the U.S., South Vietnam, the Viet Cong, and North Vietnam. The agreement established a cease-fire and required the U.S. to withdraw all troops and advisors from Vietnam, while the North Vietnamese would release all prisoners of war.

Curran has represented Illinois' Senate District 41 since he was appointed to the seat in July 2017 following the resignation of his predecessor, then-Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. He previously was vice-chairman of the DuPage County Board and was a board member from 2008 to 2017. In 2018, he won a full term in the House during that year's Generally Election.

The 41st Illinois Senate district is located within the Chicago metro area in Cook, DuPage and Will counties. The district includes all or parts of the townships of Downers Grove, Du Page, Homer, Lemont, Lisle, Lyons and York, and the villages of Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Homer Glen, Indian Head Park, La Grange, Lemont, Lisle, Palos Park, Western Springs, Westmont, Willow Springs, Willowbrook and Woodridge.