Never forgive; never forget

I read the above in connection with the discovering of concentration camps at the end of World War II. It started me thinking about a book I read many years ago--The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal, the Nazi hunter.
I'll just quote from the cover of the book:

"A young Jew is taken from a death camp to a makeshift army hospital. He is led to the bedside of a Nazi soldier whose head is completely swathed in bandages. The dying Nazi blindly extends his hand toward the Jew, and in a cracked whisper begins to speak. The Jew listens silently while the Nazi confesses to having participated in the burning alive of an entire village of Jews. The soldier, terrified of dying with this burden of guilt, begs absolution from the Jew. Having listened to the Nazi's story for several hours--torn between horror and compassion for the dying man--the Jew finally walks out of the room without speaking.
Was his action right? Or moral?"

I find that a powerful--and challenging question. Do Christians, does anyone, have the authority to tell a concentration camp survivor--or the victim of childhood sexual abuse, or any other horrendous personal crime--to forgive?
I can only approach this ground with much humility. I've never been there. And then I can, in fact must, lay out what I understand the Bible to say about forgiveness.
"And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart does not forgive his brother his trespasses", Matthew 18: 34 and 35
"Luke 7:27 But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28. bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spiteful use your
35. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.

Forgiveness is commanded. If we don't forgive we won't experience forgiveness. Jesus --who was abused, reviled and rejected although He was perfect--perfectly modelled forgiveness. The Father offers forgiveness to all who come to Him.
Mercy and forgiveness are part and parcel of living in grace.
All that seems easy enough for the scrapes and bruises of ordinary. Actually it is hard enough to forgive when I've been snubbed or embarrassed or criticized unfairly.
The call to forgive for those who have been horrendously wounded--like concentration camp survivors--seems impossibly hard. And the topic must be approached tenderly. Nobody wants to be one of Job's comforters.
But I repeat--the Bible is laced with the command to forgive. And Jesus--who took all the sins and abuse of humanity to the cross--forgave and supplies the grace to forgive today.
It amounts to this--unforgiveness and the accompanying bitterness--is a prison. And sadly, the person holding unforgiveness is the prisoner. Forgiveness is the key to the prison door. As painful as it may be. As unfair as it may be, under some circumstances, to forgive. Forgiveness leads to healing from the wounds of the past. Unforgiveness keeps the prison door shut.
A couple other things need to be noted. Forgiveness does not eliminate the requirement for justice. Crimes must be settled. And ultimately, for the believer, accounts will some day be settled before the Supreme Judge.
Forgiveness is an act of grace. It is not necessarily a natural thing. The mind set on the flesh does not want to forgive--even those little day-to-day offences. God has to reveal the power of forgiveness.
May God keep my heart open, tender and free of offence. And grant grace to tenderly reveal God's heart to the wounded ones around me.