The Holocaust
The period from 1933 when Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, to 1945, the year the prisoners were liberated and the end of the war in Europe.
What is the Holocaust?
Dehumanization is the process of stripping these away.
What are human qualities?
This lady went crazy on the train when separated from her family.
Who is Madame Schachter?
(He) had changed. There was no longer in joy in his eyes. He no longer sang. He no longer talked . . . of God or of the cabbala, but only of what he had seen.”
Who is Moishe the Beadle?
A topic that explains the central idea that: The human body is capable of surviving most extreme conditions.
Ex. Elie’s father was able to run 42 miles in one night.
What is survival?
These are three stages of Hitler’s “Final Solution.”
When the Jews are unable to leave their homes for three days, are unable to keep valuables, must wear the star of David?
Explain how the following statement is a metaphor. “It was not the first time a false prophet had foretold to us peace-on-earth…And we often believed them. It was an injection of morphine” (76).
When news that the end of War II and Hitler’s regime was close offered the Holocaust prisoners temporary relief as they considered the idea of freedom?
He gets trampled to death while playing his violin.
Who is Juliek?
“For more than half an hour he stayed there, struggling between life and death, dying in slow agony under our eyes. And we had to look him full in the face. He was still alive when I passed in front of him. His tongue was still red, his eyes were not yet glazed.
Who is the young Pipel?
A topic that explains the central idea that: A person can become numb to the most atrocious events if witnessed on a daily basis.
Ex. Juliek asked when the hanging of the Warsaw youth was going to be over because he was hungry.
What is emotional death?
These included a bucket as the only form of waste control, barracks for a home, a plank for a bed, and watery soup with rotten vegetables and molded bread as the only food available.
What are the conditions of the concentration camps?
Explain why the hanging of the angelic Pipel symbolizes the death of God for Elie.
The hanging of the young Pipel symbolizes the death of God because when the young child suffered unable to die because of his light weight, Elie believed that God must be dead if He would allow such an atrocity to take place.
Elie's inheritance.
What is a spoon and knife?
She was smiling her mournful smile as she slipped me a crust of bread. She looked straight into my eyes. I knew she wanted to talk to me but she was paralyzed with fear. She remained like that for some time, and then her face lit up and she said, in almost perfect German:
"Bite your lips, little brother … Don’t cry. Keep your anger, your hate, for another day, for later. The day will come but not now … Wait. Clench your teeth and wait …"
Who is the young French girl?
A topic that explains the central idea that: When in dire circumstances, a person will often become angry with God and question His presence in their life.
Ex. Elie Wiesel was angry with God for allowing the Jews to suffer so.
What is spiritual faith or struggling faith?
. . . Because he believed that the Jews were a race whose goal was world domination and who, therefore, were an obstruction to Aryan dominance (the pure Germanic race).
Why did Hitler want to terminate the entire Jewish population?
An existence without God’s presence.
What is night?
This man gets Elie's gold crown.
Who is Franek?
He was “An aged ______ who was abandoned by his son during the “Death March.”
Who is Rabbi Eliahou?
Possible answer: When people often have to make hard sacrifices and choices in life?
During World War II, rescue of the Holocaust victims were not a priority for the United States Government and the Allied countries. All refused refugees entry visas needed for emigration and refused to bomb Hitler’s concentration camps.
What was the response of the Allied countries?
Explain how the following statement is a hyperbole? “We were masters of nature, masters of the world.”
Nature is a powerful element that has often killed humans. Wiesel is exaggerating to demonstrate how much the survivors has suffered yet are still alive.
After they Youth from Warsaw was hung, Eliestates that the soup tasted good that night. After the young Pipelwas hung, Eliestates that the soup tasted like corpses. These are the reasons why.
The youth from Warsaw died with his pride still intact when he cursed Germany and this act made Eliefeel as if the Jews won a small victory but the Pipel’sdeath reaffirmed that God had forsaken them, another loss for the Jews.
He says the following quote: “Let's hope we won't regret it, Eliezer.” HIS REAL FIRST NAME :)
Who is Shlomo Wiesel?
A central idea for the topic lies and deceit.
Possible answer: When deception and lies can be used to keep people safe?