Focus Activity: For each phrase write: Agree, Somewhat, or Disagree I know some of my family’s stories that have been passed down. These stories are important to who I am. I know what happened in the Holocaust. It is the responsibility of strong governments to help/save people who are displaced or killed by tyrannical governments. I know the meaning of “genocide.” I know of at least one place in the world where genocide is happening today.

Night Elie Wiesel

What is the Holocaust? The term “holocaust” refers to the systematic persecution and killing of eleven to fourteen million people, including approximately six million Jews, during the Hitler era (1933- 1945). Adolf Hitler outlined his intentions in his book called Mein Kampf (My Struggle). Basing his statements on unscientific racial theories, Hitler claimed that Aryans were the “master race” and that others such as Jews, gypsies, Russians, Poles and French were inferior. He also claimed that Jews caused the Depression. The Nazis came to power in 1933. After a propaganda campaign, in 1935, new laws removed citizenship rights of Jews, who were then banned from most jobs. Violence against Jews was encouraged.

Holocaust cont’d. As Germany conquered more of Europe, more of the nine million Jews estimated to live in Europe were forced into ghettos. Systematic killing of Jews began in 1941. Death camps were established in Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Bergen-Belsen and Dachau. Some Jews served as slave labor but most were shot or gassed. Survivors released from concentration camps in 1945 shocked the liberating armies with their condition and their stories.

Eliezer Wiesel

Elie Wiesel’s Life Born in Sighet, Transylvania (modern day Romania) in 1928. Imprisoned in German concentration camps during WWII in Poland and Germany (1944-45). Lived in a French orphanage after the war. Wrote the first version of Night in 1955 (in Yiddish).

Elie Wiesel’s Life Became a US citizen in 1963. Won the Nobel Peace prize in 1986. Currently a professor at Boston University (86 years old).

PROGRESSION OF GERMAN RULE IN WIESEL’S TOWN: All foreign Jews taken away and killed; Moshe escapes (1941) Spring, 1944- good news about war from radio/word of mouth; defeat of Germans is imminent. Later spring, 1944- German soldiers arrive; Jews are no longer allowed to meet in synagogues; Jewish leaders were arrested Jews stay in houses; curfew; star of David; no valuables; ghetto; small ghetto Deportation

Themes in Night “Kingdom of Night”- night represents evil Faith- questioning of God “Aloneness” (abandonment)

Themes cont’d. The importance of identity, memory, witness, and messenger (Wiesel’s view of himself in these roles) Speaking of those who didn’t survive, Wiesel said, “I owe them my roots and memory. I am duty-bound to serve as their emissary, transmitting the history of their disappearance, even if it disturbs, even if it brings pain. Not to do so would be to betray them, and thus myself” (“Why I Write” 202).

Answer the following questions relating to Reading 1 (pgs. 1-20). What is the relationship between our stories and our identity? To what extent are we all witnesses to history and messengers to humanity? Have you lived through anything you should tell others about?

Reading 1 Vocabulary Define the following words Terse Judaism Dysentery Virulent Anti-Semitism Pious Aryan Genocide

Before leaving class finish the following phrases I was surprised that… I would still like to know more about… I am still confused about… You will turn this in.

April 12- 13 Focus Activity There are many warning signs of deportation that the Jews of Sighet chose to ignore. List 1 of those warning signs and tell how you would have responded if you were in Elie’s situation. You must write 5 complete sentences. You may write on another focus activity sheet.

Key Points from Ch. 1 Wiesel’s religious belief shaped his identity as a young boy. The town of Sighet was marked by denial and optimism about German invasion. They did not want to accept what was happening to them.

For April 14 and April 15 Quiz over the 2nd reading. Make sure you turn in your research project, if you havent already. Its 10% off everyday it is late

April 14-15 Focus Activity Clear off your desks and be prepared for a quiz over Night, pages 21-43.

April 16- 19 Focus Activity In this section, Wiesel uses language related to death, darkness, night, and decay to convey the horrors around him. Reread/ look over the text to identify examples of this recurring language. Write down 3 examples (sentences of phrases) that Wiesel uses to create imagery in his story. Use pages 1-62

Found Poetry Found poetry is a type of poetry created by taking words, phrases and sometimes whole passages from other sources and regraming them as poetry by making changes in spacing and/or lines, or by altering the text by additions and/or deletions.

Creating Found Poetry As a group, Combine the (12 total) words and phrases you have written into poetic form (lines and stanzas). Reduce these lines, if necessary, to create a more concise and focused poem. You cannot add words to your poem that are not in the original book, but you may remove words and change the original context of the words to create your poem. You may repeat key words and phrases for emphasis. Make sure your poem has a title.

April 20-21 Focus Activity In at least 4 sentences answer: What does it mean to you that “the soup tasted like corpses”? Why would Wiesel include this simile? Simile- a comparison using like or as