Night by Elie Wiesel The story of a young Jewish boy sent to the concentration camps during the Holocaust Story of his struggle to survive, his struggle to keep his family together, and his struggle with God.

I. Elie Wiesel Grew up in an orthodox Jewish community within Sighet, a small town in Romania. The town was isolated from world events until Nazis captured the town in 1944.

After the war, Wiesel lived in France Elie was 15 years old Sent to Auschwitz After the war, Wiesel lived in France Didn’t write about his concentration camp experiences until 10 years later – due to a vow of silence

Wrote Night in 1958 Continues to voice human-rights violations Noble Prize winner in 1986

Sighet

Sighet Ghetto

WW II Background & The Holocaust Germany was crippled by the Great Depression. React with the rise of the Nazi party. Believed the Aryan race (Germans and Northern Europeans) should rule the world. “Final Solution” – elimination of all Jews. Estimated 6 million Jews are killed in concentration camps.

Gradually stripped Jews of their rights: Boycotted Jewish businesses Vandalized Jewish businesses and homes Forced to wear a yellow Star of David

Eventually barred Jews from public facilities Transported to ghettos – “for their own safety” Sent to concentration camps ghettos: The Nazis revived the medieval term ghetto to describe their device of concentration and control, the compulsory "Jewish Quarter." Ghettos were usually established in the poor sections of a city, where most of the Jews from the city and surrounding areas were subsequently forced to reside. Often surrounded by barbed wire or walls, the ghettos were sealed. Established mostly in eastern Europe (e.g., Lodz, Warsaw, Vilna, Riga, or Minsk), the ghettos were characterized by overcrowding, malnutrition, and heavy labor. All were eventually dissolved, and the Jews murdered.

Concentration Camps Map

Entrance to Auschwitz II (Birkenau), the main extermination camp, in 2002

Entrance to Auschwitz in 1941 Entrance to Auschwitz in 1941. The slogan Arbeit macht frei over the gate translates as "Work (shall) make (you) free" (or "work liberates")

Selection for Death Selection at the Birkenau ramp, 1944 — Birkenau main entrance visible in the background

Auschwitz is the name used to identify the three main Nazi German concentration camps and the 45-50 subcamps. The three main camps were: Auschwitz I—the original concentration camp which served as the administration center for the whole complex. It was the site of roughly 70,000 Polish intellectuals, gay men and Soviet Prisoners of War

Auschwitz II (Birkenau)—an extermination Auschwitz II (Birkenau)—an extermination camp and the site of the deaths of roughly 1 million Jews, 75,000 Poles, gay men and some 19,000 Roma (also known as gypsies) Auschwitz III (Monowitz)—served as a labor camp.

The total number of deaths at the camps is estimated at around 1-1 The total number of deaths at the camps is estimated at around 1-1.5 million. About 700 prisoners attempted escape from the camps; about 300 were successful. Common punishment for escape attempts was death by starvation. The families of successful escapees were sometimes arrested and interned in Auschwitz and displayed to deter others from trying to escape.

Gas chambers

Crematorium

(Above) Left - An enormous pile of clothing taken from children who were gassed at Auschwitz. Right - Bales of hair shaven from women at Auschwitz, used to make felt-yarn. (Below) After liberation, an Allied soldier displays a stash of gold wedding rings taken from victims at Buchenwald.

Why should we read this memoir and why should teachers teach it? The following statement from Holocaust survivor Cham Ginot provides some things to ponder…

I am a survivor of a concentration camp I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness: Gas chambers built by learned engineers, children poisoned by educated physicians, infants killed by trained nurses, women and babies shot and buried by high school and college graduates. So I am suspicious of education. My request is: Help your students to become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmanns. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more human. --Chaim Ginott, 1972

Response Notebook # A.What is your reaction to the previous statement? B. What are your thoughts at this point about reading a memoir of Holocaust survival? C. What do you already know about the Holocaust? D. What are some questions you’d like to learn the answers to about the Holocaust?