The Grey Zone by Tim Blake Nelson World War II Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland, 1944

World War II Allied Powers: England (UK), France, USSR, USA, China Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan Over 60 million dead; 70 nations involved -- highest death toll of any war on the planet. 12 million killed in Adolf Hitler’s eugenic plan to create the “master race.” The Holocaust. 6 million Jews, plus homosexuals, gypsies, disabled, Poles, Soviet POW’s, political prisoners, communists

WW II cont’d Immediate causes: Japan invades China, 1937, Germany invades Poland, Underlying causes: pressures from Treaty of Versailles and worldwide depression. US entered war following attack on Pearl Harbor then Philippines, Dec 7-8, Imperialism and nationalism; Japan sought more land and natural resources in China and Pacific Islands; Germany conquered Czech, Poland, Finland, Norway, Denmark, USSR, France, Holland, Belgium; Italy took on Balkan nations, Greece, North Africa. Axis control was broadest still pushing east.

End of WW II Allies free North Africa 1943, then take South Italy. USSR gains ground on eastern front in 1944, including Romania (axis). Hungary (axis) hotly contested in fall, Germany holds it but it’s the last victory in the East; bloody siege of Budapest. Poland expects USSR, arrive in winter. US regains islands in Pacific, advancing toward Japan D Day, June , allies invade Normandy 1945; Allies advance on Berlin from east and west; Soviets fight street by street in April, Hitler commits suicide April 30; Mussolini executed. VE Day May 8, August: 2 allied atomic bombs; VJ Day 14th

Holocaust Some refer only to intentional genocide of Jews; most look at all groups intentionally destroyed by Hitler and National Socialist Party Bureaucratic machinery, mass production, scientific experiment all put into service of “final solution of Jewish question” Kristallnacht: 9 Nov 1938; beginning of sanctioned violence, 30K Jews sent to concentration camps : Ghettos to which Jews are sent, in cities Spring 1942 death camps begin to operate. 6 big ones in occupied Poland. Auschwitz used gas: Zyklon B (cyanide); crematoria.

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Real setting of Grey Zone Auschwitz-Birkenau was largest of Nazi camps. Auschwitz was labor camp and Birkenau the extermination camp. 26 May 1940, liberated by Soviets 27 Jan Birkenau: 4 gas chambers and crematoria (play refers to 1 and 3) 1.6 million Jews killed; 8K per day; few months of K Hungarian Jews (at time of play). Over 2 million total killed. Upon arrival on transports,people sent to death, to work, to medical experiments, or a few as sonderkommandos

Real source for Grey Zone Nyiszli’s Auschwitz: A Doctor’s Eyewitness Account Autopsies and scientific research for Mengele. Mostly on twins, children, experiments ending in death Dr. Josef Mengele, Angel of Death, was a medical officer; Dr. Miklos Nyiszli chosen to work for him Quote from book of finding a girl alive after gassing Muhsfeldt was commandant of 1 crematorium

Real source (cont’d) Sonderkommando: Jewish men chosen for health and strength; prepared people for gas chambers, moved corpses to crematoria (SS actually gassed). Hired more for Hungarian massacre: 1000 total Rewards include living, plus eating well, clothes and matresses, raiding corpses “Grey zone” created by ashes from crematoria October 7, 1944: #3 Sonderkommando rebelled, blew up a crematorium; #1 joined them and broke out. Men had learned they were about to be killed. Stockpiled makeshift weapons SS captured and killed nearly everyone

History of the Play Nelson’s play focuses on moral issues of “collaborators.” They are not given a choice-- do it or die. Girl focuses their ethical position-- they see her as a possible redemption. Rebellion shows different effects-- some don’t want to live, some fight for life. Premiere 10 Jan 1996