1. Warm Up:
Put your half page reflections in a pile so I can collect them.
Then discuss with your group—why is the Holocaust an event we, as the American people, find so important to understand, include in our school curriculum, write books about, and build museums about?

2. What is Memoir?
a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation

3. Examples of Famous Memoirs

4. Memoir vs Autobiography
Centralized around a particular section of that author’s life
Detailed story of the author’s entire life

5. Memoir vs Personal Narrative
A large text Centralized around a particular section of that author’s life
A shorter text centralized around a particular event in that author’s life

6. Discuss with your group:
How could memoir address the events of the Holocaust in a way that other texts could not? (examples of other texts: textbooks, documentaries, interviews, speeches, autobiography, biography, personal narrative, poetry, song, novel)

7. As you listen or read, write down ten questions you have for the storyteller

8. Remember:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

10. Homework: none