"Idek's nerves were on edge. He was restraining himself with great difficulty. Suddelty, his frenzy broke out. The victim was my father. You lazy devil! Idk began to yell. Do you call that work? And he began to beat him with an iron bar."
Being in a concentration camp and being forced to do work with little sleep, food, water, and freedom puts people into a crazy stage of mind. Leading up to people like Idek to get angry and explode with no reason. For most people their humane minds escaped them and often led to outbreaks of uncontrollable rages.
"Poor hero, committing suicide for a ration of soup!"
The blocks were on a lockdown because of approaching bombers. But by the cauldrons there was soup, two hot half full pots. Since you weren't fed very much in the concentration camps, many went delirious, by risking their lives for a sip of something so little as soup.
"Long live liberty! A curse upon Germany! A curse! A cur–the executioners had completed their task"
Not only did Elizier witness this but all the prisoners did. The man who was executed was the man who stole soup during the alert. Showing the extent that people in the camps went to for food. Even it meant death in this case.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Critical Stance
a) Dehumanization - deprive of positive human qualities
b) The way the prisoners have been acting has been almost animal like. They can't control themselves. Some attack other prisoners, while some do anything to get a sip of soup. All of this due to the dehumanization process that the prisoners are forced to go through daily.
c) Elizier's behavior has changed from when he was at home until now. He has grown up, and had his faith with God tested in drastic ways. He has also witnessed innocent prisoners being executed in front of everyone.
b) The way the prisoners have been acting has been almost animal like. They can't control themselves. Some attack other prisoners, while some do anything to get a sip of soup. All of this due to the dehumanization process that the prisoners are forced to go through daily.
c) Elizier's behavior has changed from when he was at home until now. He has grown up, and had his faith with God tested in drastic ways. He has also witnessed innocent prisoners being executed in front of everyone.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Dialectical Journals - Night
"There are eighty of you in this wagon, added the German officer. If anyone is missing, you'll be all shot like dogs. . . ."
When the Germans took the Jews they used many wagons to transport them to the camps. In this wagon there are eighty Jews, and this is only one of the many wagons used. When the officer said if you are missing then you'll all be shot like dogs it showed just how little the Jews lives mattered to the Germans. They would shoot all of them like nothing, and probably just repeat the process again and again.
"The fire! The furnace! Look, over there! . . ."
When Madame Schächter said this multiple times it showed just how paranoid and horrified the Jews were. Her son was holding on tightly to his mom and didn't let go. The fire she was talking about didn't exist when she was shouting out "The fire! The furnace!" but as the Jews got closer to the camp they smelt burning flesh and saw exactly what Madame Schächter was talking about. It was a huge chimney its fire shooting out of it. This was where they are burning the Jews.
"Men to the left! Women to the right!"
When Elizier heard this he knew that he would be separated from his mother and sister. He went to the left with his dad and other young men. At this time he knew that this was the last time that he would ever see his mom and sister again. The right was where women and young children went, while the men went to the left because they would be working and doing the labor intensive work. For many families this was the goodbye forever.
"You're in a concentration camp. At Auschwitz. . . ."
When the Jews were placed in the camps many didn't know what they were doing in the barb wire enclosed facilities. But when those very words were spoken it was like getting punched right in the face. Auschwitz was one of the worst camps that the Germans put Jews into. It was where millions died from getting shot, inhaling gas, starving, and other inhumane acts. Most people who entered Auschwitz never walked through those gates again.
"Work is liberty!"
If the Jews that were placed inside the concentration camps refused to work or slacked off the punishment would be death. Immediately. If they ever wanted to be set free they needed to work. The work they were forced to do wasn't easy. It involved back breaking labor intensive jobs. Such as mining, digging, moving heavy objects, cleaning out the dead carcasses of your fellow friends and so much more cruel jobs.
When the Germans took the Jews they used many wagons to transport them to the camps. In this wagon there are eighty Jews, and this is only one of the many wagons used. When the officer said if you are missing then you'll all be shot like dogs it showed just how little the Jews lives mattered to the Germans. They would shoot all of them like nothing, and probably just repeat the process again and again.
"The fire! The furnace! Look, over there! . . ."
When Madame Schächter said this multiple times it showed just how paranoid and horrified the Jews were. Her son was holding on tightly to his mom and didn't let go. The fire she was talking about didn't exist when she was shouting out "The fire! The furnace!" but as the Jews got closer to the camp they smelt burning flesh and saw exactly what Madame Schächter was talking about. It was a huge chimney its fire shooting out of it. This was where they are burning the Jews.
"Men to the left! Women to the right!"
When Elizier heard this he knew that he would be separated from his mother and sister. He went to the left with his dad and other young men. At this time he knew that this was the last time that he would ever see his mom and sister again. The right was where women and young children went, while the men went to the left because they would be working and doing the labor intensive work. For many families this was the goodbye forever.
"You're in a concentration camp. At Auschwitz. . . ."
When the Jews were placed in the camps many didn't know what they were doing in the barb wire enclosed facilities. But when those very words were spoken it was like getting punched right in the face. Auschwitz was one of the worst camps that the Germans put Jews into. It was where millions died from getting shot, inhaling gas, starving, and other inhumane acts. Most people who entered Auschwitz never walked through those gates again.
"Work is liberty!"
If the Jews that were placed inside the concentration camps refused to work or slacked off the punishment would be death. Immediately. If they ever wanted to be set free they needed to work. The work they were forced to do wasn't easy. It involved back breaking labor intensive jobs. Such as mining, digging, moving heavy objects, cleaning out the dead carcasses of your fellow friends and so much more cruel jobs.
Critical Stances - Night
Giving up Possessions
+ When the Jews were forced to give up their possessions it allowed them the only worry about their family members and themselves. Instead of forcing them to focus on keeping all their possessions safe.
- It stripped each Jew of their only remembrance of life before the Germans attacked. To some it was their identity and it was taken from them.
Wearing the Star
+ It showed Jews who there allies were. Who they could trust and stick with. It also allowed the Germans to distinguish the Jews from other races.
- Placed a label on all Jews, and although it didn't hurt them it showed others that they were different. It's like having all colored people wear a bright orange shirt, just so you can spot them out of the crowd. It wasn't right.
Moving Into the Ghettos
+ It allowed all of the Jews and their families to be with each other. They were given food and water and were with the people they loved.
- It forced Jews to leave their houses and belongings behind. What they could fit into a bag was what they could take.
Being Deported to Concentration Camps
+ Made it easier for Germans to kill the Jews. The Jews could be put to work and it wouldn't cost them a penny. Jews had no where to go, since the camps were surrounded by guards and barb wire.
- Being in the camp was nothing but horror and cruelty. The had to witness their own race being killed by the hundreds. Life was hard and horrifying. You needed to work or you would be simply shot on the spot.
Riding in the Train
+ You knew that everyone was safe because they were right next to you. It wasn't only you in the train, you were with the people of your own race and surrounding community.
- The train moved and you didn't know what was going on, where you were being taken, if you would be getting out alive, or what the Germans were planning.
+ When the Jews were forced to give up their possessions it allowed them the only worry about their family members and themselves. Instead of forcing them to focus on keeping all their possessions safe.
- It stripped each Jew of their only remembrance of life before the Germans attacked. To some it was their identity and it was taken from them.
Wearing the Star
+ It showed Jews who there allies were. Who they could trust and stick with. It also allowed the Germans to distinguish the Jews from other races.
- Placed a label on all Jews, and although it didn't hurt them it showed others that they were different. It's like having all colored people wear a bright orange shirt, just so you can spot them out of the crowd. It wasn't right.
Moving Into the Ghettos
+ It allowed all of the Jews and their families to be with each other. They were given food and water and were with the people they loved.
- It forced Jews to leave their houses and belongings behind. What they could fit into a bag was what they could take.
Being Deported to Concentration Camps
+ Made it easier for Germans to kill the Jews. The Jews could be put to work and it wouldn't cost them a penny. Jews had no where to go, since the camps were surrounded by guards and barb wire.
- Being in the camp was nothing but horror and cruelty. The had to witness their own race being killed by the hundreds. Life was hard and horrifying. You needed to work or you would be simply shot on the spot.
Riding in the Train
+ You knew that everyone was safe because they were right next to you. It wasn't only you in the train, you were with the people of your own race and surrounding community.
- The train moved and you didn't know what was going on, where you were being taken, if you would be getting out alive, or what the Germans were planning.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Cruelty would be understatement when it comes to describing genocide such as the Auschwitz concentration camp. "Historians and analysts estimate the number of people murdered at Auschwitz somewhere between 2.1 million to 4 million, of whom the vast majority were Jews." The sign that stood above the entrance of Auschwitz read "Arbeit Macht Frei" which in english means "Work makes one free." Jews were rounded up and shoved in concentration camps where they were forced into labor intensive lives. "The majority of prisoners held at Auschwitz were killed in the various gas chambers though many died from starvation, forced labor, disease, shooting squads, and heinous medical experiments." There were multiple ways in which the Nazis slowly killed off jews, the most common being the gas chambers. The gas chambers could murder around 6000 innocent people a day. Till today the Auschwitz concentration camp is commonly referred to as one of the worst events of inhumanity in history.
Auschwitz prisoners not only had to witness their loved ones perish, but also everyone around them. "Most women, children, older men, and those that looked unfit or unhealthy were sent to the left; while most young men and others that looked strong enough to do hard labor were sent to the right." The prisoners in the left line were killed immediately in the gas chambers, where as the stronger men in the right line were immediately put to work. The lines split families and left them with only brief horrific memories of their loved ones. "Within their first week at Auschwitz, most new prisoners had discovered the fate of their loved ones that had been sent to the left." After being tattooed with a number and put to work, even the strongest men were broken and easily killed. Prisoners were forced to clean up the dead bodies of their fellow prisoners, only to follow their same fate in a short amount of time.
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