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Examples
of student reflections created by the 10th grade English students of NEH
participant, Brian Hanrahan, at Mount Vernon High-School.
Mr. Hanrahan's unit on the Holocaust included
the reading of The Diary of Anne Frank, Night, and an excerpt from Mein
Kampf, as well as the viewing of the documentary film, Hitler. Leo
Hymas, a former US soldier and concentration camp liberator, spoke with
the students. A culminating project included student research on a
Holocaust topic of their choice.
STUDYING THE HOLOCAUST
by Ross
The Holocaust is undoubtedly the most horrific even to take place in
history. It is also one of the
most important events in recent history.
Although it was a horrific event, it was and still is a valuable
tool, to be used in teaching us to avoid hate.
We need to understand what pushed people to hate as much as Nazis did
so we can hope to prevent similar happenings.
This essay will be directed to show why the Holocaust is an important
thing to study and how we can hope to prevent this hate.
The world is not yet beyond the
Holocaust take Germany for example, the country is just barely coming to
terms with the horrific events that some of their countrymen inflicted on
others. Should it really take
50 years for a country to realize the magnitude of the torture that was
inflicted by the Nazis? I think
not, it starts getting scary when you hear of people denying the Holocaust;
arguing its very existence. For
a person to be able to ignore all the evidence showing that the Holocaust
did in fact exist, to ignore all the testimonies from individuals that
experienced the horrors of the Holocaust; should be a warning to us all.
Until the world in its entirety comes to grips with the Holocaust,
acts of genocide will continue to happen.
The Holocaust was perhaps the
most hateful event to occur in history.
While this hate was an awful thing, it can be used as a valuable tool
in the hands of our teachers. Teachers
are perhaps the only way that the horrors of the Holocaust can be conveyed,
to America’s youth, and furthermore the only way events like it can be
prevented in the future. By
learning about the Holocaust students get a first hand look at the
travesties that the Holocaust brought, while learning about the horrors, one
learns to build a sense of morality. When
students are able to understand the magnitude of the suffering, they will
build up strong morals to fight against a similar event happening in the
future.
The Holocaust was one of the
first mass genocide, but it most certainly wasn’t the last.
Since the Holocaust there have been several events of genocide in
different areas of the world. From
Cambodia to Serbia, genocide has occurred.
Serbia is perhaps the most relevant example because the events
happened very recently. Serbia’s
genocide was horrible as are all instances of genocide, but Serbia’s
offered a ray of hope. Several
months ago the people of Serbia rose up to kick their evil dictator
Milosovich out of office. The
people of that country understood the magnitude of what was happening and
acted, this realization and action give us all hope for the future.
Many people tend to forget what
the United States itself did during World War II.
The United States interned hundreds of thousands of Japanese
Americans just because of their ethnicity.
In the United States people love to think that the United States is
the best country in the world, the land of the brave and home of the free.
Why then did the home of the free determine someone was inferior or a
threat because of their race, and consequently determined that this group of
people had to lose their freedom? The
reason is, that the citizens of the USA were not, at that point, moral
enough to know that what they were doing was wrong.
Recently the United States has
taken big strides towards the understanding of this horrific event.
Ronald Regan himself called the internment an act of wartime
hysteria, he was a little late, but at least he understands that magnitude
of what occurred. Reparations
have been made, but it hasn’t been enough.
The law that allowed the internment, Koramatzu, is still in the
books. While I doubt that the
United States would ever use this law again, I feel that the Supreme Court
must overrule this earlier decision and send a symbolic message to society
that such events as this are wrong.
In closing, the Holocaust as well
as all acts of genocide was a horrible event that the world needs to
come to terms. Until we do come
to terms with these events, they can and will happen again.
The students of today are the ones that can make a difference, and if
we as students can say, “No this is wrong” then we will be well on our
way from preventing future instances of hate.
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HOLOCAUST
By Jacob Dodd
In the three weeks that we have been studying this tragic event in our
world’s history I have seen darkness in the hearts of man that though may
sometimes be impossible to bear must be accepted or else an never be
prevented in the future. From
the eye witness of Mr. Hymas to the pages of Anne Frank’s diary have I
been introduced to a period of time I thought was only a myth but now find a
cold reality of mankind’s hatred. For
money, power or a chance to spread prejudice about another were millions of
people taken up and slaughtered leaving a gaping hole on our society so big
we are still feeing it today. Though
it is a moment few ever want to think about what we must because like all
evil within we must accept it for what it is and learn from it so to better
our future.
During our teachings of the
Holocaust in class I was told of the Nazi’s foul treatment of the Jews and
how our actions towards them were almost as cruel.
In the beginning while they were being hunted down for their views on
life we were staying home not showing assistance but instead rejection to
those who pleaded for harbor making us an assistance to the killing.
When we finally entered in the war against Hitler we received many
improvements to our way of life (vast economy, technological discoveries,
employment rise, etc) but the Jews still received the same punishment as
before (concentration camps, ghettos, gas chambers, etc.) making us still as
guilty in which we and the Nazis both improved on account of another’s
sufferings. From these few
lessons did I see I saw our country’s choice in this period and have come
to the cold fact that sometimes to make a right in the world one must be
willing to make many wrongs along the way.
Of the report I did on Adolf
Hitler I was able to discover how a man with such unethical ideas could ever
come to power and how a people could allow him to.
As his culture was heading towards some of its darkest moments Adolf
would be the one to preach words of change and encouragement for rebirth
which he granted but at a cost few would ever be willing to pay.
His people, being scared and desperate for change gladly accepted his
commands which brought about great improvements that he promised but at the
cost of their very souls and innocence which would prove fatal in the
future. Upon reading about this
man’s life have I seen how like sheep mankind can be and pray that we are
not so again or else have time repeat itself.
On our reading of The Diary of
Anne Frank I was able to see for the first time what life was like
through the eyes of a victim and how one groups crusade can be another’s
twilight. Through her words I
was told of a little girl forced to grow up hiding with her family for three
years not for being criminals or fanatics but purely on the count of not
being the same as everyone else. Through
all the problems and fear these three years had on her Anne Frank still
tried to maintain a life and reams of a future which has given me a sense of
confidence in which even the darkest of time there were still those with a
glimpse of hope. Even after
death at a concentration camp Anne’s diary still teaches the children of
today the ways of the past and will hopefully continue so all will be able
to see what their choices will do to other’s futures.
I was also fascinated by the
speaking of Mr. Hymas who told me his experiences liberating a concentration
camp at this dark time and how it would effect his life forever.
From his telling I was given the account of how the prisoners of
these camps were treated no better than wild animals and disposed of just
the same which gave me a way to imagine of what Nazis rule resulted in long
ago. His saying on what he and
his fellow comrades went through after this massive ordeal which made me get
a understanding on how can destroy a person not with bullets or bombs but
with memories. It is because of
his words that I can believe this time to be real and consider it a lesson
needed to be learned before more people like Mr. Hymas must endure the same
feelings and try again with yet another generation.
Because of the example of
discrimination shown by Adolf Hitler in his period of power there are now
thousands of people still following his rule even after his death.
From his words and actions are these people inspired to take up arms
against their own brothers and sisters which is a great sadness to us all.
Palestinian against Israelis, Irish against Irish, or Chinese against
Japanese are only some examples of people who are using Hitler’s message
in their own struggle not remembering what that message led to in the end.
Unless we can remind them of what prejudice lead the world to and get
them to settle their problem before another Hitler may rise to power and all
will be as it once was.
On this I must end my essay and
with luck have shown you the importance the Holocaust is in my mind so you
can see why its facts must be known. Even
if it was a clear sign of mans unrelenting hatred towards ma and a tragedy
few can stomach it has the right to be taught because for a people to really
be whole they must know all the evil they can do as well as the good.
Through these teachings people will be better prepared to handle
prejudice within others and may have a greater chance of stopping it even if
it seems out of control at the point. I
hope you enjoyed my essay and have been able to see why we must learn from
our mistakes and make sure that we do not do them again or else the present
may be worse then past ever could.
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THE HOLOCAUST
by Sarah Lloyd
It
was a time of hurt and hate, a time may would like to forget, but the
haunting photos, stories, and memorabilia have and always will live on to
remind us of the atrocities that once took place during the late 30’s and
early 40’s. World War II,
Hitler, the Holocaust, the Ghetto, concentration camps, for many of us these
are just words, but for some they were reality.
It is for them, the people, who feel the pain of these words that we
must continue to remember, share, and educate ourselves on the horrific
events that took place under Hitler’s rule.
The burden now falls upon our shoulders to protect future generations
from experiencing the enmity that those whom suffered through the Holocaust
once felt.
When I see photos of all the
Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and Jehovah Witnesses that were tortured starved
and, treated like some herd of diseased animals I feel enraged.
I think to myself why? What
was the point? And mostly I
think HOW? How could any human being treat those of their own race with such
harrowing hatred as the Nazis treated the Jews?
I am disgusted at this cult of programmed killers for allowing such
agonizing events to take place in a world where all was created equal.
It is from the testimonies of
those who lived through the Dark Age and those (Anne Frank) who did not that
I find hope. It would be
thought that after an event such as the Holocaust that there would be great
turmoil and bitterness throughout the world, but like a deep cut the
Holocaust has healed leaving only a scar of remembrance in its wake.
I find myself surprised at the acceptances of those who felt first
hand the sorrow of the Holocaust. Their
forgiveness to those who mercilessly hurt them is proof to me that the human
race is overall powerful and loving. As
Anne Frank wrote “I still believe people are really good at heart”.
(251)
Through Mr. Hymas and Mrs.
Ban’s lectures we see second hand how the Holocaust effected those
involved in it. It is also
through them that we see what reality of the Ghettos and concentration
camps. Young boys being
transformed into miniature Nazis, medical experiments so gruesome they would
not be done on even animals, the anguish of seeing your mother, grandma, and
sisters for the last time as they walk violated and naked into a gas
chamber. These are the
atrocities that haunt us into the realization that this must never happen
again. For this reason alone,
we continue to spread the memories of the Holocaust.
It is so important for the entire human race to study this heinous
event so that it or anything like it will never take place again.
Although genocide events still
take place today they’re nothing as monstrous as the Holocaust.
Flagrant acts will always be a part of society.
It’s just one of those things that can’t be totally controlled.
There will always be some group of people that have so much anger
inside them they feel the need to blame it on the innocent.
However due to what we have learned form the Holocaust we will
hopefully never allow the world to experience that agonizing degree of
hatred again.
Overall the Holocaust was a
heinous and agonizing time in history.
The stories and pictures prove that to us, but through the darkness
of pain there shines a light. It
is the golden light of hope that has lifted us out of this period of sorrow,
and allowed us to learn from the mistakes made by our peers, so that we may
become overall better human beings.
“I want to go on living even
after my death,” (283) was Anne Frank’s wish, and it has come true for
both her and the others who suffered the toils of the Holocaust.
The memories of these people will haunt us for eternity.
It is these memories that we will all hold close, so as to keep the
hurt from repeating itself.
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ANNE
FRANK
by Margaret Riley
Over the past few weeks, we have studied the Holocaust.
The subject is now exhausted. I
know more than I have ever wanted to know about the rise of Hitler,
concentration camps, the ghettos, and The Diary of Anne Frank.
But, I have learned a lesson, which I’m sure is why you have taught
us about these atrocities. Nothing
but nauseating pictures, sad stories, and lessons about evil could convince
us to never let something like this happen again.
During the time when Hitler was
in power, he killed many people, scarred others for life, both physically
and psychologically. In a special issue of Life magazine, I saw a
picture of a small girl, no more than eight, who had drawn a tangled web of
lines on the chalkboard. The
girl was a Polish Jew driven mad by her experiences in a concentration camp.
In a recent issue of Time, they had a story about people who are
going to die leaving notes to their loved ones, a recent example being a
member of the Russian navy on the submarine Kursk.
In the Warsaw ghetto, those who saw their fiends and families killed
either by Nazis, starvation, or disease would find small scraps of paper,
write notes to family members or friends, roll them up like scrolls, and
stuff them in small cracks in the walls.
These people experienced the horror of nazi Europe.
I
have often heard my grandmother say that after World War II, they referred
to what happened during the was as happening in “Nazi Germany.”
In recent weeks, reading The Diary of Anne Frank and listening
to lectures, I have started to correct her, reminding her that it wasn’t
just Germany. It was all over
Europe. I did not realize that
until we started to understand that every country in Europe was influenced
by the Nazis.
The main reason I was able to
listen to the lectures and hear stories and look at the pictures is that I
know there were still good people. In
our history class, we went to see Noemi Ban, a woman who was in a
concentration camp. She told us
that her aunt and uncle were saved by Raoul Wallenberg, who helped many Jews
escape from the horror.
I did my research project on Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, a town in France
that saved five thousand Jews from the Nazis.
These people took initiative and raged against the machine, refusing
to give in. Andre Trocme, one
of the first me in Le Chambon to take in Jews, actually went to jail because
he would not give the Nazis the names of the Jews in Le Chambon.
That is how we know that Hitler’s regime could never have won.
People like Raoul Wallenberg and the people of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon
wouldn’t have let them.
Also heartening is the fact that
this could never happen again. We
have too often seen people try to commit hate crimes and succeed, only to be
brought down by the justice system. Because
ours is no longer a society that ignores ethnic cleansing and crimes against
man. A look into the way these
crimes are handled today will tell you that the Untied States is quick to
cut down those who would commit them. Maybe
the United States’ reluctance to get involved in such an awful war as
World War II has an influence on the way ethnic cleansing and hate crimes
are dealt with today.
These people did not realize it
fifty-five years ago, but they may have inadvertently saved many who would
have died had the United States not seen the dangers of such free and open
genocide during the Holocaust. Their
deaths, though tragic, were not in vain, for we now know what people like
Adolf Hitler can do given half a chance.
I will always remember the faces,
such as Anne Frank’s, that peered out windows and looked at trees they
could not climb, people they could not talk to, and soldiers looking to kill
them. I will be having
nightmares for years about emaciated bodies behind barbed wire, but I know
that nothing like the Holocaust will ever tear humanity apart.
I can’t ever look at another picture of a starving child again and
not think of Adolf Hitler. But
he is gone now, along with his SS and his Einstatzgruppen and others who
were too willing to hurt the Jews. I
don’t know if there will be more like him, but if there are, it is nice to
think that there will be more people like Wallenberg, people who will help.
Knowing that there will always be somebody around to fight evil is a
good enough reason for me not to give up on life.
I might miss the final triumph of good over evil.
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THE
HOLOCAUST
By Nick Hilden
600,000. That is the estimated
number of people murdered by the Nazis during their reign of terror.
Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and other minorities were no longer
thought of as human, but rather animals or rodents.
Rodents that the Nazis believed needed to be exterminated.
They were taken by the thousand to concentration camps, where they
awaited their deaths in pain and misery.
Never in human history is there a story of such evil.
After hearing Mr. Hymas talk about the atrocities that he saw during
his service, and after seeing the pictures of the mass graves I can only
conclude that there must be some basic human instinct that caused this.
I believe that humans hate anything that is different.
Since the Jews broke off from the Christians, they have hated each
other because of their different ideas.
The Nazis persecuted the Homosexuals because their lifestyle seemed
wrong to them. These
differences are clearly religiously based.
Hitler claimed to be divine and holy, yet his own religion said that
killing is a sin. In my
opinion, Hitler was a crazy guy who was just looking for a way he could gain
followers. He knew the only way
he could win is if he sparked all the Christian’s hatred toward the Jews.
Influence of World War Two is all around us.
Movie, books, music and many other things are centered on the
Holocaust. These are great
tools for teaching the young about what happened.
Educating future generations is very important to the survival of the
human race.
Post-World War II ideas have also affected people in a negative way.
The Aryan Nations, the KKK, the National Alliance, the Imperial Klans
of America, and the World Church of the Creator are all extreme white
supremacy groups that are in America. These
groups follow Nazi ideas of anti-Semitism, anti-gay, anti-black, and Aryan
empowerment. There are hundreds
of hate crimes linked to these groups each year, and there are more and more
each year.
Although we claim to hate the Nazis, today’s society unconsciously
has many of the same ideas that Hitler brought about.
A very large portion of the country is homophobic, due to their
religious beliefs. Hitler had
these same beliefs. Gay
marriages are outlawed in several states, and Gay people were outlawed all
together in Germany. Christians
still look down upon all other religions.
Racism is abundant in many parts of the country.
The Holocaust was a terrible shock to the world, and fifty years
later, we are still trying to understand it.
Historians try to put meaning to it or even go as far as saying that
it never happened. They are
wrong. Instead of denying it,
we have to learn from it. When
something like this happens, it should never be allowed to happen again, but
still our hatred drives us against one another.
Since World War 2, there have been at least 16 attempts to wipe out
another race. In 1975 Khmer
Rouge had 1.7 million Cambodians killed.
In Rwanda one million Tutsis were murdered.
Genocide has occurred in many other countries including Indonesia
(200,000), Guatemala (200,000), and Yugoslavia (10,000+).
We have to end these horrible atrocities before we destroy ourselves.
How many millions must die before we learn this?
So far genocide has only been committed to fairly poor countries.
What happens when a country with nuclear weapons decide that they
want to wipe out a culture? If
we don’t learn from our mistakes in the past, then we will have no future.
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HOLOCAUST
ESSAY
By Chris Tweedy
In
answering the question, “What is your overall impression of this dark
period of history? (referring
to the Holocaust), Why is it so important to study these atrocities?
As well as Why do other genocidal events continue to take place in
our world?” All these
questions will be answered thoroughly in my essay.
First off, my overall impression of the Holocaust is shocking.
I’ve heard about the Holocaust, and have even been to the Holocaust
Museum in Washington D.C., but I still never realized the ugliness of the
Holocaust until researching this period of history.
I honestly feel that the Holocaust was a gross period, and I wish it
hadn’t happened, but since it did, it should be able to help people come
to a better realization of things.
Learning and researching the Holocaust was a hard time, but I decided
that I wanted to be strong and be able to handle everything.
I felt that if I had not been able to take it, I might’ve missed
out on something important. I
also wanted to be able to handle everything because I wanted to prove to
myself that I had the willpower to learn about something as sick as this, so
I could walk away with a new understanding of life, and how awful people can
really be, and what I could do to prevent things like this.
Now whenever I think of the Holocaust many things come to mind.
I think of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the train after train of Jews
being shipped to Death Camps. I
think of Mengle’s medical experiments, and hearing about Leo Hymas’
story of trying to help Jews, but they didn’t have enough energy to do
anything. I also think about
the ditches full of dead people, and the other Jews sitting there, watching
over them, just as they are about to get shot, as well as pictures of people
dying in the street, getting no help at all from people walking past.
These are just a few things that I will forever remember about the
Holocaust. This to me, was
honestly a very sick, twisted, and gross time in History.
I personally feel it is important to study subjects like this, simply
to become more aware, that things like this are possible.
It helps us realize that we have an important role in life, and we
shouldn’t let gruesome events like this happen again.
It’s also good for us to learn these things, simply because it has
an astounding effect on the way people think.
I honestly think that everyone in Honors English 10 has been changed
in some way. These students now
have a better understanding for what people have been through, racism,
prejudices, etc. Just by
learning this, a small change has occurred at Mount Vernon High School.
If more students were to learn about this subject, and study it so
thoroughly, people could understand what is morally corrupt about society,
and try to make the world a better place.
Another reason to learn this subject is to teach students that life
isn’t always good, and could always get worse.
This harsh reality of the Holocaust makes it possible for students to
realize that there isn’t always a silver lining to everything.
Also, in showing us these grim facts, students are forced to realize
this is the truth, and stop denying anything so nasty and sick.
Now, to answer the question, “Why do other genocidal events take
place in this world?” I would
have to say, there’s many reasons behind it.
I think one main reason is because people who make these harsh events
a reality have not realized what could really happen, and were probably
brought up poorly. Another
reason, which I think is probably the greatest reason, is because of the way
they were treated as kids.
I personally believe it could be because of their childhood.
As I reflect on life at Mount Vernon High School, I could fully
understand that. The people
that cause these twisted parts in history, were probably made fun of and
picked on during their childhood. Aside
from that, they may have even been abused by their parents, and so forth.
If this were to happen to me, I probably would want to do the same,
by taking it out on other people. I
bet that if these people had someone to talk to as a kid, they would’ve
turned out all right.
One last reason is just plain and simple.
They are probably crazy and need to be locked up for life.
An example of craziness is if they were to think they are higher in
rank than another race, sexuality, etc.
Now, that is kind of harsh, but it may be true.
In conclusion to answering these questions, I have described my
thoughts on the Holocaust in whole. I
honestly will never forget about learning the Holocaust.
I am just glad that I did not have to take part in this time of
history. I guess I could
consider myself one of the lucky ones.
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REFLECTIONS
OF THE HOLOCAUST
By Stacy Bunnell
World War II was one of the most
devastating, brutal, senseless wars fought in all of recorded history.
It was also one of the most recorded wars.
With photos, eyewitness accounts, recorded film, documents, and even
audio recordings. This gives us
a more accurate account of what happened.
With all this evidence a strong impression is left on those why study
the war.
My overall impression of the war was that it was horrific.
I felt strong disgust at the way the people who did not fit the Aryan
race were tortured and killed. One
of the most disgusting ways to me that they were killed was with the
Einsatzgruppen. I remember the
video we saw in class with the testimony of survivors who lost everyone they
loved. I remember the girl
telling of her and her friend and how they were naked and embraced begging
the Nazis to stop. But instead
they just shot them. I
couldn’t help but think that if it were Claire and me put in this
position. And it brings tears
to my eyes. The other accounts
described how everyone was stripped, the women were raped over and over
again, and mothers were shot with their babies in their arms.
I think “how can anyone do this, these people are human, not
cattle?”
These genocidal events in our world happen because the people that
commit these crimes think of their victims as sub-human, and deserving of
the treatment. Often times they
were brought up to hate, and were often treated harshly themselves.
This enables them to detach from the suffering of another human.
The power that they gain over their victims fills a deep inside
feeling of powerlessness and fear.
Learning about what went on was not easy.
It was stomach turning and sickening.
It almost felt as if my soul was being damaged, just by hearing the
awful things that went on. It
was very tempting to turn my head and ignore what I was learning.
However, I realize that it is important to study what happened for a
number of reasons. One reason
is if we don’t study history it will repeat itself in our own lives.
We all have reasons to hate. But
if we don’t examine ourselves and confront what angers us, we may end up
taking our own victims, just as Hitler did.
In other words we study these atrocities to better understand human
nature, and our own impulses.
Another reason to study WWII is to help others fight ignorance and
hate. And help them raise their
level of consciousness. It is
important to unite and speak out against injustices.
We won’t gain the knowledge to do this unless we learn from
others’ mistakes in the past. So
as unpleasant as it is to study these crimes against humanity, it is our
duty to do so. We can’t just
ignore the past, and hope it doesn’t happen again!
What I understand about Germans and events of WWII is that they did
not appear capable of the evil acts they committed.
They seemed normal and some of them even nice.
And they believed they were good and had good reasons for everything
they did. Even after the war
they were not troubled with what they had done.
This is scary because it is amazing what people can justify to
themselves. Everyone in the
world justifies their point of view, and their actions.
And I understand better than ever before that a life unexamined is
not worth living.
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HOLOCAUST ESSAY
by Christine
When I think of the Holocaust, I
get an aching feeling in my stomach; it was such a horrible thing that I
can’t think about it without feeling miserable.
Because of all the horrifying things that Hitler and the Nazis did to
the Jewish people, and anyone who he just didn’t like.
I think that this is the worst thing that has ever happened to
mankind. It makes me sick to
think that people are actually capable of doing such horrific things to
others.
I didn’t really have a clear understanding of what actually
happened during that time until I heard Mr. Hymas tell his story.
I realized that these were real people who suffered in the
concentration camps, not just numbers in a book.
When he described how the Jewish people looked when he liberated
their camp and the conditions they were living in, I finally started to
understand it. They were real
people just like you or me. These
people were tormented for no reason other than the Nazis didn’t like what
they believed in. I can’t
imagine how I would be able to live in such a horrible place; hardly any
food, death and disease all around you, cold weather, forced labor, knowing
that there were people around you that would kill you without thinking about
it twice; I couldn’t take it.
Anne Frank reinforced my feeling that the things the Jews went
through were incredibly unfair and it shouldn’t have happened at all in
the first place. Anne Frank
didn’t do anything so wrong as to deserve the punishment she got; she was
forced to live in that small house with seven others for about two years of
bickering and fighting and fear of being found, and in the end she was sent
to a concentration camp and died after months of enduring that horrible
torture.
Amid all the atrocities that were happening to the Jews, there were a
few things that gave hope to them; Raoul Wallenburg was one of them.
Wallenberg went to Germany to help the Jews in any way he could; he
gave them food and clothing, he supplied them with fake passports so they
would be safe, and he led many of the Jews to safe houses where they could
be hidden. He is credited with
saving over 200,000 Jews. I was
extremely glad to hear about someone who helped the Jews instead of
oppressing them, and I was very glad to get him for my project.
Even though this isn’t the happiest thing to learn about, I think
we need to because it shows us that the human kind is capable of doing these
awful things and we need to keep it from ever
happening again. I don’t
understand exactly how Hitler came to power; I know that the country was in
shambles and needed a strong leader, but the thing I don’t understand is
that if there were so many Jews in Germany and the surrounding areas, why
didn’t they stop this before it got so far?
Hitler had published a book on his exact thoughts and feelings toward
the Jews, and he openly stated his ideas, I don’t understand why no one
stood up and said that was immoral and wrong and prevent him from coming
into power.
Studying this time period also helps people understand that we
can’t just go around being prejudice against someone who is different from
us because it can become uncontrollable and people can be hurt.
You should celebrate the differences in our society and accept those
who aren’t like you.
Even though we should know better, there are still genocidal things
that happen in the world. I
believe that these things don’t have to happen, it’s just that the
person who starts it has a screw loose who know some more people with screws
loose and pretty soon they have a whole group of crazy people who want to
take over the world! I’m very
glad that we now have better police and authorities that keep these grounds
under supervision so they don’t have the opportunity to hurt anyone.
Whenever I think of the Holocaust, I will remember one thing in
particular; it was on the video we watched, and I think it is the most
appalling thing I have ever seen. I
said to myself that I wasn’t going to look at the pictures because Mr. H
said they were pretty bad and I didn’t feel like seeing that, but just for
a second I looked up and saw the scene where the bulldozer was pushing the
dead skeleton bodies of the Jews who had died in the camps into a pile.
It was the worst thing that I have ever seen.
To have so much hate and disrespect for a group of people to do that
to them is too unfathomable for me to comprehend.
I was appalled. I pray
we never allow this to happen again.
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THE
HOLOCAUST
by Leanne Jungquist
The Holocaust was a horrifying experience in which many innocent lives were
taken. The effort of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany was
to exterminate the Jews and other people that they considered to be
inferior. As a result, millions of people, half of which were Jews,
were killed. For many of us, the Holocaust is just stories and
pictures shared with us by those who were there. But for many, it
brings back disturbing and horrifying memories of lost family and friends,
death camps, starvation and massive manslaughter. In our class focus
of the Holocaust, I learned many aspects of this dark period in history from
our study of Anne Frank to the guest visit from Mr. Hymas. After all
these teachings, my impression of the Holocaust grew and I was filled with
the knowledge I hadn't had before.
The Holocaust as a whole was a
terrible time in history in which the lives of many were destroyed and
forever changed. I believe this topic should always be taught, and the
stories should be told in years to come to create an understanding by all,
and to prevent an event such as this from ever happening again. The
Holocaust was a time of discrimination against Jews and any other group of
people that Hitler and the Nazis didn't like. Jews, the mentally and
physically ill, homosexuals, and gypsies were all taken from their homes and
sent to concentration camps, run by the Germans. It was there that
they were exterminated by means of starvation, disease, shooting and gas
chambers. Others died as they were tortured to death or died in
horrible medical experiments.
For the most, many didn't survive
the concentration camps or make it through the years if they were Jews.
But as I learned from my research project on how the Danes helped to rescue
Jews, I learned there were a few survivors. The Danes helped in the
rescue of the Jews by smuggling them onto tightly packed boats and sailing
them to Sweden where they could be free. The job was extremely risky
and the fishermen who drove the boats as well as the Jews being rescued were
at great risk. German spies soon caught on to the nightly rescues and
security grew making it harder for the rescues to take
place. By researching the Danes and their efforts to help the Jews, it
helped to learn there were others against the ideas of Hitler and those who
didn't agree with his extermination plans.
It's hard to believe the option of one man and his influence on his people
could result in such a horrible event such as the Holocaust.
Anne Frank's diary taught me a
great deal of how the Holocaust effected the lives of individuals such as
Anne who was forced to live in the attic of a building for several years to
keep herself and her family from harm. It's terrible that Anne and her
family had to spend years of their life in hiding to save their lives.
Anne should have spent her teenage years as others do, but instead she was
forced to live in solitary confinement for those years of her life to keep
herself alive. The diary was very interesting in the sense you got to
see the effect of war on a teenager your own age and the experiences and
feelings he had during those years where she was placed in the middle of
war. It makes you think, "What if I was in the situation and what
would I do if I was in her place." It's amazing to see Anne face
the events and situations she did and find a way to handle them during
everything else that was going on. You are forced to look at your life
from a different perspective and be grateful for all you have and all you
don't have to deal with.
Mr. Hymas' visit was extremely
interesting as well as informative. Listening to his story, you were
able to see the Holocaust from his perspective, and hear some of what he
saw. Hearing his words, and his story, the war seemed almost real in
your head and you were able to picture the horrible things he went through.
I can't even imagine what it must have been like for him to be involved in
such a frightening experience and he should take great pride for the job he
did.
I truly hope the world never
witnesses an event such as the Holocaust again. Hopefully, by learning
from the mistakes of others, we will be able to prevent another terrifying
and horrible occurrence, such as this. Violence like the Holocaust is
something no one should ever have to experience, unfortunately those Jews
who were put through the suffering and humiliation were forced to go through
unimaginable and terrifying experiences. Those who participated in the
Holocaust and the mass killings of Jews and others are extremely heartless.
It's hard to imagine people could possibly be so evil. For those such
as Mr. Hymas and the others who helped liberate the death camps and put an
end to the Holocaust, they will be forever appreciated and their bravery and
courage will be celebrated forever.
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HOLOCAUST
ESSAY
by Brianna Prante
Learning about the Holocaust is an important thing for everybody to
study. Even though the subject is dark and depressing, it is necessary
for us to learn from others mistakes. People who were a part of the
Holocaust need to share their stories to make it seem more personal to the
others that didn't experience it. Learning about the Holocaust is the
key to stopping another one from happening.
My personal experience with
learning about the Holocaust has been very worthwhile. I started
learning about it when I was in elementary school. Ever since I was
young, the atrocities of World War II have always been present in my mind.
I realized what mankind is possible of doing to each other because of some
stupid prejudice. What is it going to take to get everyone to think
like this?
Watching movies that portray the
era of the Holocaust are very touching to me. They are another way to
personalize the effects of the Holocaust. In Schindler's List,
I was quite moved by the way that the Jewish people were treated. The
documentary that we watched in class gave me an overview of what went on.
There was a personal story in there about a young girl just about to be shot
that made me tear up and wonder how anybody could put another human through
this kind of agony. I personally do no have that kind of feeling of
hatred towards anybody or anything. I am in awe of what people can
feel towards other things, without even knowing anything about them.
I am much more sensitive towards
the idea of genocide because I know that mankind is capable of doing
something like that. I guess not something like that; they have done a
genocide and are still doing some (on a much smaller level) today. I
still have a hard time comprehending that anyone has that much hatred in
them. It seems pointless to waste your life away hating something.
When Mr. Hymas came and talked to our class, I couldn't help but have tears
come to my eyes because war affects such innocent people, like Mr. Hymas.
His story was so touching and I'm so sorry that anyone would have to go
through that. Even though he was fighting to free the Jewish people,
he still had to see the atrocities that they went through. He will
have those memories in his mind for the rest of his
life. After he told us his stories I was able to shake the gruesome
pictures from my imagination, but he didn't imagine them and the pictures
will be stuck so vivid, in his mind.
When I did my research project on
Dr. Mengele, I was disgusted. I couldn't believe that someone could
have no compassion towards his innocent patients. To do such horrid
experiments on living things and get no scientific gain is so
preposterous that I wouldn't let my mind grasp the idea of it. It was
so very disturbing that I had to step back and take a breath after reading
some of the things that he did.
Learning is the way to
understanding the world around us. I may not understand why something
like this happened, but I will be able to recognize the warning signs and
the barbarity of the acts that were committed. I won't let someone
tell me that this is the way to go because of some discrimination towards
another person or thing. My mind is boggled on the whole idea of hate.
Maybe one day someone will understand and be able to tell me why people hate
and why we all can't just get along.
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