Night and the Holocaust

1
Night and the Holocaust
2
Opening Discussion Questions

• Respond to the two questions below in
  complete sentences. These are the first two
  questions on your handout for today.
• Why is it important to respect each others
  differences?
• What problems arise when we fail to respect
  differences?

3
Question for Discussion

• What historical events have happened because
  someone showed little tolerance for differences
  in culture, religion or ethnicity? Record at
  least three on your guided note sheet.

4
What do you already know?

• Think about what you have already learned about
  this event in history. Are you familiar with the
  names of people involved? Do you understand
  where in the world this happened? What were the
  lasting effects?
• Record the facts that you know about the event on
  your paper.
• Then think about what unanswered questions you
  have. What would you like to find the answer to
  as we go throughout our unit?

5
Timeline of the Holocaust

• 1933Hitler takes power in Germany and slow
  starts taking away civil rights from the Jewish
• 1933Hitler creates the first concentration camp
  at Dachau

6
Timeline of the Holocaust

• 1938German soldiers start moving a large number
  of Jews into camps throughout Germany, Austria
  and Poland. Jews are also forced to wear the
  star of David.

7
Timeline of the Holocaust

• 1940-1943 Hitler announces his plan to kill all
  European Jews. He opens five more concentration
  camps, the most famous being Auschwitz-Birkenau
• The United States entered WW II after Pearl
  Harbor is attacked in 1941. Americans did not
  realize that Hitler was murdering thousands when
  they entered the war.
• 1945 Hitler is defeated in May, but over one
  third of the Jewish population of the world has
  been killed by the time.

8
Timeline of the Holocaust

• After the war ended, many remaining Jews
  immigrate to the United States and Switzerland
  because of their reputation for protecting human
  rights..

9
The Author of NightElie Wiesel

• Night is a memoir that tells the story of Elie
  Wiesel, a man that was a young boy during the
  Holocaust.
• A memoir is a written account of someones
  personal experiences. Wiesels memoir tells
  about how he managed to survive in the
  concentration camp, Auschwitz.

10
Elie Wiesel

• Elie Wiesel lived in Hungary when his family was
  removed from their home and sent to concentration
  camps. He and his father managed to stay
  together for almost a year before his father died
  of pneumonia. His mother and younger sisters
  were killed by the Nazis soon after deportation.

11
Elie Wiesel--Continued

• Elie Wiesel became an advocate for promoting
  peace and has won the Nobel Peace prize. He has
  been interviewed many times, including by Oprah.
  She selected his book for her book club list.
• As we read this memoir, we will examine what
  caused his faith to change and what helped him
  survive the Holocaust when many fellow Jews did
  not. Much credit can be given to his faith.

12
Elie Wiesels Philosophy
13
Discussion Questions

• 1. Would you consider yourself a religious
  person? Why or why not? How much influence does
  your faith have on your daily life?
• 2. If you are (or if you were) a religious
  individual, how would you feel if someone
  punished you for having faith, or told you that
  you could be harmed in some way because of it?
  Would it be worth defending for you, or would you
  give it up. Why?

14
Important Terms Youll Find in Night

• CabbalaJewish religious teachings, many were
  passed down orally.
• Mysticisma belief in an intimate connection with
  God through deep thought
• Revelationwhen something is revealed by God to
  you regarding your faith
• Talmuda book that contains Jewish laws that can
  be traced back to the year 500. Many Jewish
  traditions are based on the writings found in the
  Talmud
• Gestapothe German secret police organized under
  the Nazi regime. Known for treating people
  harshly

15
Important Terms Youll Find in Night

• Ghettoa section of a city designated for a
  certain group of people based many living
  conditions were very poor
• Nazismthe practices of the Nazis (Hitlers men)

16
Important Terms Youll Find in Night

• SSa highly trained military unit that served as
  Hitlers personal protection group
• Kapoa prisoner forced to oversee others in the
  camps
• Fascisma government that is led by a dictator
  that emphasizes aggression and racism