And I Said Nothing
In Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionist, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.
TASK: Write personal reflection on the atrocities of the Holocaust and how it has (or hasn’t) changed the world.
Keep these questions in mind:
• Who is to blame for the Holocaust?
• Could the Holocaust have been stopped?
• How to the "Stages of Isolation" show the gradual persecution leading to the annihilation of the Jews?
• What would you have done if you lived in Germany during the Third Reich?
• How does the passage "And I Said Nothing" portray the actions of the people in Germany during Third Reich? What is the danger in saying or doing "nothing"?
• What lessons must be learned from the Holocaust?
• How do we, as responsible and aware human beings, ensure that an event such as the Holocaust or any type of racial genocide never occurs again?
• Do you think we have “learned our lesson” from the Holocaust, use examples to support your point of view from more recent history
To view some images from the Holocaust click the following links.
http://www.phdn.org/histgen/schmitz/indexeng.html
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/phototoc.html
10 comments:
I’ve been learning about Hitler and World War 2 and I have come to terms to accept that Hitler is an evil and disgusting man. He deserved to be burned to pieces and gassed instead of just hanging himself. Hitler had started the Holocaust because he wanted to get rid of all the Jewish people. The Holocaust could’ve been stopped if Canada or any other country would have accepted the St. Louis ship full of Jewish people but instead they were forced to return to Germany. When they were just going to get off the ship and be killed not personally by Hitler but it was his idea to burn everybody. The lessons that should have been learned were that Hitler was a horrible person and that nobody should die for their religion. Someone should have stepped up and stood up for the Jewish people. I believe we were responsible somewhat for the Holocaust because if Canada would have accepted the St. Louis ship full of Jewish people so many people’s lives could have been saved but instead 9 million men, women, and children were burned to death. I think Canada learned their lesson after the Holocaust because we started accepting more and more immigrants after this had happen.
L.G.H.
The Nazis have killed about two thirds of all the Jewish people that had lived in Europe. It has been estimated, about 1.1 million of people killed during the Holocaust were children. In my opinion Adolf Hitler is to blame. When he came to power in 1933, he changed the world. Hitler has killed approximetly 11 million people during the Holocaust, and documented it all. Honestly I don’t think that the Holocaust could have been stopped. So many people were frightened, and did not speak up. Unless you were part of the ‘perfect race’ you were killed. People were sent to concentration camps not knowing what would happen to them and being forced to work until they could barely walk. They were fed only enough to keep them alive to work, and then when they couldn’t handle it anymore people were killed. Burnt flesh, piles of bodies and bones, children, adults, all dead. Sqeezed into the train box carts were bodies, sometimes alive, suffering. The Holocaust was such a horrible, massive event that I hope we learned our lessons from. Many innocent people were targeted and taken to concentration camps where they would become walking skeletons, then shortly after brutally murdered. As much as everybody wanted to stop the Holocaust, it couldn’t be done.
By: K.M.
From learning about World War 2 I believe the Hitler was the one to blame for the events that took place. The Holocaust was started because Hitler wanted to get rid of the Jewish people. The Holocaust could of easily been prevented if other countries would have stepped in and stop Hitler before he rose to power. The St. Louis was a ship full of Jewish people running for their lives going country to country getting denied from each one, Canada being one of them, they later had to return to Europe where they were sent off to the concentration camps to work. Events that took place in these concentration camps were people were getting gassed and burned; also they were fed 200 calories a day. Most people died from starvation. The lesson we learned from this is that when something like this happens again that we should terminate it right from the start so we don’t start a World War 3.
Well I’m not totally against the holocaust, but not with it either, what most of what they did was totally wrong, inhuman, and monstrous. Not supporting the idea of racial genocide either, but the annihilation of people will and always will be the favorite activity of the world. Eliminating human rights and picking them off while separating their beliefs into a fear is genius, Hitler is one of my favorite historic characters. Manipulating the minds of others and whole groups of organizations and bending them to his will of voice is utterly spectacular. However unfair methods of warfare are never really cool but sometimes necessary to the current goal; don’t see why he just didn’t use gas to kill his enemies rather than his “pests”. Gas chambers could’ve just been used against the allies, but he’d rather alienate the Jewish and work them to death, or just kill them without even the slightest idea they were going to die. The holocaust was a near-unstoppable event, Hitler gained his momentum slowly, accumulating at a slow and steady rate till it blew up and everyone was shocked by his totalitarian ideals. Separate the Jews from everyone was his first goal, make it so that they know who is a Jew i.e.: the yellow Star of David worn by all Jews, once the Jews were separated he then began his plan to destroy them. To be utmost honest and truthful I would have joined Hitler as a Nazi, probably as a commander or adviser or a military officer.the world did learn its lesson, a good thing but the world will never change from racism and prejudice.
JTF
The Holocaust opened the eyes of many people to new idea/acts to help people in need, threat, nightmare and terrors. This of course changed the world I ways that we take for granted. Hitler caused many things and one of them was the Holocaust. He made the idea and put it to play, and it was a horrible idea. Even thought what he did was terrible, it was laid out great.
First you identify the target and set them apart from everyone else. This allows for easier identification later, so that you don’t waste time separating them apart when the time comes. Then he treated them like rats, he made new laws and destroyed them by using the country’s people. Kristallnacht was when the Nazis started to destroy and kill many people. Then Hitler tricked the people to go to new homes. After that many people died in camp, and experiments were performed on them as well.
The Holocaust could have been stopped, but it would have had to been close to when Hitler was making the idea or starting to enforce the new laws. If it was any later it is like a domino effect. Once the first few laws were in, Hitler started to get what he wanted. Once Hitler got what he wanted things would start to go downhill. Another way the holocaust might have been stopped was if the tides of war changed sooner, which was unlikely because of the army Hitler had on his side.
People in Germany were scared to do anything and speak out. Hitler would have got them killed for that. If I was in Germany during the Third Reich, I would have tried to help the Jewish people. I would welcome death, even if I could only help one person. We learned that the Holocaust was a bad thing and we needed to help people when they needed it.
Are world now tries to come to the help of people in a holocaust situation. We try to except people that may need to seek refuge in Canada. If the Holocaust never happened, we would have not learned that we need to help and we want to help.
By D.D
It is in my opinion that the Holocaust was an unstoppable force. Though an outsider may find it easy to judge the Germans; may say if Hitler had not been elected, it would have been preventable. If they had stopped him before he became carried away, it would have been preventable. If they had less value for the individual and stood up to the Nazis, then it would have been preventable. They do not understand the influence of charisma, or the influence of fear.
In the passage “And I said nothing” I feel that the writer expresses the bystander’s view of the holocaust. There is a human instinct of self perseverance, that even horrowshow atrocities cannot weaken. As for the Nazis themselves, surely they are inexcusable; committing the crimes asked of them by a psychotic dictator. Milgram’s Shock Generator Experiment, 1963 presents the perpetrators with an out.
Quoted from an article: The legal and philosophic aspects of obedience are of enormous importance, but they say very little about how most people behave in concrete situations. I set up a simple experiment at Yale University to test how much pain an ordinary citizen would inflict on another person simply because he was ordered to by an experimental scientist. Stark authority was pitted against the subjects' [participants'] strongest moral imperatives against hurting others, and, with the subjects' [participants'] ears ringing with the screams of the victims, authority won more often than not. The extreme willingness of adults to go to almost any lengths on the command of an authority constitutes the chief finding of the study and the fact most urgently demanding explanation. Ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process.
With 63% of the subjects recreating a Nazi-like torment; simply following orders, Nazis succumbed to the exact willingness of the ordinary subjects used in the experiment.
I find it impossible to know what I would have done in the situation of the Germans. How can I say I have a greater moral strength, I’d stand against Hitler and risk my life as I sit comfortably in a genocide-free nation? Facing the question, “How do we, as responsible and aware human beings, ensure that an event such as the Holocaust or any type of racial genocide never occurs again?” I also cannot see a true answer. If the responsible aware human beings in the Milgram experiment so easily performed whatever it was authority asked of them, there is no telling what the holocaust has taught us, or if we will ever ensure it does not happen again.
S.B.
The holocaust affected my family deeply when the Nazis took my great grandfather a prisoner of war, though he was only part of the resistance in Norway; he was held in substandard conditions, and saw many horrific things, though nothing compared to the atrocities committed in the concentration camps. Who else is to blame other than Hitler and his vile advocates? He inspired such villainy and hatred in people that they were blinded, unable to see that his rants were but the ramblings of a madman, incapable of spying the terror that swathed innocent people and killed immeasurable amounts. For another time, people were able to see that not every man or woman was “human”, or capable of performing the humane. To be certain that no man every attempts such things, we must not allow people who are unaware to enkindle the false man’s words and give him power, by establishing a rigid treatise of (flawed) democracy that enables us to appoint who serves us, the people of the modern, free world. Despite the abhorred atrocities committed during the holocaust, I do not believe mankind has yet learned how to deal with or stop such things, and that the only lesson we learned is that we are the good guys.
I believe that the Holocaust has changed the world for the better. Although many died in the process, it made people realize how one person can influence so much prejudice. Hitler was the definite reason behind the Holocaust because he was very persuasive. He committed crimes against humanity, made anti-Semitism and racist laws while still fighting a war. Some of his crimes against humanity were persecuting anyone that didn’t suit his “master race” and ruling the country through intimidation and fear. In the passage “and I said nothing,” it does a good job reflecting the prejudice during the Holocaust. By saying or doing nothing, people can’t force change in the world. The Holocaust was an extreme event that made people learn a lesson about injustice punishment. The biggest things that I take away from the Holocaust are that one leader such as Hitler shouldn’t have as much influence, to make sure countries are prepared for racist events in the future and that people should be treated with equal respect for one another. I wouldn’t blame Jewish people for their hostility against the rest of the world and hopefully the atrocities of the Holocaust have changed perspectives on fascist governments. R.F.
Lessons from the Holocaust:
When I was little my Oma told me about the holocaust she said that she didn’t even know that these people were being kill until it was over. She told me that if she knew, she would have done something to stop it. But then I think if she really did would she live or die some people say that they would of just because, but If, I lived in Germany and was given the task to stand up or follow along. I truly believe that I would follow. I know that I would want to stand up, but I’d be too afraid to get hurt. If I knew that I could make a difference and help someone from being taken to these camps I would.
I read this book a few years ago about this little German girl and her Jew friend. How she went through all these tasks and challenges to keep her safe from the Nazi’s. Sometimes I feel sick to know that I’m a German because I was related to someone who actually killed people, just because they were different looking or because a man said so .Then I think of the people that had nothing to do with this that lived in Germany must of felt the exact same way I do. I always wonder how Hitler got to be so powerful. There had to be someone that didn’t like what he was saying. How someone could hear all these horrible, mental things and not stop him or even correct him. I think that this lesson is to treat people equally because no one is more important than anyone. To make sure anything like the holocaust never happens again we should all stick up for each other. In my eyes the holocaust was like high school. The bully (Germany/halter) picks on the little kid (Jews/Catholics and different people) and the by stands (Germany women/ older people/ children/other countries) stand and watch or don’t even know, because they are busy with their own worries or there t afraid to be picked on themselves.
The holocaust has changed the world in bad ways and good. The bad was is that Jews don’t trust really anyone anymore, because of what happened to them The good thing is that people have taken what happened and turned it into a big lesson and have grown to love each other for who we are (no racism, no judgment and not so much violence.)
C.P.
The Holocaust has remained one of the single most horrifying events in human history, and I doubt that will ever change. I don’t need to tell you of the atrocities-the sick experiments, the mass executions, the torture-that were done. You already know all I could tell you on that. Rather I’m to tell you what I think about this event, the outcomes and the effects. Could it have been prevented? Has it changed the world? Who is to blame, ultimately? It’s not just the infamous Hitler and his loyal armies. The blame rests on everyone’s shoulders, and it is our job to prevent it from happening again.
But it keeps happening anyway. I suppose that’s inevitable.
I’ll give some credit, there has been some attempt to keep horrors such as the Holocaust from repeating. Though it hasn’t been enough, probably won’t ever be enough.
I do think the Holocaust could have been prevented. Had people spoken up, not turned a blind eye, raised awareness to the rest of the world. And if the world had responded, of course. If there’s no one to help when help is needed, then simply nothing can be done. It is the world’s job to take of itself, people’s jobs to take care of eachother. Stop madness such as the Holocaust when it can be stopped, instead of it being too late by the time we see it. That is our job, as responsible and aware human beings; to look out for and take care of eachother. Yet to this day war is still waged and people still disagree so strongly. It’s almost hopeless, and all one wants to do is give up and say “come what may.”
That’s the problem here. Indeed people are scared and don’t want to die, but we can’t have this kind of despair and conflict… atleast not if we hope for a better future, where horrid events do not repeat themselves. Basically, smarten the hell up, humanity. Look at your history and learn from your mistakes, would you?
To continue what I was saying earlier, the blame for happenings such as World War II let alone the Holocaust doesn’t rest on a single person or a single country/group. The blame is for all to share, as difficult as it can be to do something when a conflict is rising. Hitler could’ve been stopped, all of it could’ve been. But because of human nature’s natural elements of fear, greed, etc; war broke out and unspeakable horror followed. However I can’t say all bad things must come to an end, because evil is necessary. If we do not know evil how can we know good? And how do learn from our mistakes if we don’t make any? No, bad things are supposed to happen. Do not blame God or a single man, because it’s all people’s faults. And that carries me to another subject.
Did the Holocaust change the world? What lessons were learned?
Yes, of course it changed the world. It opened people’s eyes and gave them something to learn from. Among so many other things. I don’t think I can begin to tell what lessons it can teach. There’s just too many . It’s humanity’s job to think on it, and learn these lessons. Stop hurting eachother, stop turning a blind eye, start helping eachother, so many a Holocaust in the future can be prevented afterall.
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