HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: APRIL 28. Adolf Hitler believed that because of their “Aryan”...
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HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: APRIL 28
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Transcript of HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: APRIL 28. Adolf Hitler believed that because of their “Aryan”...
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: APRIL 28
Adolf Hitler believed that because of their “Aryan” superiority, the blonde-haired and blue-eyed Germans should dominate and conquer the world.His Nazi party considered Germans superior to Slavs, Poles, and Russians, as well as to people of color, gypsies, homosexuals, and the disabled.
Hitler’s hatred was greatest, however, for the Jewish people; in his view, Jews were responsible for all the ills of Germany and the world. He sought to eliminate Jews from the earth completely: his “Final Solution”.By the end of the Second World War, 6 million Jews—among them 1.5 million children—had been brutally murdered by Hitler’s Nazi (National Socialist) regime.Jews were sent to death camps, gassed, and incinerated in crematoria: hence the term “Holocaust” or “totally burnt”.
• Theresienstadt is the German name for Terezin, a town in Czechoslovakia.
• Terezin was unlike the other ghettos, labor camps, and death camps that Hitler created to eliminate the Jews.
• Terezin had been the site of a military barracks, and the Nazis made it into a special kind of ghetto camp.
• It was set up as a model camp to deceive visitors, such as members of the International Red Cross, into believing that Nazi Germany was merely resettling Jews and was treating them well.
Deportation of Jews to Terezin, 1941
• By August, 1942, Terezin had a population of 41,552 prisoners. • There was 1.6 square meters of space for each person.• The average workweek was from 80 to 100 hours.• Children as young as 14 were subject to compulsory labor the same as adults.• From 106 to 156 persons died every day.
• Around 150,000 Jews passed through the gates of Terezin during World War II.
• When new transports arrived, Jewish prisoners were then moved out to death camps like Auschwitz to be murdered.
Artists and musicians were encouraged to display their talents at Terezin, before being transported to Auschwitz.
Jewish children performed an opera in Terezin called “Brundibar”. The Nazis allowed these performances
to be staged to impress visitors.
Around 15,000 children under the age of 15 passed through the ghetto camp at Terezin.
Of these children, only around 100 survived.
The experiences of the children of Terezin are expressed in the poems and artwork they created during their
imprisonment.
THE BUTTERFLY DER SCHMETTERLINGThe last, the very last, Der letzte war’s, der allerletzte,so richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow. der satt und bitter blendend grillePerhaps if the sun’s tears would sing vielleicht wenn eine Sonnenträne against a white stone… irgendwoauf weissem Stein erklingt…Such, such a yellow so war das GelbIs carried lightly ‘way up high. er trug sich schwebend in die HöheIt went away I’m sure because it wished und stieg, gewiss wollt’ küssen er dort to kiss the world good-bye. seine letzte Welt. For seven weeks I’ve lived in here, und sieben Wochen leb ich dapenned up inside this ghetto. ghettoisiertBut I have found what I love here. hier fanden mich die MeinenThe dandelions call to me mich ruft der Löwenzahnand the white chestnut branches und auch der weisse Zweig im Hof,in the court. auf der Kastanie… doch einen Only I never saw another butterfly. Schmetterling hab ich hier nicht gesehn That butterfly was the last one. das war gewiss der allerletzte,Butterflies don’t live here, denn Schmetterlinge leben hier nichtin the ghetto. im Ghetto
Written by Pavel Friedman, born in Prague 7.1.1921Arrived Theresienstadt Ghetto 26.4.1942Died in Auschwitz, 29.9.1944
THE GARDEN DAS GÄRTLEINA little garden Das kleine RosengärtleinFragrant and full of roses. duftet heut so sehrThe path is narrow Es geht auf schmalem WegeAnd a little boy walks along it. Ein Knabe hin und her.A little boy, a sweet boy, Ein Knäblein, ach so schön und hold,Like that growing blossom. Ein Knösplein das g’rad blühen wollt’,When the blossom comes to bloom, erblüht einmal das Knösplein klein,The little boy will be no more. So wird das Knäblein nicht mehr sein.
Written by FRANTA BASS born 4.9.1930, Brno, Czechoslovakia Arrived Theresienstadt Ghetto 2.12.1941 Died in Auschwitz, 28.10.1944
TO TOMMY—FOR HIS THIRD BIRTHDAY, JANUARY 22, 1944 IN TEREZIN
HOME DAS ZUHAUSEI look, I look Ich schaue, schaue,into the wide world. Schau in die weite Welt.into the wide distant world in die weite, weite, entfernte Welt.I look to the southeast, ich schaue und schau nach Südosten hinI look, I look toward my home. und suche mit Blicken die Heimat.I look toward my home, Ich suche die Heimat the city where I was born. und meine Vaterstadt.City, my city, Du Stadt aller Städte,I will gladly return to you. Ich käm so gern daheim!
Written by FRANTA BASS born 4.9.1930, Brno,Czechoslovakia Arrived Theresienstadt Ghetto
2.12.1941 Died in Auschwitz, 28.10.1944
ILLNESS DIE KRANKHEITSadness, stillness in the room. Tisch und Stuhl,In the middle, a table and a bed. ein kleiner SpindIn the bed, a feverish boy. und im Bett das kranke Kind.His mother sits next to him es fiebert, doch es ist ganz Ohr,with a little book. Die Mutter liest ein Märchen vor.She reads him his favorite story Da senkte sich das Fieberand immediately, the fever subsides. und die Krankheit war vorüber.
Written by FRANTA BASS born 4.9.1930, Brno,Czechoslovakia Arrived Theresienstadt Ghetto 2.12.1941 Died in Auschwitz, 28.10.1944
I AM A JEW ICH BIN EIN JUDEI am a Jew and will be a Jew forever Jude bin ich, Jude bleib ich,Even if I should die from hunger selbst wenn ich elend verhungre, verrecke,Never will I submit. Mein Volk bleibt nicht auf der StreckeI will always fight for my people, on my honor. für mein Volk möchte ich kämpfenI will never be ashamed of them, und niemals mich schämen,I give my word. niemand sollte je meinem VolkI am proud of my people. die verdiente Ehre nehmen!How dignified they are. Ich will stolz dazu gehören, stolz auf unsre Ehre sein,Even though I am suppressed, eine jede UnterdrückungI will always come back to life. flösst uns neues Leben ein!
Written by FRANTA BASS born 4.9.1930, Brno, Czechoslovakia Arrived Theresienstadt Ghetto 2.12.1941
Died in Auschwitz, 28.10.1944
I’D LIKE TO GO ALONE WIE GERNE GING ICH ALLEINEI’d like to go away alone Wie gerne ging ich alleineWhere there are other, nicer people, dorthin, wo bessre Menschen gibt,Somewhere into the far unknown, in jene unbekannten Haine,There, where no one kills another. Wo man nicht tötet, sondern liebt. Maybe more of us, Wie hoffen unser doch so viele,A thousand strong, es sind wohl tausend an der Zahl,Will reach this goal dass man am langersehnten ZieleBefore too long. Uns einst erlöst von stummer Qual.
Written by Alena Synková, born in Prague 24.9.1926Arrived Theresienstadt Ghetto 22.12.1942
Returned home after the liberation
AN OLGA AN OLGAListen! Hörst du,The boat whistle has sounded now schon tönt die SchiffsireneAnd we must sail wir müssen fortOut toward an unknown port. In unbekannte Häfen
Hörst du, es ist schon Zeit.
We’ll sail a long, long, way Wir segeln fort, weit in die FerneAnd dreams will turn to truth. Der Traum wird dort zur WirklichkeitOh, how sweet the name Morocco! O süsser Name, du Marokko.Listen! Now it’s time. Hörst du, es ist schon Zeit.
The wind sings songs of far away, Die Winde wehn das Lied der FerneJust look up to heaven ach könnt’ ich blicken nach den SternenAnd think about the violets. und nur an Veilchen denken.Listen! Now it’s time. Hörst du, es ist schon Zeit. Written by Alena Synková, born in Prague 24.9.1926Arrived Theresienstadt Ghetto 22.12.1942Returned home after the liberation
ARBEIT MACHT FREI= WORK MAKES (YOU) FREE
