‘‘Shooting Stars’ Shooting Stars’ by Carol Ann Duffyby Carol Ann Duffy

Poem ContextPoem Context

‘‘Shooting Stars’ by Carol Ann Shooting Stars’ by Carol Ann Duffy was written by the poet as Duffy was written by the poet as a plea to humanity not to repeat a plea to humanity not to repeat the horrors of the past. the horrors of the past.

The poem is a recount of a Jewish The poem is a recount of a Jewish woman as she waits for her woman as she waits for her death.death.

The woman describes the first The woman describes the first hand horror of the violence that hand horror of the violence that she witnesses. she witnesses.

The HolocaustThe Holocaust

The systematic, bureaucratic state The systematic, bureaucratic state sponsored persecution and sponsored persecution and slaughter of 6 million Jews by the slaughter of 6 million Jews by the Nazi’s and their collaborators. Nazi’s and their collaborators.

Not just Jews:Not just Jews:

CommunistsCommunists SocialistsSocialists GypsiesGypsies HomosexualsHomosexuals Disabled – physically and Disabled – physically and

mentally.mentally.

Racial Superiority Racial Superiority

The Nazi’s believed that anyone The Nazi’s believed that anyone who could be labelled as ‘racially who could be labelled as ‘racially inferior’ needed to be cleansed in inferior’ needed to be cleansed in order to protect the ‘Ayran race’ order to protect the ‘Ayran race’

Methods of killing Methods of killing

EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen These were mobile killing units These were mobile killing units

that carried out mass murder that carried out mass murder operations in Eastern Europe. operations in Eastern Europe.

Large groups of people were Large groups of people were rounded up and force to dig rounded up and force to dig trenches. They would then stand trenches. They would then stand on the side and where shot. on the side and where shot.

They literally dug their own They literally dug their own graves. graves.

Gas VansGas Vans

Victims were herded into Victims were herded into converted lorries and vans and converted lorries and vans and taken for a drivetaken for a drive

The carbon monoxide produced The carbon monoxide produced by the engine was then pumped by the engine was then pumped into the van killing all the people into the van killing all the people inside. inside.

A long slow death. A long slow death.

Gas ChambersGas Chambers

The introduction of Zyclone B gas The introduction of Zyclone B gas (prussic acid) allowed the Nazi’s (prussic acid) allowed the Nazi’s to murder vast numbers of to murder vast numbers of inferiors in a relatively short time. inferiors in a relatively short time.

Total estimated Total estimated victimsvictims

6 million Jews6 million Jews 3 million Soviet POWs3 million Soviet POWs 2 million ethnic Poles2 million ethnic Poles 1 million others 1 million others

Estimated over 12 million victimsEstimated over 12 million victims

Equivalent to the Equivalent to the annihilation of Greeceannihilation of Greece