Night and the Holocaust

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 other’s differences?

What problems arise when we fail to respect differences?

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.

Question for Discussion

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?

Timeline of the Holocaust

1933—Hitler takes power in Germany and slow starts taking away civil rights from the Jewish

1933—Hitler creates the first concentration camp at Dachau

Timeline of the Holocaust

1938—German 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.

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-BirkenauThe 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.

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..

The Author of Night—Elie 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 someone’s personal experiences. Wiesel’s memoir tells about how he managed to survive in the concentration camp, Auschwitz.

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.

Elie Wiesel--ContinuedElie 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.

Elie Wiesel’s Philosophy

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?

Important Terms You’ll Find in Night

Cabbala—Jewish religious teachings, many were passed down orally. Mysticism—a belief in an intimate connection with God through deep thoughtRevelation—when something is revealed by God to you regarding your faithTalmud—a 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

Gestapo—the German secret police organized under the Nazi regime. Known for treating people harshly

Important Terms You’ll Find in Night

Ghetto—a section of a city designated for a certain group of people based; many living conditions were very poorNazism—the practices of the Nazis (Hitler’s men)

Important Terms You’ll Find in Night

SS—a highly trained military unit that served as Hitler’s personal protection groupKapo—a prisoner forced to oversee others in the campsFascism—a government that is led by a dictator that emphasizes aggression and racism