Good Morning, Vietnam!
Due to computer gremlins, it’s been a long time since I posted. First it was the edublogs site that refused to cooperate and – adding insult to injury – my entire computer died a week and a half ago, forcing me to wait around while someone assured me they could fix it. Only after nearly a week of waiting, they say: “Oh yeah, I guess we can’t do anything about it.” So, lo and behold, I lost everything ’cause the computer I’m working on won’t read my USB drive… Aargh!
Back to class… Over the last week I was able to discuss Night by Elie Wiesel with a neighbor of mine who was also a Holocaust survivor. Although he was not at Auschwitz, some of his experiences were very similar – although I was only able to get the vaguest details from him as he did not seem all that inclined to share detail. However he laughed when I mentioned out classes readings into Wiesel’s semi-memoir, especially regarding the imagery of the three hanged people as a symbol of Christianity. Essentially, he said there wasn’t any pre-meditated religious symbolism involved; public executions were simply an effective way of demoralizing the rest of the camp population. He agreed, however, with the arguement that the narrative is so sparse because no one who wasn’t there will ever understand the true horrors that occurred.
Night was an effective way to look at the Holocaust (that didn’t involve Jewish mice), especially as there are still some people out there who insist the entire thing never happened. I still believe, however, that the most interesting things I’ve learned about any aspects of war don’t come out of books, but from first-hand accounts.
on April 6th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I completely agree with your statement, that the most interesting things I’ve learned about any aspects of war don’t come out of books, but from first-hand accounts. Our family also has an extremely close friend who was a victim of the holocaust while she survived the rest of here immediate family was not as lucky. The characteristics that you described of your friend such as, not wanting to share vivid details is similar to our friend. When she is asked questions about the holocaust she simply smiles and gives the bluntest statement which generally does not answer the original question. The holocaust was a tragic time in history it is important that as a society we remember this and do not push for answers rather just be there when they are willing to give them to us.
on April 8th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
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