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In the Face of the Holocaust Part II

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In the Face of the Holocaust Part II In the Face of the Holocaust Part II. Passive Bystanders 1. Present the students with audio-visual materials from the collection of the USC Shoah Foundation Institute: testimony 2—In the Face of the Holocaust. Passive (parts 1‒3: fragments of testimony by Maria Szarach, Lila Lam-Nowakowska, and Sister Maria Górska) and based on these, discuss the following issues: • Based on the testimony of Maria Szarach and Lila Lam-Nowakowska, talk about the manner in which the citizens of Warsaw reacted to the Ghetto Uprising. What were the comments that could be heard on the street at the time? • What do you think: why did people on the street proclaim their approval for the activities of the Germans, who were liquidating the Warsaw Ghetto? • What do you believe was the reason the women in the tram were commenting that “really the only good thing that Hitler did, was making it possible to rid us of the Jews”? • Why did they support the repressions in the Ghetto? • How do Maria Szarach and Lila Lam-Nowakowska understand this behavior? • Describe the behavior of these people and consider, where had it originated from? • How may have you felt, had you been in their place? • Do you know of other situations, where one group of individuals suffers, and others are indifferent or, even take pleasure in the misfortune of others? • What effect did the tragedy of the Ghetto have on Sister Andrzeja, Maria Górska, who had witnessed its liquidation? • Why does she consider the outbreak of the Ghetto Uprising as one of the most tragic events in her life? 2. Present the students picture (supplement 14) on the foil slide, showing the carousel on Krasiński Square in Warsaw, and then ask them to read a fragment of the poem by Czesław Miłosz, entitled Campo di Fiori (supplement 8). The poem may also be read out loud by the teacher or one of the students. Next, ask the pupils to attempt to answer the following questions: • Consider why Czesław Miłosz chose the carousel as the main focus of the poem. What was he trying to achieve by doing this? • Why did the author compare Krasiński Square to Campo di Fiori? What is the connection between these two places? • Imagine that you are one of the children behind the wall of the Ghetto. Talk abo- ut what you can see on the other side of the wall. • Imagine yourself as one of the children from the carousel and assess the situation © 2007 Shoah Foundation Institute and Auschwitz-Birkenau State Memorial Page 1 of 11 In the Face of the Holocaust In the Face of the Holocaust Part II. Passive Bystanders Part II. Passive Bystanders after many years have passed. Next, together discuss: What you had thought back • Who is this aimed at, and of what are they being accused? Analyze the poem. Fill then? What are your feelings today? (ask the students to create a diary entry—one in the chart: page from the time they played on the carousel, and the next page written as an adult today—and compare the view of situation you had then and now). It hurts • Consider how the Jews on the other side of the wall may have felt, seeing the playful children on the carousel. it hurts so badly • Have you or anyone you know, were ever excluded from a group in society? If so, because what do you believe was the cause of this? • Can you remember a situation where a group rejected someone? Describe this situation. What do you believe were the emotions that the rejected person felt? The Germans The Poles What were the probable motives that drove people to reject the individual, as well the frenzy of hatred, they passionately mock us… as those who remained indifferent to the person who could have felt left out? immensity of the misery, white eagle lies helpless, the number of beatings all the while they laugh at this 3. Ask the students to read Mordechai Gebirtig’s poem, entitled It Hurts (supple- ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ment 9), and interpret its meaning. extermination of a nation indifference, mockery • Explain the title of the poem. destruction acceptance of the crimes • Interpret the following words: responsibility It hurts it hurts so badly, when not a foreign enemy, Throughout the generations They, — only humiliation for them to their eternal shame but one who is also in slavery, spit in their own face just as we are, a young Polish boy and Polish girl, Why does the author of the poem assess the behavior of the Poles and Germans dif- they passionately mock us… ferently? … that among the Jewish beards • Why does the behavior of the Poles hurt him more than that of the Germans? trampled in the dust, • According to you, does the thought of one of the characters in Hanna Krall’s sto- ry, entitled Hipnoza, could have been an addition to the poem? the beautiful Polish eagle, proud white eagle “…believes that the Jews had not yet dealt with their Polish issue. The German yes, lies helpless. but this was easier. It’s easier to forgive for the deaths caused, than the humiliation, which was inflicted. The issues with the Poles deal with the memory of humiliation • Who is the lyrical subject of the poem? What do we know of this subject, based and a feeling of being spurned.” on the text presented? Hanna Krall, Hipnoza, Warsaw 1989, p. 52. • What do the words “you’ve joined our common” mean? © 2007 Shoah Foundation Institute and Auschwitz-Birkenau State Memorial © 2007 Shoah Foundation Institute and Auschwitz-Birkenau State Memorial Page 2 of 11 Page 3 of 11 In the Face of the Holocaust In the Face of the Holocaust Part II. Passive Bystanders Part II. Passive Bystanders 4. Have the students fill in the chart below, once they have watched Andrzej Waj- Character/ Characteristic behavior or state- Attitudes and feelings da’s film, entitled Wielki Tydzień or after reading Jerzy Andrzejewski’s book Holy Person ments Week: A Novel of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising: Włodek ...became pale, with furled • horror Karski eyebrows, as if in anger... An example of a completed chart: Piotrowska “And maybe she’ll deny that she’s • hostility a Jewess?” • anti-Semitism Character/ Characteristic behavior or state- Attitudes and feelings “Who could even touch you?” Person ments “Get back to the Ghetto, you’ll find your Housekeeper Afraid, she opens the gate • fear, anxiety Srul there.” Woman in the “For which sins does a person have • both anger and com- basement to suffer so much?” passion 5. Ask the students to read the letter of farewell by Szmul Zygielbojm to the “ Why don’t you sit down?” Moves President as well as Prime Minister of Poland (supplement 3), and discuss with a chair toward Irena. • assistance them the following issues: Malecki Irena’s suffering was not his own... • helplessness ...at that time, it was more of an • terror • Who is Szmul Zygielbojm blaming for the mass extermination of the Jewish anxiety and fear than a genuine love • humiliation people? for these helpless people, cornered • shame • Do you agree with his opinion about the indirect, yet collective responsibility of from all sides... • shared responsibility the world for the mass murder of the Jews? ...entangled in them [feeling] was • compassion • How does the author of the letter assess the activities undertaken by the Polish particularly painful and humiliating • assistance government to inform the world’s public opinion about the Holocaust? awareness of vague and the unspe- • In what manner does Szmul Zygielbojm justify his deed? What does he want to cified responsibility for the atrocities accomplish by doing this? What are his dreams for the Jews of Poland? and crimes, which with the tacit con- • For what does he appeal to the President and Prime Minister of Poland? Find out sent of the whole world the Jewish if this appeal was met with a reaction by the world. people were subjected to for several • Describe the emotions that were felt while writing, or drafting this letter. Write years. Did he have the right to these down in a visible place (on the chalk or whiteboard, large format sheet of pa- expose a similar danger? per). People ...there was a group of people • interest • Why in your opinion, did Szmul Zygielbojm decide to express his feelings in the standing, safely watching the battle. • indifference form of a letter? • interest on the basis of Upon hearing the news of the dead sensationalism 6. Provide students with the basic knowledge about activities of the Polish Jew, they started to gather and Government in Exile to inform the world about the Holocaust (for example, Jan watch this attracted more and more Karski’s missions). people to look at the site of the battle Also, characterize the actions of Polish and foreign diplomats, whose goal was to from up close. save Jews (for example, Henryk Sławik, Raoul Wallenberg, and Chiune Sugihara). Boy wearing “Look, Heniek! Do you see that dead • interest on the basis of the overalls Jew?” sensationalism 7. Carry out a class discussion on the subject of the possibilities and limitations of organizing successful actions by the international community to help Jews. Put The boy’s “It’s great how he’s hanging, isn’t • interest on the basis of forth the various ideas, which were presented to the Allies by Jewish institutions friend it?” sensationalism (such as, the bombing of the railway tracks leading to Auschwitz or dropping leaflets on Germany, informing the population of the mass extermination of Jews). © 2007 Shoah Foundation Institute and Auschwitz-Birkenau State Memorial © 2007 Shoah Foundation Institute and Auschwitz-Birkenau State Memorial Page 4 of 11 Page 5 of 11 Supplement 14 In the Face of the Holocaust Part II.
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