Night Cheat Sheet PEOPLE Elie Wiesel- the narrator and author Chlomo Wiesel- Elie’s father. They manage to stay together during the deportment Idek- a crazy Kapo who beats Elie Rabbi Eliahous- a rabbi whose son deserts him in order to survive Henreich Himmler- Hitler’s second in command. Head of the S.S. Adolf Hitler- dictator of Germany Dr. Mengele- the “angel of death;” a doctor who performed brutal, unnecesary experiments and operations upon prisoners PLACES Sighet, Romania (Hungary)- Elie’s hometown Kaschau, Czechoslovakia- the first concentration camp at which Elie and his father arrive. It is here that they see the rest of their family for the last time. Auschwitz, Poland- home of a concentration camp Birkenau, Poland- The Wiesel’s arrive here in 5/1944 Buchenwald, Germany- home of a concentration camp where Elie and his father are taken in 1/1945 JEWISH TERMS Hasidic: a strict observer of Jewish law and tradition Talmud: Biblical book of Jewish law and tradition Torah: the first five books of the Bible Cabbala: a mystical interpretation of Scripture and Jewish law (Zohar is the classic text of the Cabbala) Zionism: a movement in support for the Jewish National State of Israel Kaddish: Jewish prayer of (and for) the dead Ghetto: section of a city in which members of an ethic, racial, or economic group live or are restricted to Gestapo: the Nazi SS, or secret police Kapos: prisoners who supervised other prisoners in return for special privileges Passover: Jewish holiday observing the exodus of the Jews from captivity in Egypt Rosh Hashanah: Jewish holiday that marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement, occurring nine days after Rosh Hashanah GERMAN TERMS S.S.- abbreviation of Schutzstaffell (Protective Echelon- protection staff) the black-uniformed elite corps and self-descried “political soldiers” of the Nazi Party (from 1929-1945 it was headed by Heinrich Himmler) that had 50,000 by 1933. Kapo- prisoner assigned by SS guards to supervise labor Dutch Oberkapo- head kapo TIMELINE 9/30/1928- Elie is born in Sighet, Romania, which later becomes part of Hungary 3/1933- Adolf Hitler is elected Chancellor of Germany; Heinrich Himmler opens Dachau, a death camp, near Munich, Germany 7/1937- Buchenwald concentration camp opens 9/1939- Germany invades Poland 4/1940- Germany captures Norway and Denmark. A concentration camp opens in Auschwitz, Poland 9/1941- At Auschwitz, Germans begin using poison gas 3/1943- Himmler initiates the use of crematoria in Auschwitz 5/1944- The Wiesel’s arrive at camp in Birkenau, Poland Summer 1944- Elie and his father are sent to Auschwitz 1/1945- Elie and his father are taken to Buchenwald, Germany. Russian forces liberate Auschwitz 4/1945- American troops free inmates at Dachau and Buchenwald camps 1947- Elie enters the Sorbonne to study Philosophy 1955- Elie is encouraged to write about his incarceration in a death camp 1956- Elie enters the U.S. 1960- Elis publishes the English version of Night 1986- Elie receives the Nobel Peace Prize .