The Courage of Le Chambon

The story I got was 'The Courage of Le Chambon'. This short reading is about the people of Le Chambon and how they turned their community into a hiding place for jews from all over Europe. They didn't call themselves heroes because they believed that it was something they had to do. They knew having the Jews there was a big risk but they still did it and they all refused to let the Nazis go in. I was really amazed by how a group of people could be so courageous and say no to the Nazis. It makes me think that that always happens, there are always good and bad people and you decide who you want to be with and of course who you want to be like. The people from Le Chambon didn't have to help those Jews, but they still did it because they believed that we are all brothers and we must help each other in good and bad times.

"Victory" By Sonia Weitz

The poem I chose to write about is “Victory”, by Sonia Weitz. This poem is about Sonia’s first and last dance with her father in the concentration camp. It is pretty emotional, the words she used and the way she arranged them give the poem sadness, but also a tiny bit of joy. Joy, because despite all the chaos and horror around them, they were able to have a moment of happiness and love. I really like how Sonia set up the last three lines of the poem. She arranged them in a way that shows how time is running out and that sooner or later her father would be sent to the gas chamber and eventually die. Of course there is not such thing I can compare to her experience but the immense love for her father reminds me of something I have. It gets me teary when I think of how I would feel if that happens to me, first they take my mother away and then after all I’ve suffered, they want to take my dad as well! I wouldn’t be able to take such pain. Her experience makes me think ‘I’m so lucky!’. I have all my family at home, we are not being threatened and we are free, free to live and die when our time comes.

Adolf Hitler's Rise to Power

The question most people ask is 'How is it that Hitler took over Germany?'. Well, first of all, Hitler was a very lucky man. He had many opportunities to brainwash German people and slowly gain more and more popularity. Here are two events that helped Adolf Hitler rise from being a homeless artist to chancellor of Germany.

The German Hyperinflation

German people suffered a lot when they were forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles. First came the hyperinflation. The German money wasn't worth anything, due to the fact that Germany was forced to pay a huge amount of money to the Allied Forces in order to make reparations. Hitler saw this as a great opportunity. He created a political party offering workers work and things he saw Germans would be interested in. His speeches impressed some but the majority didn't take him seriously. Until things got worse and they were forced to look for a solution for their economical problem.

The Reichstag Fire

At this period of time Hitler had already gained lots of popularity and power. In 1933 there was a suspicious fire in The Reichstag. Hitler saw this a great opportunity to get rid of his biggest rival, the communists. He blamed the fire on them and got away with it. Communists started getting arrested and sent to concentration camps. After this Hitler made the Nazi Party the only political party in Germany.

New Nazi Laws In Germany

1) Who could now be defined as a "Jew"?

People couldn't only be identified as a Jew just because of their religious belief, but also anyone who had three or four Jewish grandparents. It did not matter if the person was christian what mattered was if they had any bit of Jewish blood.

2) What was meant by "Aryanizing" Jewish Businesses?

What was meant by "Aryanizing" Jewish Businesses was that Jewish managers and workers were fired and then replaced by Non-Jewish germans who then bargained prices that had been fixed by Nazis.

3) How were Jews who were professionals (lawyers, doctors, etc.) restricted?

The restriction professional Jews had was that Jewish doctors were prohibited to treat non-Jews, and Jewish lawyers were not allowed to practice law.

4) What did Jewish identity cards need to include now?

Jewish identity cards needed to include a red "J" stamped on it, and Jews also needed new middle names like "Israel" for males and "Sara" for females.These type of cards helped the police identify who was a Jew and who wasn't.

5) What was the "Law of the Protection of the Hereditary Health of the German People"?

This law requires all engaged people to adquire a certifucate of fitness to marry from the heath authorities. These certificates were refused to those suffering from "hereditary illnesses" and contagious diseases and those attempting to marry in violation of the Nuremberg Laws.

Targeting The Communists And Other Social Parties

1) What are Civil Rights? What are some we have?

Civil rights are the rights of the civilian, in other words the rights you have for leaving in an specific country. Some rights we have are the right to vote and freedom of speech.

2) Why might some of Hitler's measures in abolishing personal freedoms and Civil Rights be seen by some as a positive, or necessary move?

I think that perhaps some of Hitler's measurements in abolishing personal freedoms and civil rights might have been seen as positive by some due to the fact that they were in crisis and they believed that Hitler was going to get them out of there so they wanted to stop anyone from interfering in Hitler's plan to bring them back up.