Elie WieselElie WieselThe Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize

19861986

• born in 1928 born in 1928 • Sighet, HungarySighet, Hungary• now Romania. now Romania. • Wiesel and his two older sisters Wiesel and his two older sisters

survived. survived. • Liberated from Buchenwald in 1945 by Liberated from Buchenwald in 1945 by

advancing Allied troopsadvancing Allied troops• Paris to work as a journalist.Paris to work as a journalist.

• outspoken on Soviet Jewry, on outspoken on Soviet Jewry, on Ethiopian Jewry and on behalf of the Ethiopian Jewry and on behalf of the State of Israel today.State of Israel today.

• New York City and is now a United New York City and is now a United States citizen. States citizen.

• Yale University, City College of New Yale University, City College of New York, Boston University.York, Boston University.

• Elie Wiesel's statement, "...to remain Elie Wiesel's statement, "...to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all...“ sin of all...“

• 36 works dealing with Judaism, the 36 works dealing with Judaism, the Holocaust, and the moral Holocaust, and the moral responsibility of all people to fight responsibility of all people to fight hatred, racism and genocide. hatred, racism and genocide.

• TIMELINE-----TIMELINE-----

• 1928--born in Sighet, Romania 1928--born in Sighet, Romania

• 1944 deported to Auschwitz1944 deported to Auschwitz

• Jan. 1945 father dies in Jan. 1945 father dies in BuchenwaldBuchenwald

• Apr.1945 liberated from Apr.1945 liberated from concentration campconcentration camp

• 1948 moved to Paris to study at 1948 moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne the Sorbonne

• 1948 work in journalism begins 1948 work in journalism begins

• 1954 decides to write about the 1954 decides to write about the Holocaust Holocaust

• 1958 1958 NightNight is published is published

• 1963 receives U.S. citizenship1963 receives U.S. citizenship

• 1964 returned to Sighet 1964 returned to Sighet

• 1965 first trip to Russia 1965 first trip to Russia

• 1966 publishes 1966 publishes Jews of SilenceJews of Silence

• 1969 married Marion Rose 1969 married Marion Rose

• 1972 son is born 1972 son is born

• 1978 appointed chair of 1978 appointed chair of Presidential Commission on the Presidential Commission on the HolocaustHolocaust

• 1980 Commission renamed U.S. 1980 Commission renamed U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council Holocaust Memorial Council

• 1985 awarded Congressional Gold 1985 awarded Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement Medal of Achievement

• 1986 awarded Nobel Peace Prize1986 awarded Nobel Peace Prize• 1995--publishes memoirs 1995--publishes memoirs

Section OneSection OneSummarySummary

• In 1941, Eliezer, the narrator, is a twelve-In 1941, Eliezer, the narrator, is a twelve-year-old boy living in the Transylvanian year-old boy living in the Transylvanian town of Sighet (then recently annexed to town of Sighet (then recently annexed to Hungary, now part of Romania). Hungary, now part of Romania).

• Orthodox Jewish familyOrthodox Jewish family• Shopkeepers, highly respected within Shopkeepers, highly respected within

Sighet’s Jewish community. Sighet’s Jewish community. • Eliezer has two older sisters, Hilda and Eliezer has two older sisters, Hilda and

Béa, and a younger sister named Tzipora.Béa, and a younger sister named Tzipora.

• Eliezer studies the Talmud, the Eliezer studies the Talmud, the Jewish oral law. Jewish oral law.

• Cabbala (often spelled Kabbalah) Cabbala (often spelled Kabbalah) Jewish mystical textsJewish mystical texts

• Moshe the Beadle, a local pauper.Moshe the Beadle, a local pauper.• Moshe is deported and returns. Moshe is deported and returns. • The town takes him for a lunatic and The town takes him for a lunatic and

refuses to believe his story.refuses to believe his story.

• In the spring of 1944, the Hungarian In the spring of 1944, the Hungarian government falls into the hands of government falls into the hands of the Fascists. the Fascists.

• anti-Semitism beyond Budapestanti-Semitism beyond Budapest

• the community leaders are arrested, the community leaders are arrested, Jewish valuables are confiscated, and Jewish valuables are confiscated, and all Jews are forced to wear yellow all Jews are forced to wear yellow stars. stars.

• small ghettos small ghettos

• a gentile named Martha offers to a gentile named Martha offers to hide them in her village. hide them in her village.

• Tragically, they decline the offer. A Tragically, they decline the offer. A few days later, herded onto cattle few days later, herded onto cattle cars bound for Auschwitz.cars bound for Auschwitz.

AnalysisAnalysis

• Why did the Jews stay? Why did the Jews stay? • inability to acknowledge the cruelty of inability to acknowledge the cruelty of

humanshumans• Focus on relationship with father Focus on relationship with father

– father is a burden to him father is a burden to him – and his guiltand his guilt

• preserve the memory of the Jewish preserve the memory of the Jewish tradition through his father. tradition through his father.

• laments the loss of this traditionlaments the loss of this tradition

• later struggle with his faith. later struggle with his faith.

• ““Oh God, Lord of the Universe, take Oh God, Lord of the Universe, take pity upon us….” pity upon us….”

• loss of faithloss of faith

• cannot believe God who would allow cannot believe God who would allow such suffering.such suffering.

• the most horrible of the Nazis’ deeds the most horrible of the Nazis’ deeds

• metaphorical murder of God. metaphorical murder of God.

• theodicy—how God can exist and theodicy—how God can exist and permit such evil. permit such evil.

• NightNight chronicles Eliezer’s loss of chronicles Eliezer’s loss of innocence, innocence,

• his confrontation with evil, his confrontation with evil,

• and his questioning of God’s and his questioning of God’s existence.existence.

Section TwoSection TwoSummarySummary

•Cattle cars, Cattle cars, •unbearable conditions. unbearable conditions. •no air, the heat, no room to no air, the heat, no room to

sit, sit, •and everyone is hungry and and everyone is hungry and

thirsty. thirsty.

• loss their sense of public loss their sense of public decorum. decorum. – Like MORP dancingLike MORP dancing

•Flirting and ignoringFlirting and ignoring•Hand over valuables or get shot. Hand over valuables or get shot. •The doors to the car are nailed The doors to the car are nailed

shut, further preventing escape.shut, further preventing escape.

•Madame Schächter, Madame Schächter, – soon cracks under the soon cracks under the

oppressive treatment oppressive treatment – begins to scream begins to scream – sees a fire in the darkness sees a fire in the darkness

outside the car. outside the car.

•she is tied up and gaggedshe is tied up and gagged

• reached Auschwitz station. reached Auschwitz station. • name means nothing name means nothing • bribe locals to get news. bribe locals to get news. • labor camp where they will be labor camp where they will be

treated well treated well • and kept together as families. and kept together as families. • a relief, a relief, • False hope killsFalse hope kills

• Madame Schächter again Madame Schächter again • she is beaten into silence. she is beaten into silence. • everybody sees the chimneys of vast everybody sees the chimneys of vast

furnaces. furnaces. • a terrible, a terrible, • but undefined, odor in the airbut undefined, odor in the air• burning human flesh. burning human flesh. • Birkenau, the processing center for Birkenau, the processing center for

arrivals at Auschwitz.arrivals at Auschwitz.

AnalysisAnalysis

• inhuman cruelty can deprive sense of inhuman cruelty can deprive sense of morality morality

• and humanity. and humanity. • treating the Jews as less than human = treating the Jews as less than human = • Inhuman actInhuman act s s• ——cruelty breeds cruelty, cruelty breeds cruelty, • treated like animals, treated like animals, • begin to begin to actact like animals. like animals.

•The first hint – The first hint – •loss of modesty loss of modesty •and sense of sexual and sense of sexual

inhibition. inhibition. •beat Madame Schächter beat Madame Schächter •others vocally supportothers vocally support

• continual denial . . . continual denial . . .

• merely a work camp. merely a work camp.

• almost too awful a story to conveyalmost too awful a story to convey

•sanity and insanity sanity and insanity

•The crazy, sees clearly into the The crazy, sees clearly into the future, future,

•other Jews, the sane, fail to other Jews, the sane, fail to foresee their fate. foresee their fate.

•sanity and insanity become sanity and insanity become confused in the face of atrocity.confused in the face of atrocity.

• the extermination of six million Jews the extermination of six million Jews efficiently and methodically. efficiently and methodically.

• The world would never sit back and The world would never sit back and let this happen . . . let this happen . . .

•fiction and memoir. fiction and memoir. •breaks conventions of fiction breaks conventions of fiction

writing writing – For example, separated from For example, separated from

his mother and sister, Eliezer’s his mother and sister, Eliezer’s mother and sister are never mother and sister are never mentioned again in mentioned again in Night.Night.

•first-person narration first-person narration

•powerful immediacy of powerful immediacy of emotion. emotion.

•limited perspective limited perspective

•and lack of knowledge and lack of knowledge

•all the more terrifying. all the more terrifying.

• the beginnings of doubt: “Why the beginnings of doubt: “Why should I bless His name?” Eliezer should I bless His name?” Eliezer asks, “What had I to thank Him for?” asks, “What had I to thank Him for?”

• Akiba Drumer, whose faith in divine Akiba Drumer, whose faith in divine redemption raises the prisoners’ redemption raises the prisoners’ spirits.spirits.

• the beginning of his loss of faith in the beginning of his loss of faith in man. man.

• The guard beats his father The guard beats his father

• guiltily silent. guiltily silent.

• silence in the face of evil allows evil silence in the face of evil allows evil to survive.to survive.

•the most famous, and the the most famous, and the most moving, paragraphs in most moving, paragraphs in all of all of Night.Night.

•Eliezer looks back on his first Eliezer looks back on his first night in Birkenau and night in Birkenau and describes not only what he describes not only what he felt at the time but also the felt at the time but also the lasting impact of that night:lasting impact of that night:

• Never shall I forget that night . . . which has Never shall I forget that night . . . which has turned my life into one long night . . . .turned my life into one long night . . . .Never shall I forget those flames which Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.consumed my faith forever.Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God. . . . Never shall I forget these murdered my God. . . . Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.God Himself. Never.

• repetition of “Never shall I forget” repetition of “Never shall I forget”

• forever burned into his mind. forever burned into his mind.

• personal mantra for Wieselpersonal mantra for Wiesel

•the child’s murder the child’s murder •symbolically enacts the murder of God. symbolically enacts the murder of God. •God must not exist in a world where an God must not exist in a world where an

innocent child can be hanged on the innocent child can be hanged on the gallows. gallows.

•““Where is He?” Where is He?” •Eliezer asks rhetorically, and then Eliezer asks rhetorically, and then

answers, answers, •““He is hanging here on this gallows.”He is hanging here on this gallows.”

•the death of Eliezer’s own the death of Eliezer’s own innocence. innocence.

•He has lost his faithHe has lost his faith

•Beginning to lose his sense of Beginning to lose his sense of morals and values as well. morals and values as well.

•Eliezer’s dominant goal. Eliezer’s dominant goal.

•only to feed himself. only to feed himself.

•angry at his father for failing angry at his father for failing to learnto learn

• sheer luck. sheer luck.

• disrespectful of the memories of disrespectful of the memories of those millions who did not survive.those millions who did not survive.

Final SummaryFinal Summary

• High Holidays are the time of divine judgment. High Holidays are the time of divine judgment.

• Rosh Hashanah like sheep before the Rosh Hashanah like sheep before the shepherdshepherd

• the SS (Nazi police) performs a selection on the SS (Nazi police) performs a selection on the prisoners at Buna. the prisoners at Buna.

• Dr. Mengele, the notoriously cruel Nazi doctorDr. Mengele, the notoriously cruel Nazi doctor

•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mengele • God’s roleGod’s role

• the Holocaust tests father-son bondsthe Holocaust tests father-son bonds

• the Binding of Isaac, known in Hebrew as the Binding of Isaac, known in Hebrew as the Akedahthe Akedah

• NightNight reverses the Akedah story—the reverses the Akedah story—the father is sacrificed so that his son might father is sacrificed so that his son might live. live.

• God fails to appear to save the sacrificial God fails to appear to save the sacrificial victim at the last moment. victim at the last moment.

• God is powerless, or silent.God is powerless, or silent.

• must record the events of the must record the events of the Holocaust, honor his father’s Holocaust, honor his father’s memory, and repay his sacrifice.memory, and repay his sacrifice.

• not limited to the Holocaust—not limited to the Holocaust—humanity has an unimaginably humanity has an unimaginably wicked streak in it.wicked streak in it.

• ““I’ve got more faith in Hitler than in I’ve got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He’s the only one who’s kept anyone else. He’s the only one who’s kept his promises . . . to the Jewish people.” his promises . . . to the Jewish people.”

• Akiba Drumer’s death Akiba Drumer’s death • humankind requires faith and hope to humankind requires faith and hope to

live. live. • the the Kaddish,Kaddish, the prayer for the dead the prayer for the dead• betrayal not just of God but also of his betrayal not just of God but also of his

fellow human beings. fellow human beings.

• All Rivers Run to the Sea,All Rivers Run to the Sea, Wiesel speaks at far Wiesel speaks at far greater length about his religious feelings after greater length about his religious feelings after the Holocaust. the Holocaust.

• ““My anger rises up within faith and not outside My anger rises up within faith and not outside it,” he writes. “I had seen too much suffering it,” he writes. “I had seen too much suffering to break with the past and reject the heritage to break with the past and reject the heritage of those who had suffered.” of those who had suffered.”

• His narrator, Eliezer, unable to reject the His narrator, Eliezer, unable to reject the Jewish tradition and the Jewish God Jewish tradition and the Jewish God completely, even though he declares his loss completely, even though he declares his loss of faithof faith

• ends with Eliezer a shattered young ends with Eliezer a shattered young man, faithless and without hope for man, faithless and without hope for himself or for humanityhimself or for humanity

• The mere fact of writing The mere fact of writing NightNight seems seems to conflict with Eliezer’s to conflict with Eliezer’s hopelessness.hopelessness.

• Buchenwald has fatally weakened Buchenwald has fatally weakened Eliezer’s father. Eliezer’s father.

• he sits in the snow and refuses to he sits in the snow and refuses to move. move.

• Eliezer’s father is afflicted with Eliezer’s father is afflicted with dysentery, dysentery,

• extremely dangerous to give water extremely dangerous to give water to a man with dysentery. to a man with dysentery.

• The prisoners steal his food and beat The prisoners steal his food and beat him. him.

• Eliezer’s father again cries for water, the Eliezer’s father again cries for water, the SS officer screams at Eliezer’s father to SS officer screams at Eliezer’s father to shut up, beats him in the head shut up, beats him in the head

• The next morning, January 29, 1945, The next morning, January 29, 1945, Eliezer wakes up to find that his father has Eliezer wakes up to find that his father has been taken to the crematory. been taken to the crematory.

• To his deep shame, he does not cry. To his deep shame, he does not cry. Instead, he feels relief.Instead, he feels relief.

Final TimelineFinal Timeline

• On April 5, with the American army approaching, the On April 5, with the American army approaching, the Nazis decide to annihilate all the Jews left in the Nazis decide to annihilate all the Jews left in the camp. camp.

• On April 10, with about 20,000 people remaining in On April 10, with about 20,000 people remaining in the camp, the Nazis decide to evacuate—and kill—the camp, the Nazis decide to evacuate—and kill—everyone left in the camp.everyone left in the camp.

• on April 11, the American army arrives at on April 11, the American army arrives at Buchenwald. Buchenwald.

• Eliezer is struck with food poisoning and spends Eliezer is struck with food poisoning and spends weeks in the hospital, deathly ill. weeks in the hospital, deathly ill.

• When he finally raises himself and looks in the mirrorWhen he finally raises himself and looks in the mirror—he has not seen himself in a mirror since leaving —he has not seen himself in a mirror since leaving Sighet—he is shocked: “From the depths of the Sighet—he is shocked: “From the depths of the mirror,” Wiesel writes, “a corpse gazed back at me.”mirror,” Wiesel writes, “a corpse gazed back at me.”

NightNight Study Guide Notes Study Guide Notes

• There are five motifs to look for while There are five motifs to look for while reading reading NightNight::– Night – pay attention to what happens at Night – pay attention to what happens at

night and what that might symbolize. night and what that might symbolize. Remember what we learned when we talked Remember what we learned when we talked about archetypes and what night might about archetypes and what night might symbolize.symbolize.

– Bearing Witness – Pay attention to which Bearing Witness – Pay attention to which characters are witnesses and to what they characters are witnesses and to what they bear witness.bear witness.

NightNight Study Guide Notes Study Guide Notes

• Motifs (continued):Motifs (continued):– Father-son Relationships – Pay attention Father-son Relationships – Pay attention

to how Elie and his father’s relationship to how Elie and his father’s relationship develops; in addition, notice other develops; in addition, notice other father-son relationships in the book.father-son relationships in the book.

– Loss of faith – Notice how Elie’s faith in Loss of faith – Notice how Elie’s faith in God changes as the book progresses. God changes as the book progresses. Write on your study guides where these Write on your study guides where these changes occur.changes occur.

NightNight Study Guide Notes Study Guide Notes

• Motifs (continued):Motifs (continued):– Voice vs. Silence – Who has a voice and Voice vs. Silence – Who has a voice and

who chooses to remain silent? Why who chooses to remain silent? Why might Elie Wiesel title his novel what he might Elie Wiesel title his novel what he did originally, and why did he no longer did originally, and why did he no longer remain silent?remain silent?

Interesting FactInteresting Fact• In Poland, 90% of the approximately In Poland, 90% of the approximately

3,000,000 Jews were murdered in the 3,000,000 Jews were murdered in the Holocaust.Holocaust.

NationalsozialismusNationalsozialismus

SwastikaSwastika

It is composed of It is composed of su- meaning "good, well" and meaning "good, well" and asti "to be" suasti thus asti "to be" suasti thus means "well-being." means "well-being."

The The Third ReichThird ReichEin Volk, ein Reich, ein

Führer

SchutzstaffelSchutzstaffel

GeGeheime heime StaStaatsatspopolizei, lizei, "Secret State Police"Secret State Police

KristallnachtKristallnacht

Night of the Long KnivesNight of the Long Knives

Antisemitism

Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler

Heinrich Luitpold Heinrich Luitpold HimmlerHimmler

Erwin RommelErwin Rommel

Joseph GoebellsJoseph Goebells

•Reich Minister of Propaganda in in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. from 1933 to 1945.

• one of one of Adolf Hitler's closest 's closest associates associates

• zealous oratorzealous orator

• and anti-Semitic.and anti-Semitic.

• Major influences Major influences

• Friedrich Nietzsche,Friedrich Nietzsche,

• Oswald Spengler and, Oswald Spengler and,

• most importantly, most importantly,

• Houston Stewart Chamberlain, Houston Stewart Chamberlain,

• one of the founders of "scientific" anti-one of the founders of "scientific" anti-Semitism, Semitism,

• The Foundations of the Nineteenth CenturyThe Foundations of the Nineteenth Century

•The Goebbels family in 1942: (back row) Hildegard, Harald Quandt, Helga; (front row) Helmut, Hedwig, Magda, Heidrun, Joseph and Holdine

• At 8 pm on the evening of 1 May, At 8 pm on the evening of 1 May, Goebbels arranged for an SS dentist, Goebbels arranged for an SS dentist, Helmut Kunz, to kill his six children Helmut Kunz, to kill his six children by injecting them with morphine and by injecting them with morphine and then, when they were unconscious, then, when they were unconscious, crushing an ampule of cyanide in crushing an ampule of cyanide in each of their mouths.each of their mouths.[100][100]

• "At about 8:15 pm, Goebbels arose "At about 8:15 pm, Goebbels arose from the table, put on his hat, coat from the table, put on his hat, coat and gloves and, taking his wife's and gloves and, taking his wife's arm, went upstairs to the garden." arm, went upstairs to the garden." Shortly after Goebbels and his wife Shortly after Goebbels and his wife committed suicide . . . Their bodies committed suicide . . . Their bodies were immediately burned . . . were immediately burned . . .

• On May 3, 1945, the day after Soviet On May 3, 1945, the day after Soviet troops led by Lt. Col. Ivan Klimenko troops led by Lt. Col. Ivan Klimenko had discovered the burned bodies of had discovered the burned bodies of their parents in the courtyard above, their parents in the courtyard above, they found the bodies of the six they found the bodies of the six children in their beds, dressed in children in their beds, dressed in their nightgowns, the girls wearing their nightgowns, the girls wearing bows in their hair.bows in their hair.[29][29]

• "What he seemed to fear more than "What he seemed to fear more than anything else was a death devoid of anything else was a death devoid of dramatic effects. To the end he was dramatic effects. To the end he was what he had always been: the what he had always been: the propagandist for himself. Whatever he propagandist for himself. Whatever he thought or did was always based on this thought or did was always based on this one agonizing wish for self-exaltation, one agonizing wish for self-exaltation, and this same object was served by the and this same object was served by the murder of his children ... murder of his children ...

• They were the last victims of an They were the last victims of an egomania extending beyond the egomania extending beyond the grave. However, this deed, too, failed grave. However, this deed, too, failed to make him the figure of tragic to make him the figure of tragic destiny he had hoped to become; it destiny he had hoped to become; it merely gave his end a touch of merely gave his end a touch of repulsive irony."[107]repulsive irony."[107]