Holocaust Testimonials, Ethics, And Aesthetics

Many characters’ lives are enveloped by a mental issue and they are a representation for these issues. Art covers these multiple issues. The Holocaust affected millions of people and of these millions, Vladek, Anja, and Mala all were left with

Throughout the years curiosity regarding the holocaust has become more evident in the 21st century as people across the globe anxiously learn about the events that took place in Germany during World War II. The importance of this event is not only being taught to Americans and people of the Jewish religion, but it is also being taught in other parts of the world. The popularity of knowledge being obtained regarding the holocaust grows: books, documentaries, and poems. Poems, like that of William Heyen’s “The Trains”, are being introduced to the generations in the 21st century. Heyen pinpoints the curiosity of his audience to make them want to learn about the holocaust

By comparing, analyzing and questioning the validity of Maus I and II, Night, Night and Fog, nonfictional historical accounts and a poem, called Already Embraced by the Arm of Heavenly Solace, found in Europe in the Contemporary World, Schindler’s List and the Return to Auschwitz we may determine to what degree these sources serve to advance humanity’s understanding of the holocaust. The holocaust can be explained as the historical event in which the Nazi’s, who came to power in Germany in January 1933, and its collaborators murdered and persecuted approximately six million Jews. This came about because of the German belief that they were “racially superior” and the Jews were an alien threat to the German state. For humanity to advance in

In contemporary society, our knowledge of the past is articulated through the interplay between history and memory, which work to expose the elusive truths of the past, and exemplify the strength of humanity. Richard White, a historian, posits; “History is the enemy of memory...History forges weapons from what memory has forgotten or suppressed.” This definition postulates that there is an inevitable dichotomy between the accretion of factual evidence and the subjectivity of personal experience by shaping the collective past of humanity. However, as indicated by Mark Baker’s memoir, The Fiftieth Gate and Cathy Wilcox’s Cartoon, both of which explore perceptions of the Holocaust through an array of unique and evocative literary

Literature helps us remember the past and honor the victims of the Holocaust in many contrasting ways. “The Grand Mosque of Paris”, an explanatory text by Karen Ruelle, “A Great Adventure in the Shadow of a War” , a reflective essay by Mary Helen Dirkx, “ The Diary of a Young Girl”, a diary excerpt by Anne Frank, “The Diary of Anne Frank”, an autobiography by Anne Frank, the “Acceptance Speech for the Nobel Peace Prize”, a speech by Elie Wiesel, and “Maus”, a graphic novel by Art Spiegelman all present the past in different ways to help us honor the victims of the Holocaust.

Despite these challenges it’s important recognize the vast improvements and efforts teachers all over Germany are making to better educate their students about the Holocaust. For example, teachers help to foster empathy and personalize the Holocaust through the reading and analysis of contemporary Holocaust literature and non-fiction (e.g. writings by Primo Levi, Imre Kertescz, and Günter Grass). These works serve to not only represent he victims of the Holocaust but also the bystanders, perpetrators, and their descendants which help to communicate the German guilt that is so often left out of public discourse. Additionally, many teachers use artwork by Holocaust victims to allow students to visualize the suffferings endured during the Holocaust and raise questions of what the artists were trying to convey through the art (Holocaust Task Force). More interactive components have be incorporated into modern Holocaust education such as visits to former concentration camps and guest speakers who were often Holocaust survivors or community members alive during WWII. Through these approaches teachers are providing not only

Individuals in this world today, who was affected by the Holocaust in some way would be affected more if they didn’t even know the truth. If history was not recorded, the world would be different than from what it is today. Literature helps people see the damage done by using truth while giving an emotional connection to the Holocaust victims.

In public discourse surrounding an event like the Holocaust, it is not uncommon for one to want to summarize the event in some abstract concept, be it positive or negative. This type of thinking is especially prevalent in the conclusions drawn by those reading literary works relating to the Holocaust, in which the stories are so entrenched with stereotypes of suffering and the equivocal life-lessons that they lead to a rather shallow understanding of an emotive and difficult subject. This is not to say that drawing these types of conclusions is wrong or especially invalid, but rather the process of projecting these lessons onto the story without developing their further implications speaks to a superficial longing of externalizing the

Reading historical sources is an important and fundamental way of learning from history because it provides different perspectives of a particular event. If historians and scholars were to draw from one particular source, then they would have a limited perspective of an event that occurred. Therefore, this is why many different sources need to be integrated into learning about a particular subject. While learning about the Holocaust, my Professor, Gordon Dueck, has used Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night, Laurent Binet’s novel, HHhH, and Norman Goda’s historical overview, The Holocaust: Europe, the World, and the Jews, 1918 – 1945, to teach us about the Holocaust. This paper will discuss the different forms of Holocaust representation that I have learned about and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of memoirs, novels, and historical overviews while learning about the Holocaust.

A central role in this judicial proceeding was played by eyewitnesses, who during their testimonies created a very intense and emotional atmosphere in the courtroom. In this trial testified 44 male and 25 female eyewitnesses, among them also Lithuanian Jews, who survived the mass atrocities during the Holocaust. Historian Faraldo claimed that the antifascist memorial policy allowed “different feelings and narratives to be expressed.” Similarly, historian Lisa Kirschenbaum noticed that these war narratives “drew on experiences remembered by individuals while providing those who lived through the war with compelling and uplifting frameworks for narrating – and therefore remembering – their own experiences.” Many eyewitnesses, who saw the scene of a crime, and survivors, including those who crawled out from the death pits, could remember in the courtroom very exactly the names,

The artistic representation of the Holocaust has created a controversial dialog that revolves around ethical, moral, and historical questions. Is art an accurate representation of the trauma and events that had occurred during the Holocaust? If it is, which mediums are the best in which to represent with? The purpose of art is to evoke strong feelings in the viewer, to create questions about society, and to depict the argument of the artist. Since art - be it a painting, a sculpture, a poem or a novel - is subjective, using it to represent the Holocaust has benefits but also restrictions. Portraying the lived experiences of survivors from an objective point of view is difficult as the horrors faced cannot be accurately captured; however, using art to express a traumatic experience for many people is a safe, therapeutic way of coping. This expression is highly individualized and therefore cannot represent the Holocaust as one cohesive experience. If the Holocaust is to be represented through artistic mediums such as a creative piece of writing, it must be supplemented with historical knowledge and be subjected to criticism.

The topic of the Holocaust is a broad and gruesome one; maybe it is because of the horrors that happened that people still write about it, to try to understand what happened, and how it did. Regardless, Elie Wiesel explains why he, as a Holocaust survivor, writes within his essay “Why I Write: Making No Become Yes”. He writes that perhaps it is “…in order not to go mad.” or “to touch the bottom of madness.” These two possible reasons are quite different from each other, yet they share a similar topic, this is similarly true about Elie Wiesel’s essay and Harry Weinberg’s short story “A Letter to Harvey Milk” The similarities and differences in these two works shows the varying ways people cope with similar past experience, the impact those memories can have on their lives, and the effect sharing those experiences can have on them.

A powerful and provocative graphic novel, Maus, generates a Jewish individual’s life of grotesque and horror. With its ability of perception and interpretation, it tackles the main points of the ominous Holocaust and delivers a spooky aura to the absorbed audience. In comparison to Schindler’s List, the graphic novel shines brightly than the pale movie due to its realism and humor that is constantly present throughout the storyline. The novel has the ability to connect to the audience; thus, it gives an in-depth look and overall comprehension of the massacre that Spiegelman is trying to communicate. The graphic novel, Maus by Art Spiegelman, brings an honest account of the Holocaust to a wide audience because of its historical truth and intriguing viewpoints and characters that shows the effect and process of the genocide.

The books Maus I and Maus II, written by Art Spiegelman over a thirteen-year period from 1978-1991, are books that on the surface are written about the Holocaust. The books specifically relate to the author’s father’s experiences pre and post-war as well as his experiences in Auschwitz. The book also explores the author’s very complex relationship between himself and his father, and how the Holocaust further complicates this relationship. On a deeper level the book also dances around the idea of victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. The two books are presented in a very interesting way; they are shown in comic form, which provides the ability for Spiegelman to incorporate numerous ideas and complexities to his work.

The outcome of the Holocaust impacted literature in such a powerful way that it resonates through history and reminds us of the wrong that has happened in the past. Literature of the Holocaust consists of diaries or letters that were written in the concentration camps and were kept safe and were ultimately made into books. Myriad of authors since the Holocaust have realized their stories could make an impact for future generations to come and have released their personal stories to educate and promote awareness. Authors such as Anne Frank a 14-year-old teenage girl, Elie Wiesel a survivor of the Holocaust, and Art Spiegelman child of survivors of the Holocaust have all released meaningful literature that has embodied the way we view what happened