How Did The Holocaust Dehumanized
Did you know that the Holocaust killed more than 6 million Jews? Of those, 1.1 million were kids. It was a period in history when Jews were religiously discriminated. It was 12 years before the genocide ended. In NIght, Jews were dehumanized both in Sighet and in the concentration camps. Jews were dehumanized in Sighet by the Nazi’s hurting them verbally and taking their valuables away. First, the Jews were given yellow stars to distinguish them from the others. Elie states, “...a new decree: every Jew had to wear the yellow star “ (pg 11). This made the Jews feel ashamed of their religion. They felt like being a Jew was a crime that they were committing. Secondly, the Nazi’s threatened the Jews and yelled at them verbally. The Nazi’s said,
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First, the Jews were given a number to tell them apart since they all looked alike. Elie says, “I became A-7713...then on I had no other name” (pg 42). This is a way someone would number a product or an item. The Jews were slowly losing their uniqueness. The Germans were trying to make all of them alike. Next, the Jews were separated from their families. Elie states, “I could see my mother and sisters move to the right...walking further and further away….where I was leaving my mother and Tzipora forever” (pg 29). Now, the Jews don’t have the freedom to be with their loved ones. The Nazi’s are not respecting the value humans have for relationships and just parting family without even a final goodbye. Finally, the Germans sent Jews on cattle cars with open tops. Elie mentions, “An infinitely long train composed of roofless cattle cars...SS shoved us inside, a hundred per car: we were so skinny!” (pg 97) The Jews were forced to be squished and starving while cold snow poured on them from the roofless cattle car! This is definitely considered as torturing someone. They were treated like packages being transported. Humans are not supposed to be treated that way. The Jews lost most of their identity and everything that made them who they were in the concentration camps. All these quotes provide evidence that Jews were dehumanized throughout the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel is teaching readers
First, the Jews were given a number to tell them apart since they all looked alike. Elie says, “I became A-7713...then on I had no other name” (pg 42). This is a way someone would number a product or an item. The Jews were slowly losing their uniqueness. The Germans were trying to make all of them alike. Next, the Jews were separated from their families. Elie states, “I could see my mother and sisters move to the right...walking further and further away….where I was leaving my mother and Tzipora forever” (pg 29). Now, the Jews don’t have the freedom to be with their loved ones. The Nazi’s are not respecting the value humans have for relationships and just parting family without even a final goodbye. Finally, the Germans sent Jews on cattle cars with open tops. Elie mentions, “An infinitely long train composed of roofless cattle cars...SS shoved us inside, a hundred per car: we were so skinny!” (pg 97) The Jews were forced to be squished and starving while cold snow poured on them from the roofless cattle car! This is definitely considered as torturing someone. They were treated like packages being transported. Humans are not supposed to be treated that way. The Jews lost most of their identity and everything that made them who they were in the concentration camps. All these quotes provide evidence that Jews were dehumanized throughout the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel is teaching readers