holocoust
Historically, the word holocaust meant a religious rite in which an offering was completely consumed by fire. In current times, however, the word holocaust has taken on a darker more tragic meaning and refers to more than a religious sacrifice. During World War II, a fire raged throughout Eastern Europe. Guns, bombs, and military groups did not ignite this fire. This fire burned fervently in the hearts of men -- sparked by centuries-old prejudice. One man, Adolf Hitler, took this flicker of hatred and fanned the flames. Hitler energized and stoked the embers, spreading them throughout Eastern Europe causing widespread destruction in the pursuit of a perfect Aryan nation. Although the Holocaust is measured over the course of twelve long years, it does not begin with the mass murder of innocent victims. Michael Berenbaum, a survivor of the Holocaust believes, "Age-old prejudice led to discrimination, discrimination to incarceration, incarceration to annihilation" (Altman 1). Thus, the progression of prejudice in the Holocaust began as a flicker of hatred in the heart of a leader and became a blazing inferno consuming the lives of the men, women, and children who crossed its incend
CT: Blackbirch Press, 1998. Vol. 4 of Holocaust. Ed. William L. Shulman. 8 The raging fire had turned into an inferno. The killing did not end with the mobile squads, for Hitler could not destroy the "impure" victims fast enough to suit his needs. He needed a faster and more economical means to destroy large numbers of individuals. To achieve this goal, Hitler and his band of followers articulated a plan, utilized trained personnel, constructed a killing machine, and employed euphemistic language to cover up the criminal character of genocide. The plan was called the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question"(Altshuler 72). Version of the War Against the Jews. West Orange, NJ: Behrman house, 1987. After World War I, the social climate in Germany was dismal. The German people were humiliated by their country's defeat and by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The economic depression that resulted left millions of individuals out of work. The German government was weak, and the people sought new leadership. These conditions provided an opportune setting for a new leader, Adolf Hitler, and his party, the National Socialist German Workers Party. Hitler, manic and charismatic, was able to fan the flames of an ancient hatred into a wild and out of control conflagration (Altman 12). Those who perished in this tragic time succumbed to the unmerciful blaze of hatred. In the words of one survivor, "One thing is clear what happened exceeded our boldest horrors and ended with an answer to our greatest prayers" (Shulman 59). Jewish prayers were answered when the liberators extinguished the flames of malice. Even so, the Jews were left with an incandescent desire to tell their story. Many survivors are growing old, and in time, no survivors will be alive to testify to the Holocaust. History, however, must never forget. The ashes have cooled and remain buried in mass graves. The ovens that housed the inferno are silent and are visited today by new generations who learn the story of the Holocaust from the dead. The flames and fire that raged across Eastern Europe have died. Tragically, though, the prejudice that fueled the Holocaust still exists in the heart of man.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Jews Eventually, Party Hitler, Nuremberg Laws, Jehovah Witnesses, Kristallnacht November, Jews Ayer, Germany Life, Poland Russia, Fred Margulies, Regime Solution, woodbridge ct blackbirch, ct blackbirch press, blackbirch press 1998, ed william, shulman 8, holocaust ed, ct blackbirch, blackbirch press, william shulman, woodbridge ct, press 1998 vol, 1998 vol, press 1998, holocaust ed william, mass murder,
Approximate Word count = 1920
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
