tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post2477282521115756507..comments2023-06-01T08:35:58.852-07:00Comments on holocaust journey: Theresienstadt and other Hidden PlacesSivonne Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06360923250168506622noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-86032339106199308442020-05-19T08:46:37.511-07:002020-05-19T08:46:37.511-07:00Chidimma Umerah
This post has made me question wh...Chidimma Umerah<br /><br />This post has made me question whether the Red Cross were there to visit or to help. Sure, you can pretty up the paintings and make the area look nice. But is it possible to erase the scars that the Jews had? Did any of the nurses actually take the time out of their day to sit and talk with a Jew. How does one hide the undernourishment and suffering of tens of thousands of people? Did they visit the synagogue and ask a Jew to translate the writing? Didn't the world know what was happening to the Jews? Why did nobody question it?<br /><br />Chidimma UmerahChidimma Umerahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10900265589125748977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-3133392551562480462020-05-18T08:55:35.848-07:002020-05-18T08:55:35.848-07:00When I read that the ghetto was described as a &qu...When I read that the ghetto was described as a "spa town," I was amazed. How can a place so horrific that over 10,000 children were murdered there be called a "spa town" is ridiculous. I was also appalled at how the Germans made tons of modifications just for the red cross. They have to know that they are doing something truly terrible if they alter everything about their operation to look good for the red cross. Also, the living conditions that the Jews are in is horrible. They sleep on overcrowded wooden planks that have barely any head space, their showers are disgusting, and their hospital only looks like it would spread germs and disease. I don't understand how the Nazis could live with themselves knowing that they are treating the Jews unfairly.<br /><br />- Josh Matushak Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16285483720533147587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-89203909639673171942019-12-27T16:39:44.816-08:002019-12-27T16:39:44.816-08:00
This was a small town that the Nazis set up to t...<br /><br />This was a small town that the Nazis set up to trick the red cross and other countries about what they were doing during the Holocaust. On the outside this town presented as a nice place for old German Jews to retire. In reality this place was hidden so the Nazis could do whatever they wanted. Many people died there, including thousands of children. This town was not considered a camp but it contributed to the death of thousands of people. When the Nazis would hear that the red cross was coming to visit, they would force the prisoners to plant gardens and wear clean clothes. They would also so the red cross a staged community area that looked nice. Once they would leave the Nazis would return to the murdering of Jews.<br />Ann Slegelmilch<br />Ann Slegelmilchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11516162703709851264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-48559206532505766462019-12-19T09:48:53.500-08:002019-12-19T09:48:53.500-08:00To see how the Nazis presented themselves as "...To see how the Nazis presented themselves as "Kind" and allowing Red Cross to see that the Jews had a "Joyful" life is absurd. The Jews were given a few days where given a decent life, and then all that was taken away when the Red Cross left. They went to so many extra lengths to trick people into thinking they were giving the Jews nice lives, and even the video! All I could think is why can't they actually treat them this way. and I know the Nazis had their reasons, but it still makes me mad. The kids who went through there and the kids that survived. 10,500-242!! I can't imagine how that looked, and how they and their parents felt knowing this was the end. It's truly shocking they played it off to everyone else that was around the ghetto that it was a "Spa town" and allowed for "relaxing" retirement, and they built the walls higher so they couldn't see anything!! I wish they would've found out, or the Red Cross would see past their fake sinks and their "nice place for Jews' and get them in trouble for treating the Jews so poorly. But if I were them it would be hard to believe that anyone would treat another human being like they did.<br /><br />Sofia ChristofaroAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13244740321361859995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-29744169466317743082019-12-18T21:29:51.111-08:002019-12-18T21:29:51.111-08:00The euphemisms “settlement,” “spa town,” and “reti...The euphemisms “settlement,” “spa town,” and “retire” demonstrate the good the Nazis thought they were doing or made other people think they were doing. A survival rate of 2% is extremely low. 200 bodies per day is a ton of people. Comparing this to the population of Myers Park, all the people of our school would be dead in less than three weeks. The showers pictured are disgusting in general. I can not imagine sharing it with four or five other people. I don’t think I would ever use those myself. The sinks looked like the nicest thing at the camp until I saw that they were fake. What is the point of a fake sink? The pictures drawn by the kids really represent their voices during the Holocaust and their abiity to have their own ideas in a such a torture filled place. <br />-Emma GrovesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238753496848922293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-53128113561105654532019-12-18T20:36:57.302-08:002019-12-18T20:36:57.302-08:00Pure trickery kept Theresienstadt afloat. Trickery...Pure trickery kept Theresienstadt afloat. Trickery to the Jews: the Nazi’s advertizement of Theresienstadt as a “spa town” or nursing home for Jews lured them into its deadly trap. The Nazis managed to convince hundreds of an untruth. Although, I guess that I shouldn't be surprised. After convincing much of the world that Jews were “creatures,” why should presenting a deportation facility as a retirement home be any difficulty at all? After dehumanizing an entire people to the point where their absoulte massacre was simply observed and allowed, why wouldn't they be able to lure innocent elderly to their deaths? The Nazis also tricked the red cross. They “beautified” the “town.” They added fake luxuries. They plotted showy social events. They sought to mislead at every chance. The Nazi’s only goal concerning Theresienstadt was to keep it running. They wanted to “process” as many Jews as possible in as little time as possible. I believe that Theresienstadt was likely presented as a challenge. It was likely a fun secret to keep from international powers; a fancy diversion from murder that allowed imaginative Nazis the chance to pretend innocence. <br />-sophie thrasher<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471075594470703567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-74943165477646707752019-12-18T20:29:45.623-08:002019-12-18T20:29:45.623-08:00Makayla Gathers
How could the people of Germany ...Makayla Gathers <br /><br />How could the people of Germany see a gigantic wall blocking off an entire “settlement” and just be okay with it? How could they see the black smoke from the crematorium and smell the bodies burning and not even be concerned? The Nazis were monsters and they are the cause of 10,500 young lives lost. Did they also kill the older Germans that wanted to retire? Or was that a distraction that nobody really believed? I’m glad the Jews were able to rebel and try to claim back their life by taking part in their culture and maintaining daily life. It’s so infuriating the lengths the Nazis went to hide their projects. It’s sad that the people who were stuck in the ghetto/camp weren’t able to reach out for help when help was right there in the camp, fooled by the pretty flowers. The film that was created as propaganda looks like the film that the soldiers showed the soldiers in training in the Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I doubt many people believed all of what they saw in the videos because they saw the mistreatment of Jews in their everyday life. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01408280233845383869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-90551117438404087322019-12-18T20:14:10.191-08:002019-12-18T20:14:10.191-08:00The idea that a machine was constructed to take up...The idea that a machine was constructed to take up to 200 lives everyday is beyond inhumane. When I first read that the town was designed to be a "spa town" where elderly German Jews could "retire" in safety, I was in complete denial that the Nazis could show any sympathy. This proved to be correct. It was extremely disturbing to hear that less than 3% of the children who went into the camp came out. It’s so saddening and angering that so many Nazis blindly took orders and murdered so many innocent children. 10,258 individual child lives being violently taken is unforgivable. After reading the blog, I looked into the pictures. The one image that stood out to me was the sculpture, which encompassed the raw reality which the Jews had to suffer through everyday. The people depicted in the sculpture were nothing but skin and bones, and they reflected a feeling of hopelessness and desperation which I think provides an idea of what the overall feeling amongst the Jews was and the terrible conditions in which they were made to suffer in. Some of the people in the sculpture are leaning on each other, and I believe this represents how they had no one but each other to find comfort in, although true comfort could sadly never be attained while in their conditions.<br />Leo O'NeillLeo O'Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09550424599550558878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-84566324566673591762019-12-18T18:56:00.094-08:002019-12-18T18:56:00.094-08:00Its horrifying how 10,500 children passed but only...Its horrifying how 10,500 children passed but only 242 Jewish children survived. It's also terrifying how they were tortured and stoned to death. I also find it shocking how people viewed this place as a “spa town” but they were only being deceived. The people did not question the high walled off town that was basically a death camp. They decorated the camp by painting the houses and planting plants to deceive the people and portray a peaceful town. I'm surprised that no one knew it was basically a death camp, or the people knew but were just too afraid to step in. The people who knew just wanted to stay alive instead of help the JewsThe Nazi’s mentality is just crule and discusting. How can they view religion as “impure” and inferior and use that as a reason to exterminate them.<br />- Sebastian ZartaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05394712476084585609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-49902058754704738912019-12-18T18:55:28.500-08:002019-12-18T18:55:28.500-08:00The part that stood out to me the most in this ent...The part that stood out to me the most in this entry was that “the ghetto was beautified.” When I read this, I was confused and shocked. I can’t believe that in order to prepare for the Red Cross visit in June 1944, the Nazis made an actual effort to cover up the harsh reality of the ghetto. You can not just pretend you are not killing hundreds of children a day. How did the Red Cross let the camp pass its inspection? The real question is why didn’t the Jews do something while the Red Cross was there. Could they not have revolted and tried to show the Red Cross that the place was actually hell? I understand that they might have been killed, but would it not have been worth it to expose the Nazis? The fact that over 10,000 children were tortured and killed is so heartbreaking. How could 20th-century people murder such innocent lives? <br />-Lila Barenberg <br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12393054226421571523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-92061282630759180132019-12-18T18:38:53.803-08:002019-12-18T18:38:53.803-08:00
I never knew that there were other places for Jew...<br />I never knew that there were other places for Jews than concentration camps. I am shocked that they call a settlement a “spa town” when the settlment’s death rate was so high. I am proud of all the Jews who lived in these camps and settlements because they experienced terrifying times and still tried their best to survive. The Nazis one goal and only goal is “unpure.” They say that the Jews were “unpure,” but their whole entire plan is considered “unpure.” Also I am surprised that the children attended school while they were not allowed to. This attending shows determination on their part. I am also surprised that Red Cross would pass the settlement’s inspection. People were dying every day, and Red Cross still decided that it was a safe place.<br />-Emma Grace ParkerAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14310726232465700367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-14670459415113101302019-12-18T18:12:39.391-08:002019-12-18T18:12:39.391-08:00I never knew there was a place such as Theresienst...I never knew there was a place such as Theresienstadt. The lengths that the Nazis would go to for propaganda astounds me. So many people were killed in a place that was viewed by everyone else as a “spa town”. I applaud all of the Jews who lived in this horrendous town but still tried to make a life out of it. They did what they could to pass the time and try to make other people aware of what was really going on. The fact that the Nazis had to completely stage a scene for the Red Cross shows they knew they were doing something wrong. No amount of gardens or fake sinks could change what was really going on. I was surprised that the Nazis did not care about the hidden synagogue. I thought they would destroy anything that resembled the Jewish religion. <br />- Ashley Szymonski Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12930530098263415181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-75511551946570873992019-12-18T17:56:06.011-08:002019-12-18T17:56:06.011-08:00I wonder how Theresienstadt isn’t considered a con...I wonder how Theresienstadt isn’t considered a concentration camp. Killing, torturing, and prisoners on a daily basis in addition to having crematoriums sure seems like an extermination camp to me. Why was it called a “spa town” for elders when there were thousands of children there as well? How were the kids able to attend school when they were surrounded by high walls and were forbidden too? I’m surprised many were even alive long enough to go to school. Why was the camp beautified for the Red Cross visit, but then everything was taken away after? I feel like it would make most sense to just keep the renovations as they probably took a lot of time and effort. I'm impressed that the Jews were able to have a small synagogue there. The messages written on the walls were very chilling, but I'm sure they gave a lot of insight after liberation of the true nature of the "town."<br />- Jordan Browning<br />Jordan Browninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05219240670334508843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-69567106165467807622019-12-18T16:29:42.369-08:002019-12-18T16:29:42.369-08:00Out of all the concentration camps we have learned...Out of all the concentration camps we have learned/read about, Theresienstadt is the most shocking to me. The fact that the Nazis deceive the Jews by telling them it is a place for "retirement" is simply absurd. Another thing that stood out to me was the propaganda film and the Red Cross visit. The film portrayed the camp as a fun place where Jews were content. However, they were actually being killed and tortured. Also, it was very disturbing to me that the Nazis beautified the camp for the Red Cross. If I was a Jewish prisoner in this camp, I would extremely frustrated knowing the Nazis put on a show for the Red Cross just to impress them. They shouldn't have even had to disguise the camp in the first place if they had any sense of humanity and morality. It is awful that they went back to torturing the Jews right after the Red Cross' visit.<br />-Ava HarrellAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01158953762039052635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-25376395954798356682019-12-18T15:07:08.428-08:002019-12-18T15:07:08.428-08:00I find it interesting how Theresienstadt was neith...I find it interesting how Theresienstadt was neither a ghetto or a concentration camp but rather disguised as a place where Jews could retire. It really was a place they would be deported out of to ghettos or killing centers. I was not surprised to hear how the area was surrounded with walls to keep the torturing of prisoners a secret. Like many crimes that the Nazis commited during the Holocaust, they tried to cover it up because they probably realized what they were doing was wrong. It is horrifying that there were so many people killed a day and that they had to build ways to take care of all the bodies. It is hard to think about that out of these millions of people, each one of them had a personal life with family and friends, yet their life was taken so carelessly. <br />Emary Gordon Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15918394434341862180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-59434600250225165412019-12-18T14:59:32.625-08:002019-12-18T14:59:32.625-08:00I find it extremely interesting that there were pl...I find it extremely interesting that there were places like this during the Holocaust. I always thought it was strictly concentration camps and ghettos. The Nazis described this place as a “spa town” and they made it seem like a luxury in comparison to the other camps. However, it was all a hoax and they still killed thousands of people here. It is interesting to me that there were very many high profession Jews there including professors, musicians, artists and more.I cannot believe that the Nazis would go through so much trouble and planning just to enhance their killings! I don’t think it was really necessary to trick the Jews like that, but the Nazis would not anything they could to torture them. I also think it is insane that they would the decency of the place when the red cross came. When I saw the pictures of the fake sinks it made me sick. One thing that resonated with me the most was the hidden messages that we could still read today. The only wayJews could express themselves was through these hidden messages. <br />-------Emi Jones-------Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07507528381881160907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-87174851838314388522019-12-18T14:39:26.461-08:002019-12-18T14:39:26.461-08:00To read that only 242 out of 10,500 people survive...To read that only 242 out of 10,500 people survived the Theresienstadt camp was astounding. Simplified, 242 out of 10,500 is about two percent. That’s insane! Only two percent of people survived this camp. What makes it worse is that this particular camp was disguised to look like a place where elderly Jews could retire in safety. In reality, that definitely was not the case. It makes me so angry that the main purpose of the Nazis wasn’t to win World War Two, it was literally just to kill Jews. Even though there were extremely harsh conditions, artists painted, actors acted, and writers wrote. Children even went to school! This shows me that maybe there was a possibility that the Jews had some hope for themselves, even if only two percent of them actually survived. It also angers me that the Nazis put in so much effort to glorify the concentration camp and hide what was actually occurring. If they hadn’t, the Jews might’ve been freed! <br />-Sam Wofford<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10431586048962039412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-59569145377185672262019-12-18T14:26:31.018-08:002019-12-18T14:26:31.018-08:00It is shocking that a place like Theresienstadt co...It is shocking that a place like Theresienstadt could so effectively be used as a tool of deception. It's hard to believe that any place could be portrayed as "safe" for the Jews at that time. However, it is easy to understand how most could not fathom the terrible acts of cruelty and the massive loss of life taking place in the concentration camps. The brutal nature of the Nazis was inconceivable. It is awful that they killed so many children. The statistics are so unbelievable that it makes me wonder how the 242 survived. The fact that they were considering new ways to execute people when they were losing the war demonstrates their intense desire to fulfill their mission of killing as many Jews as possible. It is interesting that there was such cultural development at Theresienstadt. It is good that the victims were able to document the harsh realities of life in the camp, so the Nazis could not deny the claims. I wish the Red Cross had not announced their visit. They were not getting an accurate account of what was happening. I can't believe they were fooled by the fake sinks. I guess when everything has been beautified, it is easy to be deceived. <br />Stanton Bryson Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16235208672469180270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-14253322138777667382019-12-18T14:22:33.463-08:002019-12-18T14:22:33.463-08:00Gillian Morano
English
4th Block
12/18/2019
It is...Gillian Morano<br />English<br />4th Block<br />12/18/2019<br /><br />It is so disturbing that people were deceived to go to the “spa town” only to be lead to their death. Just like the children who were supposedly going to kindergarten but ended up being taken away, I find it to be such a horror that people were treated so terribly. Only 242 children survived Theresienstadt out of 10,500 which is just about 2 percent! The other 98% of children died which is so devastating. 98 percent of the children never got to live past these horrible experiences, and the other 2 percent had to live with the memories of the experience. One question I have after reading this blog was how children were able to secretly participate in school when they had such a lack of privacy. It is sad to know that the Danish government cared but nothing happened.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17406029407425168783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-37432367164716485492019-12-18T14:10:34.719-08:002019-12-18T14:10:34.719-08:00The camp of Theresienstadt is possibly the best ex...The camp of Theresienstadt is possibly the best example of the Nazis use of dehumanizing tactics against groups of people. It was the prime example of them going about the Holocaust in secret, not owning up to the things they've done. They tortured and killed hundreds of thousands of people and tried to hide and conceal it. I also can't believe that only about 200 children came out of 10,500 that passed through. I'm shocked that the Redcross didn't figure it out.<br />-Evan Pratt Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07353190676990839713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-929360949828533072019-12-18T12:28:37.301-08:002019-12-18T12:28:37.301-08:00Soren Gautam
It was shocking to read this and fin...Soren Gautam<br /><br />It was shocking to read this and find that only two percent of the children survived from the camp. It makes no sense why all these kids would die in a place that was considered by the world as some sort of settlement. They even made it look clean and well taken care of when the Red Cross came to visit but returned it to the horrific place it truly was once they left. I’m actually somewhat surprised at how quickly and easily they could make the place look nice and organized when the Red Cross came because the Red Cross did not have even a hint of what was truly going on. It is also disgusting that they had such high walls around the camp, so others can't see the torture taking place and do something to stop it. Even the video they made only shows the work that was being done in the camp but not the more brutal aspects involved. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18445817477845643373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-23097966335611652132019-12-18T11:14:04.524-08:002019-12-18T11:14:04.524-08:00 It is entirely wrong if the first I heard about t... It is entirely wrong if the first I heard about this camp was from this blog. This was one of the most deadly camps, but not one single person cared enough to thoroughly check. An unplanned visit would have shown the true horror. Nope. They were going to sit back and listen to the lies spouting from the Third Reich. They checked, but they announced they would check. If you give time for people to prepare to lie it will be an elaborate maze of twists and turns. They will lead you in one direction when you should be going the other. Sigh.<br /><br />-Ethan FronapfelAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02650912923694563196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-65100087013779994452019-12-18T11:12:54.188-08:002019-12-18T11:12:54.188-08:00What really disgusts me about this blog post was t...What really disgusts me about this blog post was the amount of children killed. No person, much less a child should have to go through anything remotely close to this. Before studying the holocaust, as a class we talked about morality. I do agree that there should be some baseline morality, but this is just so far over that line, I don’t really know what to say or how to react. I don’t understand why someone would want to do something like this.<br /><br /><br />-Sunil Mehta<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02574781666355334647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-25739144993130999962019-12-18T11:12:07.675-08:002019-12-18T11:12:07.675-08:00It is unbelievable to me that they were so much ti...It is unbelievable to me that they were so much time and money spent on making the conditions of the camps seem ok when they were really monstrosities. Why couldn’t they have just provided the Jewish people with that already if they already had to fake it. The picture of the hospital is crazy! It is small and made of wooden planks, which I guess are beds. Those are not conditions for suitable hospital. And when you included the part about four to five Jews in a tiny little shower that made me so sad. The nice clean new sinks compared to the reality of the tiny showers that were shared is awful. They beautified the Ghetto when the Nazis came. They planted flowers, which must have meant that they had been planning it for a while. I just don't understand why they could not let the Jews always have these conditions. And I’m sure that they removed all of this once they left anyways. <br />- Lillian SmithAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548578507406331423.post-17913452745102048562019-12-18T11:10:09.379-08:002019-12-18T11:10:09.379-08:00After reading this blog post on Thereistadt, I hav...After reading this blog post on Thereistadt, I have formed many of my own opinions. I am absolutely appauled that Nazi soldiers would go through so much trouble to make the camp seem decent just so they could continue their killing opperation. I was also interested to learn about the “freedoms” this camp entailed. I was shocked when I learned that the children were allowed to attend school. Such freedoms are something I would never expect in a concentration camp, even if it was considered a more “normal” concentration camp. Although all of these things resonated with me, the one thing that affected me the most in this blog post was the pictures of the hidden messages. The fact that these people were so trapped that they had to resort to writing messages no one would ever see is absolutely heartbreaking. Although the messages in themselves are horrific because of their history, the fact that we today are able to see them and get some insight into the prisoner’s mindsets is extremely interesting. <br />-Lexi AmedioAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12023609821578048376noreply@blogger.com