Eyewitness to History:

A Holocaust Survivor Speaks

Living Lessons of the Holocaust

 

  

  

 Acknowledgements

The following curriculum materials were arranged by the Mizel Museum

Education Department under the supervision of Georgina Kolber, Managing
Director, and Penny Nisson, Director of Education.

This curriculum unit was developed by Joie Norby Lê in partnership with the
University of Denver. Dr. Lê is a Ph.D. graduate of the Morgridge College of
Education’s Teaching and Learning Studies Department with an emphasis in
Curriculum, Instruction, and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy.

The Mizel Museum retains all rights to this material.

 Table of Contents

Museum Introduction ··························································· 1

Unit Background ································································· 1
Implications for Unit Study ·················································· 1-2
Key Terms ····································································· 2-3
Colorado Academic Unit Standards ······································· 4-5
Pre-Lessons: 6 -12 ······························································· 6
Cornell Notes Study ······················································ 7
Stereotypes & Assumptions ············································· 8
Global Citizenship························································· 9
Understanding Anti-Semitism ········································· 10
Lessons in Annotation: Poetry Study································· 11
A World Without Hate ················································ 12
So Much More: Positive Labels ···································· 13-14
Post-Lessons: 6-12 ····························································· 15
Mapping the Narrative Experience ··································· 16
Conflict Reflection ······················································ 17
Lessons in Annotation: Theme Study ································ 18
Jewish Population Infographic ········································· 19
Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Found Poetry ···················· 20
Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Narrative Jigsaw ················· 21
Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Gallery Walk ····················· 22
Resources ··································································· 23-24
Supplement ····································································· 25
Jewish Population Pre & Post Holocaust ···························· 26
Current European Map ················································ 27
Jack Adler ···························································· 28-29
Tom Berl ····························································· 30-31
Paula Burger ························································· 32-34
Rudi Florian ·························································· 35-36
Estelle Nadel ························································· 37-38
Osi Sladek ···························································· 39-41
Joan Wallis ··························································· 42-43
Jack Welner ·························································· 44-45
Narrative Comprehension Questions ··························· 46-47
Lessons of the Holocaust Note Catcher ···························· 48
Poetry Study ························································· 49-51
Types of Conflict ························································ 52
Tile Art Project······················································ 53-54
Mapping the Narrative Experience ··································· 55
 Eyewitness to History: A Survivor Speaks
Living Lessons of the Holocaust

Museum Introduction:
The Mizel Museum, an educational, nonprofit organization, is Denver’s only museum that
addresses today’s social justice issues through the lens of Jewish history and values. We
encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate diversity and equality and to combat
discrimination and hatred. Our programs, events, and exhibits address these and other social
issues and encourage positive change in our communities. Our museum is dedicated to
fostering cross-cultural understanding, combatting racism, and promoting social justice. We
achieve our mission through educational programming, events, and exhibits that connect
universal Jewish values to the larger world.

Unit Background:
The Holocaust provides one of the most profound historical events for examining basic moral
issues and teaching critical lessons about human behavior and the destructive forces of hatred
and bigotry. It also addresses one of the central mandates of education in the United States,
which is to examine what it means to be a responsible citizen.

The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of
six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators that took place between 1933-1945.
"Holocaust" is a word of Greek origin meaning "sacrifice by fire." The Nazis, who came to
power in Germany in January 1933, believed that Germans were "racially superior" and that the
Jews, deemed "inferior," were an alien threat to the so-called German racial community.

During the era of the Holocaust, German authorities also targeted other groups because of
their perceived "racial inferiority". These included Roma (Gypsies), the disabled, and some of
the Slavic peoples (Poles, Russians, and others). Other groups were persecuted on political,
ideological, and behavioral grounds, among them Communists, Socialists, Jehovah's Witnesses,
and homosexuals.

During this time period, millions were murdered, communities were shattered, and cities
destroyed. Behind each loss was a person whose life ended tragically and prematurely. For
those who survived, haunting memories of loved ones lost and the destruction of their lives and
communities prior to the Holocaust would accompany their lives from that point forward.

Implications for Unit Study:

The Mizel Museum’s goal is to provide you with a cohesive, educational experience that puts
into context the human story of the Holocaust, including developing both understanding and
empathy for others as well as the devastating impacts of racism and anti-Semitism. The aim is

1
to spark a motivation to act, and, ultimately, to help mold a responsible participant in civil
society who is empowered to speak out against hate. Critical elements of this unit study center
on three key concepts:
•
An understanding of the roots and ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping in
any society.
•
Develop an awareness of the value of pluralism and an acceptance of diversity.
•
Explore the dangers of remaining silent, apathetic, and indifferent to the oppression of
others.

Key Terms:

Victim Someone who has been harmed or killed by some adverse act.
A set of personal characteristics both physical and emotion by which an individual can
Identity
be recognized.
Religion A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teaching of a spiritual figure.
The act of singling out an individual or a group and directing physical or emotion
Persecution
abuse on them.
A Greek term meaning “Sacrifice by Fire” used to describe the key event in world
Holocaust history that saw the extermination of 6 million Jewish and other people during World
War II.
Threat A person or thing that is regarded as dangerous or likely to inflict harm
A member of the National Socialist German Worker’s Party founded in 1919 and
Nazi became a political power under Adolf Hitler in 1933. The word Nazi is often
associated with brutality, racism, and tyranny.
Adolf Hitler was president of the Nazi party and Chancellor of Germany from 1934-
Hitler
1945. His policies lead to WW2 and the extermination of 6 million Jews.
a person who has fled a given area due to dangerous conditions whether physical or
Refugee
political.
Refuge A place of shelter or protection.
A landmass lying between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, separated from Asia by the
Europe Urals Mountains on the east and the Caucasus Mountains, the Black and Caspian
seas on the Southeast.
A periodic celebration (usually annual) or program of cultural events often Acting in
Righteous
an upright, moral, virtuous way
Having and showing courage in the face of danger, pain or difficult circumstances
Brave
such as the Holocaust
The systemic destruction of all or a significant part of a racial, ethnic religious or
Genocide
national group.
Complacency Having or showing a lack of interest or concern in surroundings.

2
 A person who stands up for his or her beliefs and does the right thing even if they are
Up-stander
alone and facing danger.
A person who is present but not taking part; watching but not offering help to a
Bystander
victim
An extremely distressing experience that causes severe emotional and/or physical
Trauma
shock and may have long lasting effects
Collective Refers to the shared pool of information held in the memories of two or more
Memories members of a group
The Jewish people are not a race but a cultural and religious group with strong
Jewish people
historical ties.
The ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something
Resilience
bad happens
A situation in which people of different social classes, religions, races, etc.,
Pluralism are together in a society but continue to have their different traditions and
interests
Systematic Using a careful system or method or done according to a system
An offensive word or name that is used as a way of abusing or insulting
Epithet
someone
Liquidated To destroy (something) or kill (someone) (as it pertains to the Holocaust)
The act or process of freeing someone or something from another's control :
Liberation
the act of liberating someone or something
A part of a city in which members of a particular group or race live usually in
Ghetto
poor conditions
Controlling the people of a country in a very strict way with complete power
Totalitarian
that cannot be opposed
Vigilant Carefully noticing problems or signs of danger
Sanctity The quality or state of being holy, very important, or valuable
A secret-police organization employing underhanded and terrorist methods
Gestapo
against persons suspected of disloyalty
Aryanized The allocation of businesses from Jewish to non-Jewish people
Anti-semitism Hostility towards or prejudice against Jews.

3
 Colorado Academic Unit Standards
Content Area Grade Level 6th Grade
Standard Grade Level Expectations (GLE) GLE Code
Social Studies •
Analyze and interpret historical sources to ask and research SS09-GR.6-S.1-GLE.1
historical questions SS09-GR.6-S.2-GLE.2
•
Human and physical systems vary and interact SS09-GR.6-S.4-GLE.2
•
Compare multiple systems of government
Language Arts •
Monitoring the thinking of self and others is a disciplined way to RWC10-GR.6-S.4-GLE.3
maintain awareness RWC10-GR.6-S.4-GLE.2
•
Assumptions can be concealed, and require identification and
evaluation
Math •
Visual displays and summary statistics of one-variable data condense MA10-GR.6-S.3-GLE.1
the information in data sets into usable knowledge

Content Area Grade Level 7th Grade

Standard Grade Level Expectations (GLE) GLE Code
Social Studies •
The historical eras, individuals, groups, ideas and themes within SS09-GR.7-S.1-GLE.2
regions of the Eastern Hemisphere and their relationships with one SS09-GR.7-S.4-GLE.1
another SS09-GR.7-S.2-GLE.2
•
Compare how various nations define the rights, responsibilities, and SS09-GR.7-S.4-GLE.2
roles of citizens
•
Regions have different issues and perspectives
•
Different forms of government and international organizations and
their influence in the world community
Language Arts •
Purpose, tone, and meaning in word choices influence literary, RWC10-GR.7-S.2-GLE.3
persuasive, and informational texts

Content Area Grade Level 8th Grade

Standard Grade Level Expectations (GLE) GLE Code
Language Arts •
A variety of response strategies clarifies meaning or messages RWC10-GR.8-S.1-GLE.2
•
Quality reasoning relies on supporting evidence in media RWC10-GR.8-S.4-GLE.3
Math •
Visual displays and summary statistics of two-variable data condense MA10-GR.8-S.3-GLE.1
the information in data sets into usable knowledge

Content Area Grade Level High School

Standard Grade Level Expectations (GLE) GLE Code
Social Studies •
Use the historical method of inquiry to ask questions, evaluate SS09-GR.HS-S.1-GLE.1
primary and secondary sources, critically analyze and interpret data, SS09-GR.HS-S.1-GLE.2
and develop interpretations defended by evidence SS09-GR.HS-S.1-GLE.3
•
The key concepts of continuity and change, cause and effect, SS09-GR.HS-S.2-GLE.3
complexity, unity and diversity over time SS09-GR.HS-S.4-GLE.2
•
The significance of ideas as powerful forces throughout history SS09-GR.HS-S.4-GLE.3

4
 • The interconnected nature of the world, its people and places
•
Purposes of and limitations on the foundations, structures, and
functions of government
•
Analyze how public policy – domestic and foreign – is developed at
the local, state, and national levels and compare how policy-making
occurs in other forms of government
Language Arts Validity of a message is determined by its accuracy and relevance RWC10-GR.11-S.1-GLE.2
Listening critically to comprehend a speaker’s message requires mental RWC10-GR.9-S.1-GLE.2
and physical strategies to direct and maintain attention RWC10-GR.12-S.4-GLE.2
Logical arguments distinguish facts from opinions; and evidence defines RWC10-GR.11-S.4-GLE.2
reasoned judgment
Complex situations require critical thinking across multiple disciplines

Math Visual displays and summary statistics condense the information in data MA10-GR.HS-S.3-GLE.1
sets into usable knowledge

5
PRE-LESSONS
Grades: 6-12

6
 Cornell Notes Study

Overview
One of the AVID strategies developed for students’ success is Cornell Notes. Studies
suggest that one of the successful outcomes of using Cornell Notes as a note-taking
method is its focus on student engagement. Have students practice taking Cornell Notes
using a current class lecture or related reading. Once the Holocaust Survivor Narratives
are introduced, the “Living Lessons of the Holocaust Note Catcher” can be utilized to
have students jot down their thoughts as the videos are being shown. At the end of the
session, have students summarize their final thoughts on the Holocaust Survivor
Narratives. Use the link provided for further information on how Cornell Notes are
utilized in the classroom: Cornell Notes Guide

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Demonstrate skill in inferential and evaluative listening

2. Demonstrate comprehension of a variety of informational, literary, and persuasive
texts
3. Seek feedback, self-assess, and reflect on personal learning while engaging with
increasingly more difficult texts
4. Engage in a wide range of nonfiction and real-life reading experiences to solve
problems, judge the quality of ideas, or complete daily tasks
5. Write with a clear focus, coherent organization, sufficient elaboration, and detail

Notes

7
 Stereotypes & Assumptions

Overview
While students may gain stronger understanding of cultural similarities and differences
through this program or unit of study, many students harbor stereotypes and assumptions
about countries, cultures, and traditions prior to unit study. Use the following Discovery
Education Resource to guide students in understanding (and debunking) stereotypes,
making assumptions, and how bias affects our lives.
• Understanding Stereotypes

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Analyze and practice rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens
2. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
3. Collaborate effectively as group members or leaders who listen actively and
respectfully pose thoughtful questions, acknowledge the ideas of others, and
contribute ideas to further the group’s attainment of an objective
4. Demonstrate skill in inferential and evaluative listening

Notes
• Additional resource: Breaking the Prejudice Habit. Created by students at Ball
State University, these activities center on acknowledging and understanding
prejudice, tolerance, and stereotypes.

8
 Global Citizenship

Overview
Explore the concept of citizenship with students. Discuss how our interconnectedness
with others promotes a need for global citizenship. How does this foster student agency
in learning about current events and/or participating in activities that serve others
worldwide? What does it mean to be a good global citizen? Use the following resource
link to shape a daily lesson:
• 10 Tips to Promote Global Citizenship in the Classroom
As a follow-up, students could generate a reflective writing piece or create a Class
Citizen Roles & Responsibilities Poster in which the class can collaborate on what it
would mean to be a good class, community, and global citizen. Post this in the class for
the year.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Analyze and practice rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens
2. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
3. Collaborate effectively as group members or leaders who listen actively and
respectfully pose thoughtful questions, acknowledge the ideas of others, and
contribute ideas to further the group’s attainment of an objective
4. Demonstrate skill in inferential and evaluative listening

Notes

9
 Understanding Anti-Semitism

Overview
In this day and age students are exposed to a variety of resources, education, and
initiatives to combat bullying. These broad programs highlight the need to create more
inclusive, empathetic, and action-oriented student citizens. One of the key areas of focus
in Holocaust study is the importance of how and why anti-Semitic ideology was
perpetuated and encouraged on such a mass scale. However, this is an area that is often
understudied and is an important issue to address in order to understand and reflect
upon some of the root causes of the Holocaust. Use the presentation slides provided to
teach an overview of anti-Semitism. This can be paired with practice in taking Cornell
Notes. For further study, please take the time to visit the Anti-Defamation League’s
(ADL) resources to address and include this important aspect into your unit plan.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history
2. Analyze key historical periods and patterns of change over time within and across
nations and cultures
3. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
4. Examine places and regions and the connections among them

Notes

10
 Lessons in Annotation: Poetry Study

Overview
Poetry study is a useful to understand and learn about figurative language in addition to
exposing students to types of literary methods. While the poetry written during and
after the Holocaust describes the profound experiences of struggle, survival, and despair,
the poems produced by these poets teach students about literature as well as
experience. The famous poems of Pavel Friedman, Alexander Kimel, and Martin
Niemöller are each powerful poetry selections to use as illustrations of the Holocaust
experience. Using one or all of these poems, have students annotate for figurative
language. In this exercise, students can begin to understand the power of words and
lessons of the Holocaust in poetry form while employing a learning strategy that helps
students break down challenging concepts and language. Likewise, students could create
artwork from these poems as a depiction of their understanding. Example: Tile Art
Project (see handout). Useful links:
• Lessons in Annotation

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history

2. Interpret how the structure of written English contributes to the pronunciation and
meaning of complex vocabulary
3. Demonstrate comprehension of a variety of informational, literary, and persuasive
texts
4. Evaluate how an author uses words to create mental imagery, suggest mood, and set
tone
5. Engage in a wide range of nonfiction and real-life reading experiences to solve
problems, judge the quality of ideas, or complete daily tasks
6. Demonstrate the use of a range of strategies, research techniques, and persistence
when engaging with difficult texts or examining complex problems or issues

Notes

11
 A World Without Hate

Overview
On a daily basis, students are flooded with news stories, images, and social media
accounts that describe the negative aspects occurring in our global society. If a World
Without Hate is possible, what do we need to do, as individuals, as classrooms, as
schools, as communities or even as countries, to diminish the message that the world is
not immune to what we see? What does a world without hate truly look like? How does
hate begin? How does it end? Create an individual or group poster project, YouTube
video, website, or other creative project to share student ideas on how we can (and will)
move towards a world without hate.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history

2. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
3. Examine places and regions and the connections among them
4. Analyze and practice rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens
5. Recognize, articulate, and implement critical thinking in the visual arts by synthesizing,
evaluating, and analyzing visual information
6. Recognize, interpret, and validate that the creative process builds on the development
of ideas through a process of inquiry, discovery, and research
7. Create works of art that articulate more sophisticated ideas, feelings, emotions, and
points of view about art and design through an expanded use of media and
technologies
8. Transfer the value of visual arts to lifelong learning and the human experience

Notes

12
 So Much More: Positive Labels

Overview

Students confront the reality of labeling in nearly every facet of life, whether positive or
negative. During the Holocaust, the label of otherness was a literal means of identifying
what others sought to reject. While the Star of David remains a symbol of pride and faith,
at the time of the Holocaust, it represented the potential for death. Today, we continue
to see this type of harmful labeling, whether directed towards religious belief, ethnic
groups, socioeconomic status, sexuality, ability, social group, or even the clothes students
wear. In this activity, have students write down 4-5 words to identify themselves (these
could be written on a paper, Post-it Notes, or address labels). These identifiers could be
simple, such as “daughter” or “musician” or “caring”, or something more complex, such
as “Asian” or “Muslim” or “Diabetic.” Ask the students to consider which marker of
identity they would feel safe to wear if they had to wear that label for a day. Discuss the
implications of wearing one or more of these labels. Consider the following: Are we
proud of who we are? Are we afraid of what others might think? Do we feel fear or
worry when others reduce us to one or more of these labels?

Each individual is so much more than one or even several of these markers of identity. In
our private lives we often feel a sense of pride for who we are, what we believe in, or the
traditions of our families, yet in society at large, especially for students, that pride can
quickly turn to shame. How do we instill acceptance for all that we represent when
society is constantly diminishing the value of one or more of these identities? How do we
reclaim pride in self without fear of being castigated for our otherness?

This activity is useful for a whole class discussion or Fishbowl discussion. To close the
activity, consider having students write 3-5 positive comments about their classmates,
using address labels or Post-it Notes (these could be general or specific). Have students
give these out to one another, making sure that every student receives the same amount
of positive labels (3-5 per person). Examples could be, “Stay awesome” or “Thank you for
being kind.” Once everyone has received positive labels, remind the students that they are
so much more than what others might perceive them to be and to consider the dangers
of reducing others to a single label or identity.

13
 So Much More: Positive Labels

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history
2. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
3. Examine places and regions and the connections among them
4. Analyze and practice rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizens
5. Collaborate effectively as group members or leaders who listen actively and
respectfully pose thoughtful questions, acknowledge the ideas of others, and
contribute ideas to further the group’s attainment of an objective
6. Demonstrate skill in inferential and evaluative listening
7. Discriminate and justify a position using traditional lines of rhetorical argument and
reasoning

Notes

14
POST-LESSONS
Grade: 6-12

15
 Mapping the Narrative Experience

Overview
Using the plot outline (see Supplement for handout), map the storied experience of one of
the Holocaust survivors. Make sure to include all of the elements of the plot including
exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Use the presentation slides
provided to teach an overview of Elements of a Story. This can be paired with practice in
taking Cornell Notes.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world

2. Demonstrate comprehension of a variety of informational, literary, and persuasive
texts
3. Read a wide range of literature (American and world literature) to understand
important universal themes and the human experience
4. Engage in a wide range of nonfiction and real-life reading experiences to solve
problems, judge the quality of ideas, or complete daily tasks
5. Demonstrate the use of a range of strategies, research techniques, and persistence
when engaging with difficult texts or examining complex problems or issues

Notes

16
 Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Conflict Reflection

Overview
Consider the most crucial elements of conflict. How do one or more of these conflicts
characterize the stories of the Holocaust survivors and their families? Write a reflection
that utilizes the narrative experiences of the Holocaust Survivors, their families, society, or
populations as a whole, and the way they experience types of conflict as a result of the
Holocaust.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history
2. Analyze key historical periods and patterns of change over time within and across
nations and cultures
3. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
4. Examine places and regions and the connections among them
5. Analyze origins, structure, and functions of governments and their impacts on
societies and citizens
6. Articulate the position of self and others using experiential and material logic

Notes

17
 Lessons in Annotation: Theme Study

Overview
Use one or several of the Survivor Narratives. Annotate the text for themes (one word
ideas) or other elements that are most apparent in the narrative. Have students look for
unfamiliar vocabulary and try to discern the best possible meaning from context clues.
Use the annotation in a written response exercise that focuses on one or more of the
narrative themes.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history
2. Analyze key historical periods and patterns of change over time within and across
nations and cultures
3. Demonstrate comprehension of a variety of informational, literary, and persuasive
texts
4. Read a wide range of literature (American and world literature) to understand
important universal themes and the human experience
5. Engage in a wide range of nonfiction and real-life reading experiences to solve
problems, judge the quality of ideas, or complete daily tasks
6. Write with a clear focus, coherent organization, sufficient elaboration, and detail
7. Effectively use content-specific language, style, tone, and text structure to compose or
adapt writing for different audiences and purposes
8. Apply standard English conventions to effectively communicate with written language

Notes

18
 Jewish Population Infographic

Overview
Using the handout for the population numbers. Create an infographic that depicts the
decline in the Jewish population from the start of the war in 1933 to the post-war era,
1950. Similarly, create an infographic that depicts the migration of Jewish around Europe
based upon the rise or the population in select European countries. Use 21st century
technology to develop the infographic, such as Canva or Venngage.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Analyze key historical periods and patterns of change over time within and across
nations and cultures
2. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
3. Examine places and regions and the connections among them
4. Analyze origins, structure, and functions of governments and their impacts on
societies and citizens
5. Understand the structure and properties of our number system. At the most basic
level numbers are abstract symbols that represent real-world quantities
6. Use critical thinking to recognize problematic aspects of situations, create
mathematical models, and present and defend solutions

Notes

19
 Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Found Poetry

Overview
Use one of the selected Survivor Narratives and have students take 5-10 minutes to
highlight key words, ideas, or concepts that stand out to them in the narrative. Once
students have done this, have them develop a found poem (a poem that uses only the
words from the text) to reshape the narrative into poetry form. This could be a
complimentary pairing to follow the poetry study from the pre-lesson resources.

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Demonstrate comprehension of a variety of informational, literary, and persuasive
texts
2. Read a wide range of literature (American and world literature) to understand
important universal themes and the human experience
3. Effectively use content-specific language, style, tone, and text structure to compose or
adapt writing for different audiences and purposes

Notes

20
 Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Close-Reading Jigsaw

Overview
If students did not have a chance to hear or view all of the Survivor Narratives, study the
remaining narratives in a close-reading jigsaw. (Or, if a Survivor visited the classroom,
study the Survivor Narratives as well.) Small groups can be assigned one of the additional
transcribed Survivor Narratives (Choose 4 or 5 narratives). Once students have taken
notes (Cornell Notes suggested) and feel comfortable sharing the story, have them move
to tables to discuss their readings. This exercise calls upon the reliability of the narrator,
in particular, that of a 2nd or 3rd person narrator. How do we preserve the importance
and genuine aspects of the narration in this manner? How do we entrust others to carry
on the stories so that we may learn from them? What should students be responsible for
in learning from other students’ narration? In passing them on?

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history

2. Analyze key historical periods and patterns of change over time within and across
nations and cultures
3. Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and personal connections to the world
4. Collaborate effectively as group members or leaders who listen actively and
respectfully pose thoughtful questions, acknowledge the ideas of others, and
contribute ideas to further the group’s attainment of an objective
5. Deliver organized and effective oral presentations for diverse audiences and varied
purposes
6. Use language appropriate for purpose and audience
7. Demonstrate skill in inferential and evaluative listening
8. Engage in a wide range of nonfiction and real-life reading experiences to solve
problems, judge the quality of ideas, or complete daily tasks

Notes

21
Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Gallery Walk Presentation

Overview
The focus of this activity is to view the wide-range of Holocaust experiences and the
collective impact they have on how we understand its significance. What lessons can
students take away from a Holocaust unit, so that it preserves the continuity of sharing
this critical time period in history? Have students create poster presentations, timelines,
geography mappings, or even narrative plot outlines of each of the Survivor Narratives.
Students can work in small groups or individually. Have students orally present their
work about the narratives and then have students do a gallery walk of all of the final,
visual pieces. Students can respond to the gallery as a whole in either a class discussion,
individual written responses, or through a creative project (See the Tile Art Project
handout).

Colorado Prepared Graduate Competencies

1. Develop an understanding of how people view, construct, and interpret history

2. Analyze key historical periods and patterns of change over time within and across
nations and cultures
3. Collaborate effectively as group members or leaders who listen actively and
respectfully pose thoughtful questions, acknowledge the ideas of others, and
contribute ideas to further the group’s attainment of an objective
4. Deliver organized and effective oral presentations for diverse audiences and varied
purposes
5. Use language appropriate for purpose and audience
6. Demonstrate skill in inferential and evaluative listening
7. Transfer the value of visual arts to lifelong learning and the human experience

Notes

22
 Resources

"AVID’s Mission Is to Close the Achievement Gap by Preparing All Students for College Readiness and Success in

a Global Society." AVID. n.d. <http://www.avid.org/>.

"Anti-Semitism." ADL. Anti-Defamation League, n.d. <http://www.adl.org/anti-semitism/anti-semitism.html>.

By Studying the Dilemmas Facing Individuals, Groups, and Nations in Response to Genocide, Students Deepen

Their Understanding of the Range of Choices Made during the Armenian Genocide. "Fishbowl." Facing

History and Ourselves. n.d. <https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/fishbowl>.

"The Bielski Partisans." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 02

July 2016. <https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007563%22>.

Brown, Matthew D. "Teaching Student Annotation: Constructing Meaning Through Connections -

ReadWriteThink." Readwritethink.org. n.d. <http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-

plans/teaching-student-annotation-constructing-1132.html>.

"Close Reading of Literary Texts - ReadWriteThink." Readwritethink.org. n.d.

<http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/close-reading-literary-texts-

31012.html>.

"Cornell Notes." The Learning Toolbox. James Madison University, n.d. Web.

<http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html>.

"Genocide of European Roma (Gypsies), 1939–1945." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States

Holocaust Memorial Council, 02 July 2016.

<https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005219>.

"Holocaust Poetry." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, n.d.

<https://www.ushmm.org/research/research-in-collections/search-the-collections/bibliography/holocaust-

poetry>.

"Jehovah's Witnesses." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 02

July 2016. <https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005394.>.

23
"Jewish Population of Europe in 1933: Population Data by Country." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 02 July 2016.

<https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005161>.

King, Richard. "10 Tips to Promote Global Citizenship in the Classroom." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media,

09 Nov. 2012. <https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/nov/09/global-citizenship-10-

teaching-tips>.

"Lesson Plan Library." Understanding Stereotypes. Discovery Education, n.d.

<http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/understanding-stereotypes.cfm>.

Nationsonline.org, Klaus Kästle. "Maps of the World." Maps of the World, Political and Administrative Maps of

Continents, Countries and Regions. n.d. <http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/maps.htm>.

"Persecution of Homosexuals in the Third Reich." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States

Holocaust Memorial Council, 02 July 2016.

<https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005261>.

"Polish Victims." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 02 July

2016. <https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005473>.

Yad Vashem, n.d. <http://www.yadvashem.org/>.

24
 SUPPLEMENT
Lesson Plan Materials

25
 The Decline and Migration of the Jewish Population
Throughout Europe During and After the Holocaust

Jewish Population in European Countries

1933-1945 Post-1950
Albania 200
Austria 250,000 18,000 There were 9.5 million Jews
J
Belgium 60,000 livingg in Continental Europe
p at
Bulgaria 50,000 6,500 the beginning
g g of 1933. Byy the
end of the decade,, between
Czechoslovakia 357 17,000
1933 to 1945,, 2 out of 3 Jews
Denmark 6,000 were dead.
East Prussia 9,000
Estonia 5,000
Finland 18,000
France 225,000
Germany 565,000 37,000 There were approximately
pp y 3.5
Great Britain 300,000 million JJews left in Europep byy
Greece 100,000 7,000 1950. Manyy of the surviving
Hungary 445,000 190,000 JJews immigrated
g to US,,
Canada,, Australia,, Great
Italy 48,000 35,000
Britain, South America and
Latvia 95,000
ca.
South Africa
Lithuania 155,000
Luxembourg 2,200
Netherlands 160,000
Norway 1,500
Poland 3,000,000 45,000 Source
ce: "Jewish Population of
Portugal 1,000 Europe in 1933: Population
Data by Country." United
Romania 980,000 280,000 States Holocaust Memorial
Soviet Union 2,525,000 2,000,000 Museum. United States
Spain 4,000 Holocaust Memorial Council,
02 July 2016.
Sweden 6,500 <https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/
Switzerland 18,000 en/article.php?ModuleId=1000
Turkey 56,000 5161>.
516
Yugoslavia 70,000 3,500

26
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Current Map of Europe

27
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Jack Adler
Jack Adler was born in Pabianice, Poland in 1929. He witnessed the decay of humanity while
enduring life in two ghettos and the horrors of three concentration camps. His two younger
sisters were killed at Auschwitz, his brother and mother died in the Lodz ghetto in Poland, and
his father in Dachau. At 16, he was liberated by American soldiers and moved to the U.S. as a
war orphan. Jack now speaks all over the United States and internationally to spread his
message of living without hate. Though his entire family was murdered by the Nazis, he still has
hope for the human race and emphasizes the importance of respecting others. Jack’s take on
hatred, racism, bigotry, and misused religious beliefs challenges audiences to analyze their own
beliefs and adhere to the principles of the Golden Rule: treat others as we ourselves want to be
treated.

28
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Jack Adler: It Starts with Hate

Got created man, men created evil. Hate is a learned experience and no group of
people has a monopoly on good or bad. We all belong to one race: the human race. My first
encounter with hate was when I was about seven years of age. I thought the kids in school
were my friends but our friendship came to a close as they learned to hate. One Sunday, I was
playing outside the churchyard, as people began to exit the morning service, a young boy, a few
years older, approached me. He was dressed in his best clothing and was wearing a big smile. I
thought he would say hello. He did not. He recognized me and knowing I was Jewish, he
shouted a dirty epithet for Jew and pointed at me a slim, accusing finger. I looked around. He
must be talking to someone else, I thought, but I was the only one in front of him. He
approached me and I tensed. I was wearing a fashionable jacket with bright, beautiful buttons
that gleamed in the morning sun. The boy reached for the top button; he wrapped his finger
around it and yanked, tearing the fabric and freeing the button. He tossed it in the dusty street,
the smile still painted across his face. I was in shock as if I had just broken a bone. He went
after the next button and I couldn’t move; I was frozen with the combination of fear and
surprise. He tore off each of the buttons and threw them to the ground. The boy laughed and
turned to his parents who were nearby. I waited for them to berate his son, but I discovered
that his smile was inherited. His parents grinned, took his hand, and turned their backs and
walked away. For me the Holocaust began September 8, 1939. The first year my brother died
of malnutrition and disease in the Pabianice Ghetto. My mother died shortly afterward of a
broken heart. The Pabianice Ghetto was liquidated on May 16, 1942, and we were divided into
two groups: A and B. The A group were workers that became slave laborers, and the B group
were the useless—the young, the old, and the sick. People in group B all died the same day at
the Chelmno extermination camp. I was in group A; my father, X[o sisters and I were
transferred to be Lodz Ghetto. When the Lodz Ghetto was liquidated in the summer of 1944,
my father and I and the two sisters were sent to Auschwitz Bierkenhau extermination camp.
My younger sister, who was 11 and a half years of age, died in the gas chamber. My older sister
was murdered at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. My father and I were sent to the
Kaufering Concentration Camp or to perform slave labor. My father died at Kaufering; I was
sent to Dachau. At liberation I was 16 and as I was checked into the hospital, I weighed 65
pounds. I alone survived my immediate family. I am one of five, that includes my extended
family, who survived. It’s difficult for me even to comprehend how I survived. I don’t blame
people if they don’t believe it; it’s beyond comprehension. I tell my story to children because
they are the future, and I tell my story to open people’s eyes to what hate can do when it turns
to evil. Not all bullies grow up to be evil hate mongers, but all hate mongers are bullies. When
the good people don’t speak out, hate breeds unchecked. All I can do is take metaphoric
revenge. My family is my revenge; the generation stopped Hitler and the Nazis couldn’t kill.
Speaking is my revenge. These words, here, are my revenge.

29
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Tom Berl
Tom’s story starts in Prague where his parents were married in 1938. Once they realized what
was happening under German occupation, they left for France when the reality of Hitler’s
domination of Europe was apparent. Because Tom’s father had studied in France and was
fluent in the language, it was the first stop of many in their efforts to remove their family from
certain danger. Once France was no longer an option, they traveled to Haiti but found the
country difficult to live within. Finally, they applied for immigration and was accepted by
Ecuador and moved to the capital city, Quito. In this country, the family thrived along with
other Jews fleeing the Nazis. After the war the family first went back to the Czech Republic,
then to Israel and finally back to Ecuador. In 1950, when Tom was 17, he came to the U.S. to
study. His fond memories of growing up in Quito stayed with him even as he made a new life
in America. He lives in Denver today.

30
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Tom Berl: Wandering Jews

My family’s immigration story, like that of countless others, began with the threat of
Nazis in Europe. My father, a promising, young attorney, and my mother, an accomplished
beautician, were married in 1938. They had, by all accounts, a bright future ahead of them.
However the events of history were to derail their hopes and plans. The day Hitler entered
Prague on March 15, 1939, my father foresaw the ominous events that followed and took the
first train to France. My father had studied there and was fluent in the language. However it
soon became obvious that the threat was not limited to Czechoslovakia, and he decided to
seek refuge in the New World. France W colony, Haiti, was the most accessible, available
destination. They found life on this island almost unbearable, as they suffered various bouts of
malaria. Visas to the United States were limited, but Ecuador provided them with one. It is so
that in 1940, they reached the country where four years later I was to be born and that
ultimately became my mother’s home for the rest of her life. This was a completely
underdeveloped country but for three to four thousand Jews who found refuge in this country
were fortunate, because its people were not only welcoming but also very kind. As one of the
recent immigrants stated, “I would rather live among people who have lice, than people who
have become beasts.” These Jews soon established community organizations that handled their
cultural and religious affairs. They formed the Chevra Kadisha, the Jewish Cemetery, a Women’s
League, a Youth Club, a Zionist Organization, and Bet Din to adjudicate disputes within the
community, and even a Maccabi Athletic Group. They also created a bank and opened a kosher
restaurant all under the umbrella entity designated as Beneficence Israelita de Quito. In its social
hall, cultural events were held almost hundred nights per year. These Jews, thankful for their
miraculous escape, from Europe, were committed to maintaining their Jewish traditions and to
defy Hitler's goals. So this is the world in which I was born, but it was not to be for long.
Once the war came to an end, many of these immigrants sought other shores more in keeping
with their culture and educational backgrounds. In this vein, my father orchestrated our return
to Czechoslovakia in 1947. However, the winds of change were moving that country into the
Soviet bloc, and thus our attempt to return proved to be short-lived. In 1948 we moved to
Israel just a few months after the new nation was created, and as the War of Independence still
raged on. After two challenging years in this pioneering adventure, my parents opted to return
to Ecuador, where we arrived at the end of 1950. Thus, before I had turned seven I had lived
in three different continents. We were truly the prototypes of the “Wandering Jews.” What
followed was 11 years of geographic stability that comprised my personal experience in
Ecuadorthe years of my youth. These were years filled with joy and sweet memories. While
we lived in a larger Ecuadorian community and went to school with them, my personal and
social life was entirely segregated and fully centered under Organizacion Juvenil Israelita de Quito
(OJIQ). The Jewish Community brought Madrihim every two years to teach us and inculcating
us both Jewish and Zionist values ideologically around the movement, HaShomer HaTzair. And
so it was that when this phase of my life ended, as I finished high school, and I had to pursue
higher education, that with great sadness I left those years and memories behind. The sharp
pain I experienced when the airport loudspeaker said, “Your attention please, Air Frances
announces its flight to Bogota, Port au Prince, and Paris” remains among the most painful
moments of my life. I knew that this was a one-way trip; 11 years would elapse before I
returned.

31
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Paula Burger
Born in 1934 in Novogrudok (formerly a part of Poland but today is known as Belarus), Paula
and her family were sent to the Vilna ghetto when she was eight years old. Her father escaped
to join the famed Bielski Partisans with plans to get his family out as well. Before he could,
Paula’s mother was taken and killed. Paula’s father then arranged for her and her brother to be
smuggled out of the ghetto, and they survived the Holocaust with the Bielski Partisans in the
Naliboki Forest. Paula immigrated to the U.S. in 1949 and regularly speaks to students and
organizations about how she was able to survive. Paula’s hope is that her story will help people
become more compassionate and inspire them to reach out to those suffering pain and loss.
“There was no rhyme or reason why we should have survived, except to tell the story,” says
Paula.

32
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Paula Burger: Paula’s Window

It took me seventy years to be able to write the book, Paula’s Window, about the
depravation and brutality we suffered at the hand of the Nazis. I was born in 1934 in
Novogrudok, Poland and for seven years I was a happy, carefree child adored by my parents
and extended family. The Nazis invaded Novogrudok on July 3, 1941. Anti-Jewish laws took
effect immediately. As Jews we lost all our citizenship rights. We had to sew the yellow 7tar of
David on our outer garments, so that we were easily identified as Jews. Nazi death squads
conducted roundups to hunt down and kill Jews. My father began making plans. In the spring
of 1942, my parents, my younger brother, Isaac, and I were forced to leave our home and move
into the Novogruduk Ghetto. Despite the curfew and many guards, my father moved secretly
in and out of the ghetto. He warned us of massacres and selections. Our first escape occurred
at night. My mother handed us over the ghetto fence to our father. We walked for hours that
night and hid in the underbrush during the day. We lay in silence for hours while my father
searched for food. It was days before we returned to my mother who had stayed behind in the
ghetto. While we had been in hiding hundreds of children had been taken brutally from the
ghetto and killed. Papa joined the Partisans and would often be gone for long periods of time.
My mother was the source of our stability. She was the wheel of my life. Isaac and I were
outside playing the day the Nazis came for my father. We had not heard from him for months
by then. When the Nazis couldn’t arrest my father they took my mother; they tore her from
my life and my world stopped turning. She was murdered on Yom Kippur, 1942. My father
joined the Bielski Brothers Partisans Group in the Naliboki forest and engineered our elaborate
escape from the ghetto. Isaac and I were put into an empty water barrel. The lid was sealed
and the barrel was placed on a horse-drawn carriage. After many hours of travel in this damp
cask, we arrived at the farmhouse. We were reunited with my father the evening of the second
day.
Our new home was deep in the forest with over a thousand other Jews. Every adult in
the camp adhered to the Partisan’s code to ensure the group s survival. Partisans had to be
able to run at a moment s notice, and young children slowed the group. One night my father
didn’t arrive with the others in his band. I heard people talking. If he didn't return, no one
would care for us. I was horrified. How could this be? The answer was logical: If he lived, we
lived. If he died, we died. My father understood this and soon after he took a companion, a
woman named Hannah. In all the years that she and my father were together, first in the
Forest and years later after she and my father were married, she never once hugged or kissed
me. Soviet soldiers liberated our compound in 1944. Tuva Bielski commanded that the forest
encampment be destroyed by being blown up. Over 1200 residents of the camp were
suddenly homeless. Papa knew there were many Pols eager to kill Jews in Novogrudok, and he
turned us in the direction of Lida. After many moves, my family arrived at the displaced
persons camps at Föhrenwald, Germany in January of 1946. I was 11 years old. I loved being
in school. All my classmates were Jewish, and I had many friends. We studied the history of
Israel and the Hebrew Bible. I loved the Bible stories, and I loved the Hebrew language. My
friends and I joined the Zionist group, Betar. When Israel won its statehood, I was chosen to
carry the new, blue and white flag at a student assembly. I was so proud. A representative of
Histadrut visited our school to tell us about the new state. I desperately wanted to go. After all
we have been through, it was my dream to see Israel and fight for the land. I felt it would be an

33
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

LSRSVXSHMIfor Israel. I was so passionate about going that the Histadrut representative, Leya,
agreed to take me. After school, I ran to tell my father; I was so excited. His answer was
deeply disappointing. “No! I didn’t save you just to send you away somewhere.” I was 39
when I went to Israel for the first time. I got off the plane and kissed the ground.

34
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Rudi Florian:
Born to devout Catholics in 1935 in Schneidenmühl, Germany, Rudi Florian’s parents opposed
the Nazis but didn’t dare to do so openly. As a child, Rudi’s teachers were Nazis and his
schoolbooks contained Nazi propaganda. When he was 10 years old, he briefly served in the
Hitler Youth until his mother came up with an excuse to have him released. When Russian
troops invaded Germany, Rudi’s family was displaced to Poland. Eventually, they moved to East
Berlin, where Rudi encountered Communist propaganda. Later in life, Rudi made a pledge to
“join those who warned that genocide can happen again to any group of people, anywhere…”
and served in the United States Air Force for 30 years. Now retired, Rudi educates others
about the importance of remembering the Holocaust, the value of human rights and the
sanctity of life.

Schneidemühl

35
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Rudi Florian: Sanctity of Life

I was born in 1934 in the town of Schneidenmühl on the eastern border of Germany
near Poland. My parents, Leo and Marie Florian, owned the largest butcher shop in town.
They were devout Catholics, and I became an altar boy at age WM\. My parents opposed the
Nazis, but they did not dare to do so openly. They demonstrated their dislike of the regime in
quiet ways. They refused to speak out against the Jews. My mother refused to apply for the
Bronze Mother Cross, which she became eligible, at my younger sister’s birth in 1940. In a
totalitarian society, there are many secrets. Even before I started school I understood that
there was a difference between what is spoken outside the home and what is shared inside.
Adults who disagree with the government cannot speak freely. By age 5, it was already clear to
me that there were two value systems: the outside and the inside. School was my introduction
to Nazism. Our teachers were Nazis; our curriculum was Nazism, and our school books were
Nazi propaganda. There were no Jewish children in our school. They weren't allowed to
attend German schools by then. We were taught the Jews were bad and children should stay
away from them. I knew only Jew, our family doctor, who escaped England before the war.
Every boy had to join the Hitler youth at age 10. When I became 10, I joined the Wandervögel.
My brother, who was three years older than I, had joined three years before. We were
relieved when my mother made an excuse so that neither of us had to participate. In January
1945, Russian troops KSXcloser to Germany ERH my family made plans to leave. My father,
along with all German men, was required to stay and defend the Fatherland. We boarded the
train, but before it left the station, Russian planes attacked. Many people were injured and
killed. I loudly blamed the Nazis for this awful, chaotic situation. My mother held my mouth
shut, so I didn’t put my whole family in peril. We grabbed our luggage and returned home. A
few weeks later, the Russian army marched into our town. I saw much death and destruction;
our family fled across the border to Poland. The Russians took my father and other able-
bodied, German men to the east to do hard labor. After several months he returned. After
the war, in a decision made by the four powers, our town became a part oJ Poland; 14 million
people were displaced. We were given just a few days to leave; we could take only what we
could carry. We were loaded on boxcars. The cold and the lack of food and water took its
toll; many of the old, the young, and ill did not survive the relocation. In Poland [Iwere
forced to wear an “N” for “Nemiec.” In 1945, we moved to East Berlin where we had
relatives. In East Berlin I went back to school. I now got a taste of communist propaganda. I
witnessed the workers uprising in June, 1953, which was brutally put down by the communist
regime in East Berlin with the help of Russian tanks. In 1947, I saw a documentary on the
Holocaust in a movie theater in Berlin. I was shocked. How could my people have done such a
horrible crime? I felt betrayed by those I had looked up to as my mentors and role models. I
was deeply ashamed. I was really angry at the conspiracy of silence which had kept me
ignorant. I made a pledge to join those who warn that genocide can happen again to any group
of people—anywhere, if we forget and cease to be vigilant for the rights and dignity of all men
and women and the sanctity of our life.

36
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Estelle Nadel
Estelle’s story is told through a series of paintings depicting her life. She was born in 1934 in
Borek, Poland. She was the youngest of 5 children with the oldest being her sister and three
brothers in between. The invasion of Poland by the Germans brought sweeping changes to
their lives. They had to wear yellow stars and were not allowed to attend school. During a
round up her father and sister were killed by the Gestapo. Estelle and her remaining family
went into hiding in a family friend’s attic. Because they were so poor and had nothing, her
mother would leave to find food at night for the family. While she was out one night, she was
found, jailed, and shot by the Gestapo. Estelle and a brother were eventually found hiding and
taken to jail where they were able to escape through the bars in the window. Although they
lost track of one another in the escape, they eventually both found their way to their aunt and
were reunited. They lived there for two years before eventually being liberated by the
Russians.

Borek

37
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Estelle Nadel:
I was born in Poland in 1934 to Reuben and Chaya Feld, in a small village of Borek. I
was the youngest of five children. My sister Sonya was the oldest, and I had three brothers in
between: Moishe, Shia, and Yashik. We were very religious and very poor. When Germany
invaded Poland in 1939, we had to wear yellow stars and we were not allowed to go to school.
By 1942 things were really bad. One day, the Gestapo ransacked our house looking for
weapons and valuable things. We had neither. My father always said that God would save us.
My father and Sonia have to go to work at the oil refinery in our village. One day Sonya ran
home to tell us to go into the fields for the day. The Germans had surrounded the refinery and
she thought something was going to happen. My mother begged her not to go back to the
refinery. Sonia said she would be safe, that she knew some of the Gestapo, and nothing would
happen to her. The Nazis made two lines of the workers in the refinery. Sonya saw that my
father was in the line to the right, and she ran to join him. Everyone in the right line was shot.
Pulena, a woman my mother knew, hid us in her attic. She was very poor, so every night my
mother went out to different gentile homes and begged for food. One night my mother did not
return. We knew something terrible had happened. The next morning, we learned that she
was taken to the jail in Yedlicha and shot by the Gestapo. I was 7 years old; Yashik was 14; Shia
was 15. Yashik could pass for a non-Jew and found work on a farm. Shia and I were in Pulena’s
attic for six months. He went out at night to get food for us. One day from our peep-holes in
the attic, we saw five motorcycles approaching. We didn't know what to do—it was daylight;
we couldn't run outside. We ran downstairs and hid under Pulena’s bed. That was one of the
first places they looked. They took us to the Yedlicha jail. There the police jailer told the
guard take them downstairs. “But there's somebody else in that cell.” The jailer said, “Move
him out and put them in there.” It was a small cell, a wooden bed against one wall. There was
a high window with bars but no glass. It was nighttime and we were very cold. Shia asked me
to help move the bed. I begged him not to do it. He said, “Don’t be a baby.” He stood on the
bed and saw the window was level with the sidewalk. He said he was going to try to get out
through the bars. I wouldn’t have any trouble because I was so small. I begged,
“Don’t leave me.” Shia said, “Watch for the guard and wait until he turns the corner. Then,
climb out. Run across the street and climb that tall fence. I’ll be waiting there.” The first time
he tried he got stuck. I was hysterical, pulling on him. The second time, he made it. I was
crying and frightened, but I was able to get out, run, and climb the fence. I tore myself up. It
was pitch black, and I couldn’t see anything. I kept whispering his name, “Shia.” I started crying
and yelling for him. A woman came out of the house and said, “Who’s crying?” When I
answered she said, “Who are you?” I said, “I am Jewish and I escaped from the jail.” I asked if
she could hide me7he said, “No, my husband is a guard at the jail. If he found you, he’d just
take you right back and shoot you.” She told me to come into the house. I remembered the
public showers in my village where my mother and I went on Fridays. If I could get there, I
could find my way. The woman walked me all the way from Yedlicha through the fields to
Borek to the public showers. She left me there, and I watched to make sure that she was long
gone before I headed towards the Korefsky’s where my aunt and cousin were hiding. Shia
arrived there around dawn. We hid in that attic for two more years. After years of inactivity I
was literally unable to walk when the Russian Army liberated us. We were reunited with
Yashik but never learned what happened to Moishe or other family members.

38
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Osi Sladek:

Osi Sladek was born in Presov, Czechoslovakia in 1935. In 1938, Slovakia seceded from
Czechoslovakia and became an ally of Nazi Germany. Almost immediately, Jews were subjected
to persecution and oppression. As Jews were being rounded up and killed, Osi’s family lived in
hiding, posing as gentiles. As the search for Jews intensified, Osi’s family ventured into the
mountains and lived there with little food and shelter until they were liberated by the Russian
army in 1945. In 1949, his family moved to Israel, and eventually, Osi settled in the United
States. Though he lived in constant fear during the Holocaust, he never lost his faith. His
message is one of good overcoming evil. As he tells audiences, “Goodness goes much further
than evil in life. Never lose faith. Go on and live a good life.”

39
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Osi Sladek:
I was born in Presov, Czechoslovakia in March, 1935. My parents owned a store that
specialized in musical instruments and fine leather goods. My father was a talented musician
and composer who played at musical events across the city1y mother, a phenomenal
salesperson. In 1938, the Slovak people seceded from the Czechs and became allies of Nazi
Germany. Almost overnight the Jews of Presov were subjected to persecution and oppression.
I was seven when I was forced to wear the yellow 7tar of David. I became a target and laughing
stock of bullies who called me “dirty Jew” and threatened to kill me. I was forced to drop out
of public school and second grade. My parents’ business [EW Aryanized, and we were ordered
to leave our apartment. Our bank accounts were seized and travel out of the area required a
special permit. Kind, Christian friends risked their own lives by hiding us in their homes. A
Nazi soldier was a customer in my parents’ store that winter. He described to my mother
atrocities committed against the Jews in Poland. This encounter convinced her to have me
smuggled across the border to Kassa, Hungary, where my aunt and her family lived freely. My
mother bought me a new winter coat for the journey. She advised me to pose as an orphan
and to lie as needed without fear of punishment by God. A man my parents hired, a complete
stranger to me, picked me up one day in March, 1943. I was eight years old. We walked
country roads and snow-covered fields in freezing temperatures from early morning into night,
until we reach the border. At the Slovak side of the border, the man made me crawl like a
rabbit across a large meadow, and he disappeared into the woods. I was terrified to be alone. I
cried and trembled as I made my way across the field. After a while, he reappeared and
consoled me with the news that I had crossed the border without being detected. I spent the
night at a farmhouse and the next morning, the smuggler drove me to a street corner in Kassa
and left me there. I was picked up by police and questioned the entire day at police
headquarters by Police Chief, Chattari. He couldn't understand how I’d been able to cross the
border on my own. I told lie after lie until I was finally released the care of my aunt Ella. I lived
an entire year with aunt Ella and her family until March 19, 1944, when the Nazis occupied
Hungary. I was determined to return to my parents and at age nine, I was smuggled back into
Slovakia.
Following our reunion, we moved to Mikulas near the Tatra mountains. We lived as
gentiles with false baptismal birth certificates. The search for Jews intensified and with the help
of a young peasant, we walked into the mountains. After several days of walking in winter
weather, we came across a small cabin used by shepherds in the summer. The tiny cabin was
already occupied by a number of Jews in hiding. They reluctantly made space for us. A pot
belly stove heated the structure. I was bored and volunteered to collect firewood and tend the
fire. It burned around the clock. It also became my job to erase footprints in the snow when
people left the cabin for certain tasks. This could literally save our lives as it prevented
detection by hunters and Nazi spotter planes. On Christmas, 1944, a Partisan warned us that a
large contingent of Nazi soldiers was headed in our direction. Six of us left for a cave my
mother had seen high in the mountains. I was the last to enter and leaned two large pine
branches to disguise the entrance. A couple of hours later, we heard gunshots and Germans
shouting, “Out, Jews!” Then screams of young mothers, “Don’t shoot! There are children
here!” The Nazis then set the cabin on fire and rounded up our companions. They searched
the area around the cave. The branches concealing the cave saved us. We constructed a

40
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

temporary dwelling higher up in the mountains. Our meager food supplies were exhausted by
mid-February, 1945. The miraculous appearance of a Slovak Partisan with a huge chunk of raw
beef saved our lives. We were liberated a month later by the Russian Army. When we
returned to Presov, we found out that nearly half of our family had perished in concentration
camps.

41
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Joan Wallis
Joan was raised by three Holocaust survivors in a small apartment. Her grandmother became a
strong and loving presence in her life as her mother was consumed by memories of Auschwitz,
where she had been taken at the age of nineteen and had lost her own mother there. Her
parents loved her deeply but were emotionally distant, especially her mother who felt
perpetually haunted by Hitler. Her father would say, “Everything will be alright,” to
counterbalance her mother’s despair. This became the family proverb. Today, Joan lives with
her husband and two sons, passing on the story of her family’s experiences through public
speaking engagements.

J
Joan’s father,, Alex Katz,,
was born in Cologne,
Germany.

J
Joan’s mother,, Rose Mausner
Katz,, was born in Vienna,
Austria.

Theyy met in New York City

after the war and were
married in 1949.

42
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Joan Wallis: One Generation Removed

I was raised by three Holocaust survivors. My father, Alex, who had perfect faith in
God; my mother, Rosie, who had lived through Auschwitz and had little faith in God; and my
paternal grandmother, Omi, whose faith was not an issue. In my home where the residue of
World War II and the Holocaust was a pervasive tension, Omi filled me with love. She was a
big presence, and her body, soft and big breasted, was perfect for hugging me. Sometimes, I
faked being hurt just so she would enfold me in her arms and hold me. She had a great laugh
right up from her kishkas, her life force emanating through her cooking, her dramatic hats, and
through me. My mother was in Auschwitz when she was 19. She and a few other young
women were building railroad tracks; it was cold. One of the guards said to them, “Go! Go
now!” and they ran. She always blamed her bad feet on Hitler and that wintry run through the
forest. I heard her express her pain in a focused way a few years ago when I took her to a
podiatrist. He was a young Latino; she was sitting on the examining table when he walked into
the room. She pointed to her feet. She said, “Look, look what Hitler did to my feet!” It was
irrelevant to her that bunions and hammertoes are hereditary. They had nothing to do with
wandering in the forest trying to survive. Hitler was like a computer chip in her brain. He was
never far from her every thought. Most of her energy was consumed by the living presence of
the Nazis. My mother thought I was the greatest thing on the planet, but she couldn't give
much to me. Omi’s faith was moving forward. My father, too, believed in moving forward. He
always said to my mother, “Everything will be alright.” My mother repeated this to me over and
over. It was our family proverb whether we believed it or not. Rosie left me a box. I know
and I don't know what's in it. For me the box was always to be avoided; I was afraid of what it
contained. It kept me from moving forward. The weight and heaviness I felt from that box was
like the weight and heaviness of my mother losing her mother at Auschwitz. I’ve been to Yad
Vashem twice. My X[Scompanions areEX the exhibits while I sit in the café. It's as close as I
need to be. I think: I'm one generation removed from Auschwitz and I'm sitting in the café.
Things change so much from one generation to another. I have two sons, a husband. We live
in safety and prosperity. We’re not hungry and we’re not scared.

43
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Jack Welner:

Jack is from Lodz, Poland. In 1939 the Germans had occupied Lodz. Jack and his older brother
tried to cross into Russia from Warsaw but did not get there. Meanwhile, the entire Jewish
population of his town was forced into a ghetto. Fearing for his mother and sisters, they
returned to Lodz and the ghetto. They lived with their cousins in a 2-bedroom apartment,
seven family members occupying one room. The conditions there were brutal. There was no
heat, very little food, no water, and no toilets. For 4 ½ years he was locked away from the
world. They were isolated from the rest of the world in the ghetto and had no idea what was
happening around them, including no knowledge of Auschwitz or other extermination camps.
Hunger was constant and rations were necessary to survive. His brother died in 1944 of
starvation. The Lodz Ghetto was liquidated in 1944 (although it was the last to be liquidated
because it produced goods for the Germans). Jack made toys for German children because
there were no more Jewish children left. Its remaining inhabitants were sent to Auschwitz.
Several of Jack’s family members died there, including his beloved mother, Esther. Despite
everything, Jack’s promise to himself and others: “Don’t let the past ruin the future.”

44
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Jack Welner: The Promise

I made myself a promise. I will tell about it. I will never refuse to answer a question;
this is my nature—open and giving. I inherited my nature from my mother, Esther. She was so
generous and goodhearted. We lived in the city of Lodz in Poland when the war broke out on
September the first, 1939. The Germans moved with such an organized force that by
September the XL they had occupied Lodz. That December my brother and I tried to cross
into Russia from Warsaw, but we never got there. While we were in Warsaw we heard the
Germans were making a ghetto, and in April, 1940 we returned to Lodz. I didn't want to leave
my mother and sisters without a man in the house. That same month the Germans made a
ghetto with barbed wire fencing in the most dilapidated part of the city. They moved all the
Jews living in Lodz into the ghetto. We moved in with some cousins who were already living in
that part of town. They had a two-bedroom apartment on the sixth floor. They lived in one-
bedroom, and my family of seven people lived in the other room, which was about 6' x 12’.
We were allowed to bring only a single load from our home to our new apartment. In the
winter of 1939-40 the pipes froze. For the entire time that we lived in the ghetto we had no
running water and no toilets. We walked down six flights of steps to use the outhouse in the
Gourtyard. For four and a half years we were locked away from the world. Anyone with a
radio was shot on the spot. We did not know about Auschwitz; we did not know what's
happening in the world. The Germans made animals out of us. We were always hungry; we
lost interest in everything except food. Each of us was given an eight-day bread ration. I was
always hungry and finished my ration of bread by the fourth or fifth day. Then, I would gather
greens from the field and my mother would cook them like spinach. My older brother,
Schmulik, was very careful with his ration. Each day he ate one eight of his ration. He died of
starvation on D-Day June 6, 1944. Lodz was the longest lasting ghetto. Liquidated last because
it was producing goods for the Germans. Everyone had to work. Who didn’t work, didn't live.
Factories were set up in the ghetto. I made toys for German children; there were no Jewish
children left. They had taken them all away. My brother-in-law, Henech, was the first one to
be taken. In March of 1942, my sister, Henia, and my nephew, Sevek, were taken. My sister,
Fela, was sent to a labor camp in March of 1944. In August of 1944, my mother, my sister,
Hannah, and I were part of a round up. The Nazis were liquidating the ghetto. At first we hid,
and then thought better of it. We were transported to Auschwitz by cattle car. We arrived in
the middle of the night to bright lights and the Gestapo were screaming at us. “Out! Out!”
They separated me from my mother and my sister. The last time I saw my mother, she pressed
a piece of bread into my hand. She had saved it the entire train ride from Lodz. “Take it,” she
said, “you’ll need it.” I made myself a promise whatever happened, happened. Don't let the past
ruin the future.

45
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Narrative Comprehension Questions

Jack Adler
1.
What does the word, “metaphoric revenge” mean in Jack’s narrative?
2.
Why does Jack refer to Auschwitz as an “extermination camp?” (Consider that in
history we have learned to refer to them as “concentration camps” or
“internment camps?”
3.
Discuss your thoughts on the following: “Not all bullies grow up to be evil hate-
mongers, but all hate-mongers are bullies.”
Tom Berl
1.
What does it mean by the term, “Wandering Jew?”
2.
Why is it important to retain one’s culture or heritage?
3.
What does it mean to feel displaced? How did Tom feel displaced by history?
How did he resolve this?
Paula Berger
1.
Why do you think it took Paula 70 years to write her story?
2.
Why is it significant that Paula’s mother was murdered on Yom Kippur?
3.
What do you feel the role of Hannah was in their lives? What did Paula want from
her?
4.
From the narrative, what do you think the Partisan group was and what was its
role during the Holocaust?
Rudi Florian
1.
What did Rudi’s family believe in?
2.
Why was it risky that Rudi blame the Germans for the bombing of the train
station?
3.
What was shocking to Rudi once he went to the movie and saw the Holocaust
documentary?
Estelle Nadel
1.
What would be required to pass for a non-Jew like Estelle’s brother, Yashik?
2. What kind of courage would it take for the guard’s wife to walk a Jewish child to
the public showers? What do you believe she was sympathetic towards?
3.
What is the importance of family in this narrative?
Osi Sladek
1.
What does it mean to be Aryanized?
2.
What kind of relationship did the Nazi soldier and Osi’s mother have before and
during the war?
3.
In what ways did Osi survive throughout the narrative?

46
 HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR NARRATIVES

Joan Wallis
1.
Why does Joan say that her father had faith and her mother had none?
2.
From whom does Joan feel like she receives the most love?
3.
What impact does the experiences of Joan’s mother, grandmother, and father
have on Joan?
Jack Welner
1.
Why did Jack feel that he needed to return to his mother and sisters after his
attempt to flee to Russia?
2.
What does he mean when he says, “The Germans made animals out of us?”
3.
What does he mean when he says, “The Nazis were liquidating the Ghetto?”
4.
What is the importance of family in this narrative?

47
 CORNELL NOTES

LIVING LESSONS OF THE HOLOCAUST

Summary:

48
 POETRY STUDY

“The Butterfly”

The last, the very last,

So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun's tears would sing
against a white stone...

Such, such a yellow

Is carried lightly ‘way up high.
It went away I'm sure because it wished
to kiss the world goodbye.

For seven weeks I've lived in here,

Penned up inside this ghetto
But I have found my people here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut candles in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.

That butterfly was the last one.

Butterflies don't live in here,
In the ghetto.

Pavel Freidmann,, a Jewish

J Czechoslovak poet,
p , was taken to Theresienstadt concentration camp p on April
p 26,,
1942. He wrote “The Butterfly”y on JJune 4,, 1942,, which was found when Theresienstadt was liberated. He
was deported to Auschwitz on September 29, 1944 where he later died.

Source: “Holocaust Memorial Day Trust." The Butterfly. n.d. <http://hmd.org.uk/resources/poetry/butterfly-pavel-

friedmann>.

49
 POETRY STUDY

“First They Came”

First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

Martin Niemöller,, a pprominent Protestant ppastor,, was an outspoken

p opponent
pp of Adolf Hitler,, althoughg he
still considered himself a German nationalist. In 1937,, he was arrested for treason and incarcerated until
his trial. In 1941 he was transferred to Dachau,, where he was housed with other Catholic dissenters. He
remained there for the next seven yyears,, until his transport
p to Austria with other ppolitical pprisoners until
their liberation byy U.S. troops.
p Several versions of this poem have been developed which reflect the danger
of only being a bystander.

Source: Martin Niemöller: Biography." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial
Council, 02 July 2016. <https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007391>.

50
 POETRY STUDY

“I Cannot Forget”

Do I want to remember?
The peaceful ghetto, before the raid:
Children shaking like leaves in the wind.
Mothers searching for a piece of bread.
Shadows, on swollen legs, moving with fear.
No, I don’t want to remember, but how can I forget?
Do I want to remember, the creation of hell?
The shouts of the Raiders, enjoying the hunt.
Cries of the wounded, begging for life.
Faces of mothers carved with pain.
Hiding Children, dripping with fear.
No, I don’t want to remember, but how can I forget?
Do I want to remember, my fearful return?
Families vanished in the midst of the day.
The mass grave steaming with vapor of blood.
Mothers searching for children in vain.
The pain of the ghetto, cuts like a knife.
No, I don’t want to remember, but how can I forget?
Do I want to remember, the wailing of the night?
The doors kicked ajar, ripped feathers floating the air.
The night scented with snow-melting blood.
While the compassionate moon, is showing the way.
For the faceless shadows, searching for kin.
No, I don’t want to remember, but I cannot forget.
Do I want to remember this world upside down?
Where the departed are blessed with an instant death.
While the living condemned to a short wretched life,
And a long tortuous journey into unnamed place,
Converting Living Souls, into ashes and gas.
No. I Have to Remember and Never Let You Forget.

Alexander Kimel moved to the Rohatyn y gghetto in the Ukraine to avoid the Red Armyy in 1940. In his time in
the ghetto,
g , he was forced to do hard labor and lived with the constant fear of beingg rounded upp and killed.
In 1943,, he ran awayy and lived in the surroundingg forest and villages
g jjust as the gghetto was liquidated and
everyone left within it killed. He immigrated to America where he still lives today.

Source: ""I Cannot Forget", Two Poems by Alexander Kimel |." "I Cannot Forget", Two Poems by Alexander Kimel n.d.
<http://remember.org/witness/kimel2>.

51
 TYPES OF CONFLICT

Living Lessons of the Holocaust Narrative Conflicts

There are seven types of narrative conflict that can shape or alter the causes and effects of a
plotline. All stories are propelled by one or more of these conflicts, whether in fiction or
nonfiction work. In the post lesson, “Living Lessons of the Holocaust: Conflict Reflection” the
objective is to have students reflect upon one or multiple conflicts that arise in the Survivor
Narratives with the following question in mind:

•
How do one or more narrative conflicts characterize the stories of the Holocaust
survivors and their families?

As a follow-up assignment, have students write a reflection that utilizes the narrative
experiences of the Holocaust Survivors, their families, society, or populations as a whole, and
the way they experience types of conflict as a result of the Holocaust. For reference, the seven
types of conflicts are listed below:

A person’s struggle with another person or the protagonist’s

Person vs. Person
struggle with another character or person within the story.
A person’s struggle with oneself in terms of doubts, prejudice,
Person vs. Self
or character flaws.
A person’s struggle with elements found in nature, whether
Person vs. Nature
animal or environment.
A person’s struggle to confront institutions, traditions or law
Person vs. Society
within the society of which they are a part.
A person’s struggle with the concept of control and/or who or
Person vs. Fate/God
what truly dictates the outcome of one’s life or actions.
A person’s struggle with the influence of technology and its
Person vs. Technology
direct impact of the individual or society.
A person’s struggle with elements that are fictional fabrications
of a story (monsters or demons). However, this category could
Person vs.
also be aligned with Person vs. Self in terms of the struggle
Supernatural
against what a person must contend with in the creation of
metaphorical demons that arise from oneself.

Of these types of conflicts, the last three are often consider sub-conflicts or sometimes
eliminated from the primary four. However, in examining the narratives of the Holocaust
Survivors, it is evident that their experiences depict several of these conflicts, and it could be
argued that one or more of the sub-conflicts are applicable. As students write their reflections,
they may want to focus on a primary conflict overall (which could also relate to a narrative
theme) or include several conflicts that could be discussed in multiple paragraphs using text
evidence. To extend the exercise, include a text annotation and planning exercise into the
activity.

52
 TILE ART PROJECT

Creative Comprehension: Ceramic Tile Art

This ceramic tile art project is useful to pair with reading and understanding narratives, poetry,
or other types of literature. The objective is to have students think about the work and
respond, through color and design, their feelings or thoughts about the work itself. This activity,
does take some maturity for students to participate in and does involve purchasing materials.

Materials:

•
A collection of thick-tip Sharpies (purchasing two of the large, multi-colored 24 packs

usually works well for a large classroom).
•
White, ceramic tile (purchase at your local home improvement store). These can be the
larger 4x4 squares or any other shape or style within your budget. They can be
purchased in bulk if multiple classes are doing the activity (usually 100 tiles in a pack).
•
Large bottle of 90% rubbing alcohol (anything below 90% will not work)
•
Straws (cut up into 2-3 sections to use as pipettes)
•
Plastic containers to hold the alcohol (these can be shared between 2-3 students)
•
Paper plates

Process:

1.
Pick the literary piece that you are working with. (For the example model, The Odyssey
is used.) Have students reflect upon their understanding of the work and choose 2 or 3
Sharpies that they feel would best express their ideas.
2.
Each student should start with a blank tile placed on the paper plate. Once students
have an idea of what they will be expressing through their colors, they can loosely color
the tile with the Sharpie (it doesn’t have to be heavy or completely filled in).
3.
Using the straws, have students place their straw pipette in the alcohol container. Using
their fingertip to serve as a vacuum, they can “hold” the alcohol in the straw (not a lot
of alcohol is necessary, so the containers do not have to be too deep).
4.
Students will drop the alcohol onto the tile and Sharpie and it will start to blur and pool
out. They can pick up the tile to move around and change the flow of the alcohol to pick
up other colors within the tile or blend it using a variety of techniques. The alcohol will
evaporate, leaving patterns of color on the tile. (Caution: Using too alcohol much pulls
up the color and will leave very little on the tile. Students will need to repeat the
process.) Students can try out different techniques to get their achieved effect.
a.
There are many ways to play with the medium (using tissues to absorb the
alcohol creates a scaling effect or blowing gently through the straw creates lines)
Please see examples of student work on the following page.
b.
If a student wants a “do-over”, the tile can be wiped off with wet wipes or
bleach wipes.
5.
Once all of the Sharpie is blended with the alcohol, they can be left to dry overnight. To
permanently “seal” the tile, the tiles can be sprayed with clear polyurethane. Students
can take them home after they are sealed.

53
 TILE ART PROJECT

Purpose:

There are many ways in which we can respond to a piece of literature. Sometimes, the more
challenging texts evoke feelings and sentiments that can be beautifully captured in art. This
project, while certainly not without its challenges, creates profound illustrations of students’
comprehension. While students often get caught up in the activity itself, asking the students
what they are trying to achieve or convey in representing the literary piece is the most
rewarding aspect of this project. Students truly enjoy this activity and love seeing the work of
their peers as well.

The Odyssey Examples:

Odysseus’s men are enchanted by The Odysseus and his crew slaughter The
Lotus Eaters. Cicones and take their gold.

Odysseus and his men must navigate Odysseus pokes out the eye of Polyphemus,
around Charybdis. The Cyclopes.

54
 MAPPING THE NARRATIVE EXPERIENCE

Climax:

Rising Action: Falling Action:

Rising Action: Falling Action:

Rising Action: Falling Action:

Survivor Narrator: ____________________________

Exposition: Setting: _____________________________________ Resolution:

Conflict: _________________vs._________________

Theme(s): ___________________________________

A plot is a sequence of events that comprise a narrative. One or more characters within the narrative are affected by these events
in a relationship between cause and effect. Use the narrative experience of a Holocaust Survivor to map out their story plot.