Category Archives: Grade 10
Holocaust Memoir
My name is Camie, and I am a World War 2 survivor. My life is going amazing compared to my life 20 years ago. I will never forget the day they found us, just like I will never forgive my father for betraying us. I still cannot believe how one man could go from loving his family unconditionally, to telling the Nazis where they were for his own survival. I remember the exact date. September 15 1935; the day the Nuremberg Laws were established. The day my father was told he could not be with my mother anymore. The day he left. Of course my family fell apart after this day, my father was forced to join the Nazis since he was married to a Jew, and my mother was forced to work in the factory. My father kept our hiding spot a secret for the longest time, until his life was threatened, and he was suspected of knowing the location of Jews. When my father’s life was threatened, he told the Nazis where we were. Sending us to concentration camps. My mother and I were separated when we were put in those cattle cars, and I did not have any brothers or sisters. I never saw my mother again after that, there were so many people running around everywhere. Screaming for each other, crying hysterically. We were beaten, starved and pushed so far past our limits, that most of us did not even survive a week in those camps. The camp commander was a terrible man, ever so often we would go a week with no food. We were forced to wear rags, and uncomfortable wooden shoes, always being promised death. For everybody else that promise was kept, for me it was not. I failed to mention, I was the only survivor in that concentration camp. I owe my life to that man on the horse, not only for saving my life, but for adopting me as well. Allowing me to have a second chance at living freely. I now have 3 amazing kids and a husband who I love unconditionally, and I know they love me unconditionally too.
Analysis: I wrote this fictional memoir based on the tragedies of World War 2. In my fictional memoir there is a girl named Camie, who’s had a Jewish mother and a German father. Her father ended up betraying their family after the Nuremberg Laws were established, and he became a Nazi. Once his life was at risk Camie’s father turned in their hiding spot, so Camie and her mother were sent to concentration camps. Her life became terrible until she was adopted by the man who saved her. My fictional memoir was written in first person, in a Jewish girls point of view. The struggle in my memoir is that Camie’s dad betrayed them and sent them off to concentration camp, where Camie struggled to stay alive, but succeeded.
(This is a picture of my mother and I waiting to get on to the cattle carts, along with many other Jews)
Source: https://www.google.ca/searchq=jewish+girls+in+concentration+camp&biw=1824&bih=979&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiy-Y2q5brQAhVM-GMKHWM1AFwQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=HoQdMNy9t_Rp_M%3A
30 for 30 Broke Reflection
30 for 30 Broke Reflection
By: Anna Tettenborn
After watching the documentary “30 for 30” I learned how much money can corrupt you, especially when you are a professional athlete with an image to maintain. I realized that you have to be so careful with money because even $400 million can get away from you in a blink of an eye. I also learned that the more money you make the more taxes you pay. When I’m older I am going to only buy the things I need, and make sure to pay off my bills on time. Of course I will have the occasional shopping trip, but I will never go as crazy as the athletes did. In the documentary the athletes went money crazy, letting the money get to their head and take over their lives. The men in the documentary didn’t save a single penny, they paid for most of their things in cash, throwing $100 bills at strippers, and buying the most expensive cars. When they did this it of course caused them to go bankrupt. These athletes would spend money on anything and everything they wanted. Without so much as questioning if it was a purchase they really needed, because they didn’t need to. I think that the root of their bankruptcy was that they lived by the term “keeping up with the Joneses”. This essentially meant that they would one up each other in everything. If someone got a gold chain, you would get one too, but it would be bigger and more expensive. If somebody bought a car you would buy one too, but newer, more expensive, and flashier. I think because it was a never ending cycle of people one – upping each other, this caused them all to go broke. Another reason may have been that they had no guidance telling them how to manage their millions. In the 1990’s athletes went from getting $19,000 per year to getting almost $400,000,000 per year. If I were a pro athlete’s financial planner, I would put 50% of each pay cheque in to a savings account, to ensure they can live comfortably for the rest of their lives when they retire. I would give them 10% of their money to spend, 20% to pay off their expenses and bills, and the other 20% goes to me. A financial advisor should get 20% or higher, because not only are they saving the athletes money, they are also saving their lives. Theses athletes made a huge mistake blowing their money like they did, but in they end I’m positive they learned a lesson that they could pass on to younger generations.
We Remember – Liberation Poem
I wrote this poem based on how I pictured the journal entry written by Charles V. Ferree. With great detail he explained how horrid and emotional liberation for all those Jews was. In my poem I tried my best to capture what Charles witnessed, and how i think he would’ve felt. Attempting to put how I would have felt in to my work.
(In this image you can see that the Jews have been released, and are celebrating their forever freedom!)
I heard about what happened,
and decided to go help.
I packed my bags,
put on my coat,
and decided to head straight out.
We could not land at first,
but then it was all clear.
We hopped into the jeep
hoping we were near.
It took us to that place,
and I will never forget his face.
The one who with his buddies was clubbing at the guards.
All that went through my head was “wow we let this go too far.”
It was not just the Germans,
but us as watchers too,
treating those men as if they were caged animals in a zoo.
I remember all the bodies,
stacked up to 5 feet tall.
It seemed as though there was enough,
to build a 10-foot wall.
Those Jews were laying lifeless,
the Germans now were too.
The last thing I heard one say was “this is because of you, you stupid Jew.”
Finally, liberation for all these poor men.
I pray one day they have a family,
and have a dog they could call Ben.
Some say it never happened,
that it is all a big fat lie.
To that I say,
go tell it to the ones who lost their lives.
Image Source: https://furtherglory.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/the-liberation-of-mauthausen-may-5-1945/
“The Cage” Timeline Project
September 1 1939– World War II started. Germany invaded Poland. Many people were killed, in over 714 locations. At least 5000 victims were Jews
History: On September 1 1939, the Germans invaded Poland. Within weeks of the invasion the Polish army was defeated. German units, with more than 2,000 tanks and over 1,000 planes, broke through polish defenses along the border and attacked Warsaw.
Image:
Image Caption: In this picture Germany is marching to invade Poland
http://www.jewishgen.org/ForgottenCamps/General/TimeEng.html
Application to novel: This point in time is relevant to the story because Riva and her family were all caught in this terrible time, and experienced it hands on. They were fighting to stay alive and be able to overcome what the Nazis threw at them. The day world war 2 started was the day her life changed completely, and her childhood was taken away. Riva was proud to be Jewish but unfortunately that was the reason her life was so terrible. She was forced to become the mother to her brothers, as well as remaining their sister. At 16 she was their legal guardian forced to provide for them.
October 12 1939– Germany begins deportation of Austrian and Czech Jews to Poland
History: After Hitler’s authorization, German authorities began deporting German, Austrian, and Czech Jews. They primarily removed Jews from the German- occupied Poland. The European rail network played a crucial role in the deportation process
Image :
Image Caption: In this picture, many Jews are being deported to concentration camps
Source : http://www.scrapbookpages.com/AuschwitzScrapbook/History/Articles/HungarianJews.html
http://www.jewishgen.org/ForgottenCamps/General/TimeEng.html
Application to novel: This picture relates to the novel because in the story, many Jews were told that they were going to have a much better life, with much more food then they were currently getting. They Nazis said this so they could round up the Jews much easier, with much less work. So Riva decided to take the chance to give her and her brothers a better life, she grabbed all she could carry and voluntarily headed to the train to get deported. Then she was taken to the concentration camp where her life became much worse then it was before.
May 7 1940– Lodz Ghetto (Litzmannstadt) sealed
History: On May 7 1940 the Germans sealed off the Lodz ghetto. Approximately 165,000 people were sealed in 1.6 square miles
Image:
Image Caption: In this picture you can see the fencing around the ghetto, keeping everybody in
Source : http://www.lodz-ghetto.com/the_bridges_of_the_ghetto.html,6
http://www.lodz-ghetto.com/the_bridges_of_the_ghetto.html,6
Application to novel: The Lodz ghetto being sealed was a very large part in the novel. The main character and her family all lived in Lodz. This is the day they were practically imprisoned and were stripped of the majority of their food. They were not allowed to go in or out of the ghetto, and they weren’t allowed to bring anything in or out. Because they were imprisoned, and nothing could go in or out, the doctors couldn’t get any medicine. So everybody began to die from all sorts of illness’ that could have previously been treated. Everybody was getting weak and they were extremely over worked.
February 1 1941– German authorities begin rounding up Polish Jews
History: On February 1 1941 German authorities began rounding up Polish Jews for transfer to Warsaw Ghetto. 10,000 Jews died from starvation in the ghetto between January and June 1941
Image :
Image Caption : In this picture the Nazis are marching to round up the Jews
Source : http://www.lodz-ghetto.com/the_bridges_of_the_ghetto.html,6
http://alphahistory.com/holocaust/europe-under-the-nazis/
Application to novel: This picture relates to the novel because Riva and her whole family were all Polish Jews. A way the Nazis tried to round them up was bringing a speaker to be very sweet and pretend that he cared, just so the Jews would voluntarily go to the concentration camps. Another way, shown in the story was a deportation list every little while, and if you were on it you had to go, or the Nazis would find you. They also raided houses and took as many Jews as they possibly could. Riva and her family ended up in the concentration camp because they voluntarily went, believing they would actually have a better life, and be able to stay with her brothers.
1945– Hitler is defeated
History: In 1945 Hitler is defeated and World War II ends in Europe. The Holocaust is over and the death camps are emptied. Many of the survivors are placed in displaced persons facilities.
Image :
Image Caption: This is a picture of Hitler. He was the whole reason World War II started.
Source : http://remember.org/educate/mtimeline
Application to novel: This date relates to the novel because Hitler was the entire cause of World War II, and the whole story is based around world war 2. When Hitler is defeated Riva gets her freedom back and is able to go where ever she pleases. She is done living in a concentration camp and she can now start her life over again. She will never get her childhood back but she at least has her freedom back.
April 30 1945– Hitler commits suicide, liberation of Ravensbruck
History: On this day, Adolf Hitler killed himself by gunshot. His wife Eva committed suicide with him by taking cyanide.
Image:
Image Caption: This is a picture of Hitler before he committed suicide
Source : http://www.lodz-ghetto.com/the_bridges_of_the_ghetto.html,6
Application to novel: This event is relevant to the novel because I believe, that when Hitler takes his own life, it is a breath of fresh air for all the survivors who suffered from his terrible actions. I think that for Riva, her family and every other survivor it is a moment to celebrate. I also think that they can now truly live free, with out the fear of Hitler coming back to power and starting a World War III.
The Ghettos Portrayed in “The Cage”
After reading the firsts 8 chapters of “The Cage,” you get a very clear image of what the ghetto was like. In the ghetto 180,000 men, women and children were all trapped together in a huge barbed wire cage. Every person was suffering from un-employment, hunger and disease. Most of the diseases had no cure due to the fact that the doctors had no medicine and were broke as well. There were no more factories because of the Nazis and all machinery was surrendered to them. Mothers are very worried about the health of their children and fathers are looking frantically for a job, but all doors are closed to them. School vacation is long over, but no schools are open for the children of the ghetto. The children play a new game with all their free time. It’s called escape from the Germans. The idea was to not get caught by the Germans trying to find and kill the Jews. The Jewish people are even scared of their own guards, hoping they’re not bored, or having a bad day. Hoping that they won’t shoot the common people for their own amusement. And when people got sick, you just had to wait for them to die.
http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/warsaw.htm
2081 Charter of Rights and Freedoms
After reading the short story titled Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr, it is made clear that being above average is a terrible thing. Any individuals above average were forced by the United States Government and the Handicap Generals of America to wear a handicap, making everyday tasks extremely frustrating. In the story there were insane rules that everybody was forced to live by. For example, since everybody was forced to be equals any visually appealing individuals would be obligated to wear a mask to hide their beauty. Also if any individual’s strength was greater than the average man, they would have to agree to have a form of handicap and/or a possible life sentence in prison. People also had to live by the rule that any persons charged with an offence has the right to be sentenced to life with out being tried. For the characters in the story life would have been very hard. Any individual above average needed a handicap making life extremely difficult. Beautiful people’s masks were to keep others from feeling less than and not beautiful. People that were to smart had a noise making ear piece, disturbing any and all concentration they had. And making them forget things that just happened. People that were to strong were forced to wear heavy metal around their necks, on their arms and legs. They were also stolen from their homes and thrown in jail with no logical reason but the fact that they were above average. Not to mention they did not have the option of a lawyer or a trial. A society that is completely equal can never be possible, people with no handicaps are much more comfortable than the people with handicaps. If we can not all have the same level of comfort and people are struggling just to stay sane, then how can anyone say we are all equal. There is simply nothing that anyone could ever do that would make us all equals.