Bystanders and responsibility

Bystanders, Victims, Perpetrators and ResistanceSperling Kronberg Mack Holocaust Resouce Center

Myra Berkovits and Pat Holland1Bystanders = Spectators = Indifference

2The opposite of hate is not love but indifference.Eli Wiesel

3What is a Victim?A victim is a person or thing that suffers harm, death, etc., from another or from some adverse act, circumstance, etc. victims of tyranny

Victims of bullying include girls and boys of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds.

Some students can be victimized because they appear small, weak, insecure, sensitive or different from their peers

4What is a Perpetrator?A perpetrator is a person who commits a serious crime or evil action, causing grievous harm or death to the victim.

It is also used of those who commit atrocities.

5The Bystander is a person who is present but not involved.According to history, by taking no action, they were responsible for allowing the Holocaust to escalate. In today's school setting Bystanders make up approximately 85% of a school population, the silent majority

They are the most ignored and underused resources in the schools

They become desensitized over time (diminished empathy)

6The Sounds of Silence byPaul Simon

What is the effect of silence. Children grow up knowing that "silence is golden" and they learn to "see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil." Tragically, many respond to the events of suffering in just this manner. We should ask why we so often choose the role of spectator. Paul Simon's classic, "The Sounds of Silence, " comments on the indifference of people to what is happening all around them. Source: Facing History and Ourselves7Dilemma of the Bystander during the Holocaust

There I was, in 1935, a perfect example of the kind of person who, with all his advantages of birth, in education, and in position might easily rule in any country. If I had refused to take the oath in 1935, it would have meant that thousands and thousands like me, all over Germany, were refusing to take it. Their refusal would have heartened millions. Thus the regime would have been overthrown, or indeed, would never have come to power in the first place. The fact that I was not prepared to resist, in 1935, meant that all the thousands, hundreds of thousands like me, in Germany were also unprepared, and each one of these hundreds of thousands, like me, a man of great influence or of great potential influence, Thus the world was lost....Source: Facing History and Ourselves8Since the 4th century, hatred for the Jews progressed in stages, states Raul Heilberg, noted Holocaust historianThey may not live among us as Jews (i.e. ghettos)

They may not live among us (i.e. expulsion)

They may not live ( i.e. extermination)

9Jokes to Genocide

10The Holocaust and GenocideThe Holocaust was a unique episode of genocide not because of who was killed or how many were killed, but how and whythey were killed

The method had technological dimension

The motive of the Nazis was to achieve the Final Solution. In other words, to wipe the Jews off the face of the earth

11What was the Holocaust?It was the destruction of some 6 million Jewsby the Nazis and their followers in Europebetween 1933 -1945.

Other individuals and groups were persecuted and suffered grievously during this period. It was the Jews who were marked for complete and utterannihilation.

The term Holocaust literally means, a completelyburned sacrifice.

The word Shoah, originally a biblical term meaningwidespread disaster, is the modern Hebrew equivalent.Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

12Who were the victims of the Holocaust?According to Steven Spielberg, founder of the USC Shoah Foundation, any person who wasdisplaced between 1933 and 1945 was avictim of the Holocaust.Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

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14There may be times when we arepowerless to prevent injusticeBut there must never be a timewhen we fail to protestElie Wiesel

15HOLOCAUST RESISTANCEPeople resisted the Nazis in various ways

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Irena SendlerIrena SendlerIrena Sendler was a Polish Catholic social worker living in Warsaw in the 1930s working for the urban Social Welfare Department.

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Irena Sendler was a Polish Catholic social worker living in Warsaw in the 1930s working for the urban Social Welfare Department.18

Because Irena was an employee of the Social Welfare Department, she had a special permit to enter the Warsaw Ghetto, to check for signs of typhus and other diseases.

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Through her visits, she was able to organize the smuggling of Jewish children from the Ghetto, carrying them out any way she could, including boxes, suitcases, ambulances and carriages. She sometimes disguised them as packages. The children were placed with Polish families, at the Warsaw orphanage of the Sister of the Family of Mary, or in Roman Catholic convents and parish rectories. She hid the lists of their names and locations in jars, in hopes that after the war they would be returned to their families. In 1943 she was arrested by the Gestapo. She was brutally tortured and sentences to death. Her friends were able to save her by bribing German guards on the way to her execution. She then had to go into hiding.

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After the war, she dug up the jars containing the childrens identities and began an attempt to find the children and reunite them with their living parents. Sadly, she found that almost all the childrens parents had died at the Treblinka extermination camp, but almost 2,000 children were saved.

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Dr. Ho Feng ShanHe was born into a wealthy family. His father died when he was very young. He had to count on hard work and diligence to succeed. He earned a university degree in China and eventually earned a PhD from the University of Munich.

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Dr. Ho Feng Shan started a career in the Foreign Service and began serving as Counsel-General in Vienna in 1939. This was just after Germany annexed Austria, and through Hilters decree the 200.000 Jews living there lost their citizenship. Of course, they feared what would happen under Nazi rule.

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Jews were allowed to leave only if they had documentation proving their eligibility such as a ticket for ship or a visa issued by another county. Tragically, nearly all nations shut their doors, claiming that they had to observe quotas, or requiring paperwork that didnt exist. Even those with connections and resources were trapped.

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Dr. Ho Feng Shan ignored orders from his superior and began issuing visas to Shanghai for any Jewish person wishing to leave. He kept in contact with religious and charitable organizations who were trying to make escape possible. He used every means at his disposal, knowing full well he was violating Chinas official policies. Eventually thousands, including people who had already been jailed or sent to camps, benefitted from the help given by Dr. Ho Feng Shan.

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After his death, his deeds were honored by Yad Vashem, identifying him as Righteous Among the Nations. He said that his greatest reward was that he was able to live his life knowing he did the right thing.

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Hans SchollHans Scholl was 15 years old when he joined the Nazi Youth group.

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He became a leader in his troop, much to the disappointment of his father. Hans father was the mayor of his small town and made it clear that he strongly disapproved of the new Socialist regime. Mayor Scholl was jailed for saying something negative about Hitler to an employee, and Hands was arrested and jailed for several weeks for joining an unapproved youth group. It did not take him long to become disillusioned with what the Nazis stood for, and he was determined to fight back.

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At the University of Munich he met some like-minded students. They decided to call themselves The White Rose, and began creating pamphlets that protested the actions of the government and urged people to resist. Hand tried to discourage his younger sister Sophie who was also at the University, to join the group, but she was determined to be part of the group.

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From the very beginning they knew that their lives were in danger. Everything around them was carefully monitored. Just getting caught buying large quantities of paper could lead to arrest. All around them were people who were loyal to the governments and more than willing to turn them into the authorities.30

With all the challenges facing them, the group was able to pamphlets, sending them with trusted couriers to as many communities as they could. They painted Down with Halter and Freedom on the walls of the University.

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They knew it was going to be a matter of time before they were caught. In February,1943, just nine months after their efforts began, Sophie, their friend Christoph and Hans were arrested. In less than a week they were tried, found guilty and executed.32Anti-Nazi Leaflets published by the White Rose. Hans Scholl, a 25-year old Christian medical student at the University of Munich, with his 22 year old sister Sophie, formed the White Rose resistance group in 1942 to publish anti-Nazi leaflets to students. They were caught and beheaded in February 1943.

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They felt that no matter what the cost, fighting to end the injustices was worth the price.34Spiritual Resistance was often some peoples only means of resistance.They refused Nazi dehumanization when the Germans tried to make them less than they were. They kept their culture when the Nazis wanted to remove it from the Earth.Survival became an act of defiance.To be openly defiant was unwise due to Nazi reprisals to the entire community and immediate death.

35Faces of the The UprisingTo smuggle a loaf of bread was to resistTo teach in secret was to resist.To gather information and distribute an underground newsletter was to resist.To cry out warning and shatter illusions was to resist.To rescue a Torah Scroll was to resist.To forge documents was to resist.To smuggle people across borders was to resist.To chronicle events and conceal the records was to resist.To extend a helping hand to those in need was to resist.To dare to speak out, at the risk of ones life was to resist.To stand empty-handed against the killers was to resist.To reach the besieged, smuggling weapons and c commands was to resist.To take up arms in streets, mountains and forests was to resist.To rebel in the death camps was to resist.To rise up in the ghettos, amid tumbling walls, In the most desperate revolt humanity has ever knownHaim Guri and Monia Avrahami

36Forms of Resistance:Open opposition to the Nazis was rare due to instant death or reprisals to the entire community so they went underground.

Jews smuggled food into the campsJews set up an economy with smuggled food, a necessity for keeping people aliveJews presented plays, concerts and other musical entertainmentJews set up schools and child care facilitiesJews printed a newspaper for communicationJews kept radios for outside informationJews started illegal mills and workshopsJews sabotaged forced labor factoriesJews set up public and childrens kitchens, distributed clothing, furniture and found refugees housing

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Market and soup kitchen.

Warsaw market and food line

38Four partisan movements in forest and swamp areas fought against the Nazis. The partisan movement never had a large number of soldiers but they were effective. One of the most famous was led by the Bielski brothers.BelorussiaWestern UkraineLithuania

39The Bielski brothers led a combat group in Belorussias Forest.

40Jews revolted at 3 camps SobiborTreblinkaAuschwitz Only Sobibor was successful.

41Jews blew up #4 gas chamber at Birkenau. The Jews were executed.BeforeAfter

42Righteous Gentiles AssistedPeople, at their own peril, in all countries hid Jews or tried to help them in some way.The French Army helped French Jews escape to Spain, collected money to help hidden Jews, and hid them.Families took children into hiding.Danes helped Jews escape to Sweden and kept their homes up until their neighbors returned.Individuals risked their lives to help, such as Oscar Schindler, Raoul Wallenberg, and others.

What can we do?How can we as educators ensure that students will be neither bystanders, victims or perpetrators.

Can we give them another option?

Yes we can.........

The Upstander

People who are willing to stand up and take action in defense of others. It can refer to individuals who take large risks during wars and political turmoil, and also identifies people who take small but helpful steps to shield others from bullying and other injustices.

Upstanders can make a difference!They can break the cycle.......

45How can we help and encourage students to become Upstanders?Emphasize strength in numbersCommunicate the expectation to take actionTeach skills and strategies to take a standNotice and acknowledge caring behaviorsEncourage empathy

Thou shalt not be victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.

As stated by Yehuda Bauer, Historian

SOURCES:Upstanders; A readers theatre piece about genocideTheresa Docherty, Kathryn Nelson, Luke Walker and Dr. Ellen Kennedy at The University of Minnesota, Spring 2008

Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida

Samantha Power, Journalist

Valuable WebsitesUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museumhttp://www.ushmm.org/

Yad Vashemhttp://www.yadvashem.org

Museum of Tolerancehttp://www.museumoftolerance.com

The greatest resistance to the Nazis was that THE JEWS SURVIVED!

Sperling Kronberg Mack Holocaust Resource Center Website address:lvhresourcecenter.com

Email address:sperlinghl@aol.com Phone number:702-433-0005