Elie Wiesel

Author of Night,

A Holocaust Memoir

Elie’s Life• Born an Orthodox Jew on

9/30/1928.• Grew up in Sighet,

Romania.• Parents: Shlomo and Sarah• Sisters: Bea, Hilda, Tsiporah• Focused on family, religious

study, community, and God as an adolescent.

Holocaust Experience

1944: Ghetto in Sighet1944: Deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau

- Tattooed A-7713- Separated from mother and sisters

1944: Sent to attached work camp, Buna (subcamp)

- Worked there for 8 monthsJanuary 29, 1945: moved to

BuchenwaldApril 11, 945: Liberated

Elie at Buchenwald

After the War…• For 10 years, wouldn’t write about

his experiences – couldn’t find words• Draft 1: 900 pages in Yiddish• Draft 2: 127 pages in French• 2006: over 30 languages + Oprah’s

Book Club!– Became #1 on NY Times Bestseller’s in

2006

• Won Nobel Peace Prize in 1986

In Recent Years...

May 24, 2006 – Auschwitz with Oprah

September 2006 – UN Security CouncilWith George Clooney about Darfur

November 2006 – Honorary

knighthood in

London for Holocaust awareness

June 2009 – Accomanies Obama to

Buchenwald with German Chancellor

Questions• Recall: How long did it take before Elie could

begin writing about his experiences?

• Analyze: Why do you think it took Elie so long to be able to write about his story?

• Connect: How is Elie’s struggle unique? How is it similar to many others’ struggles, through the Holocaust and other historical genocide?

Answers• Recall: How long did it take before Elie could begin writing

about his experiences?– 10 years

• Analyze: Why do you think it took Elie so long to be able to write about his story?– He couldn’t find the words; it seems like something so terrible must

have been surreal to him, not to mention traumatic. Reliving his time at the camp and the loss of his family would be extremely painful.

• Connect: How is Elie’s struggle unique? How is it similar to many others’ struggles, through the Holocaust and other historical genocide?– He lost his own family and had his own mental struggles throughout

his journey. Yet he did follow a journey that many other Jews followed – both physically and spiritually. He reminds me of Valentino in some ways, questioning his faith and having a hard time writing about the whole experience.