The Man Made Nightmare

Hitler looked like a great leader at first, he fixed all the problems with economy and started making a prosperous life for eveyone again. Then it all happened since Hitler rose to power and became a chancellor. Hitler basically hated Jews, and this hatred lead him to blame Jews for the defeat of World War 1. With him and his supporters, Nazis, created a bad image of Jews. They indoctrinated Germans, and started dehumanizing the Jews. It showed a serious act of propaganda. One night, Hitler burned down synagougues and the Jewish people's houses and the shops. Jew were killed, commimted sucides, windows broke and glass was everywhere. When the buildings were burning, fire fighters were laughing and clapping. This pogrom was named Krystallnacht, meaning "Crystal Night" After that incindent, Jews were expelled from civil servies and universities. About 30,000 Jewish were sent to the first concentration camp and were tortured or were even killed without a trial. Other countries should have responded to this strongly but just announced that it was a bad thing to happen. That does not change anything though, does it? Except for Britain, the number of refugees they took in were very limited for countries like U.S. or Canada. Just because of one man's greed and hatred, Jews were treated really horribly. And we should really have been more supportive to those innocent people.

It was surprising that Jews were being discriminated so badly. There shops were attacked by the same Germans and was just out of the society. People knew this wasn't right, it is not like Jews did something harmful to Germans, but they did not take an action because it was not allowed. People who disobeyed were sent to concentration camp. Therefore people fled to other country like 13 year boy Andre in the "Taking a Stand" or gave Jews food in secret. Some people helped. Yes, that was the right or the least thing they could do. However what hit me hard was the people who adapted to this kind of situations. They avoided the fact that Jews out there were being tortured and killed. The were switching off quickly to keep themselves safe. How could the same human being do this? How could they let it happen? They could have prevented it with small acts of justice. I would bet they are shameful right now and regrets for what they have done. We can learn from mistakes and in the future, we will have to become one and fight against the discrimination.


This incident, Krystallnacht, reminded me of the bombing on Spain. Spanish, like Jews, had no choice but to run for there lives. Therefore, I chose this picture by Picasso Pablo, "Guernica" Both were a terrible holocaust and its a problem that we should never let it happen again.