This is a place to brainstorm, share group work, pose questions, comment before/during/after discussions, post drafts--and anything else we decide to blog about on our education odyssey.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Elie Wiesel interviewed by Oprah at Auschwitz Death Camp
As we watch, use the space below to record your thoughts and questions. Warning: There will be graphic images and historical film footage. You may wish to simply listen to the conversation.
This film was very moving throughout and it was so disgusting and cruel to see how vast and how many people died in the Halocaust. Also the fact that people were being shipped just like it was in slave days, transpporting one race with certain intentions. The fact that Elie Wiesel said when he first got there at age 15, "all he could smell was burning human flesh." They put the people who were to die into gas chambers to be killed. I feel bad for the families because they were often separated due to physical assets, the children would be spared so they coould work and the elders were sent away to be killed. They would throw babies into the burning inferno, they literally had no mercy whatsoever. I found it horrifying to see the actual pictures of the Halocaust and all the deaths and murders. I ouldnt stand to hear the fact that the soldiers and watchers would have special peep holes to watch the people die and suffocate in the gas chambers. I feel bad for Elie Wiesel and how he had to live through all the pain and horrible situations, and then have to go back in the interview and relive and revisit the cite in which he escaped.
He says that there are no words for it repeadidly and how he just can grasp how people could hav e done this and the world just sat by and watched. that really disterbed me because it is true and the world shouldnt have let it go on for so long before decidng to stop it.Its very couragious of his to still have faith in man and society. The barricks look like barns or stables to me and that shows what the germans thought of the jews. I never would have thought that the gistapo torchured the political inhabinats to get information out of them. it was something new i learned. I never thought about how many accomplishments those people could have made if they hadnt been killed. And how much better off we would be today. But there also may be people who dont understand this is so horrible without it acctualy happening
Overall this is just so sad, looking at all the peoples belongings is heart breaking. I don't know what kind of human being could do this to other people. It is sickening. It angers me to know that people were able to just kill millions as they pleased, people who like Wiesel said could have made a contributuion to the world. I think he is a very strong man to return back to the camp I dont think I would be able to go back after all that happened there.
i can't believe how horrible these people were. the worst part was thinking about all the babies that must've died. they didn't even have a chance. i dont know if i ever would have been able to see all those things and not hate the people that killed everyone for the rest of my life. im very suprised at hoe elie didnt hate them.
The film was very moving. As Elie Wiesel said, there are really no words to describe how horrible it is. The fact that there were millions shipped there like animals and only one lived is unimaginable.
I think that it is very unfair that all of these innocent people were being treated so cruel and tortured. It was sad to hear that families were seperated and everything was taken away from these Jews. Although most were being killed, those who weren't were being tortured. I couldn't imagine sleeping with two other people in a small bed with hundreds of other people in the same room. I was shocked to see how many people were actually killed when the shoes were being shown. It was discusting how many children and babies were being killed. The amount of gas that was used to kill people was crazy. I could not imagine being Elie and going back there and reliving everything he went through. Seeing pictures of people that were completely skin and bones was very sad because innocent people were suffering and being killed for no reason.
As Rob said, this film was very moving. It was able to stir emotions and show me the true atrocities of the Holocaust. Oprah said at one point it was "unimaginable" the horrors that happened and it is true. I cannot even fathom the pain and suffering these individuals endured, and i wonder if they saw death as a release from their pain. I feel for the jews who have survived through the Holocaust and their descendants because their families were destroyed forever.
This film and the footage was absolutely shocking. I was moved by what Elis Wielsel had to say about the camps that he went though. The images and the words he used were terrifying to think about. He watched babies being thrown into fire, that makes me sick to think about. It's crazy that people actually got away with this cruel treatment and how they tried to ruin the remains of the camps and chambers after they weren't in use anymore. I respect Elie Wiesel and I now have a better understanding and appreciation of him.
I think it's crazy to think that it wasn't that long ago. I like how he had the courage to go back and talk about it. but the saddest thing ever was defiantly about the children. Just the thought of killing children. Babies who didn't have the chance to grow and learn. And also people actually taking picitures of the dead. That is horrible, it's all just horrible, but some things defiantly stood out more than other things. I don't think I'll understand how someone would just want to get rid of a whole race of people. But like Elie Wiesel said they too are human.
The interview provided a lot of informstion sbout the camp. It also showed the thoughts of Weisel and the people who were forced to go to concentration camps. It provided great insights to the thoughts of people in camps and those who were carrying out the task of murdering the people in camps. It had a lot of emotion which allowed the me to feel how Weisel was feeling. so overall Weisel's emotions and thoughts provided great insight to what it would've been like to go through such an experience.
What we just watched was so powerful it is very hard to put into words. One of the things that constantly goes through my mind is how, of those one and a half millions of people, were all indviduals with different personalities and different stories, and the Nazis mercilessly ended all of their lives. Everyone killed all had great things ahead of them.
What amazes me the most about this interview is the fact that Mr. Wiesel can talk openly about his experiences in the camp. Also that he can return to the camp. I find that very impressive and couragous of him. The other thing that really amazes me is the horror of the SS. What kind of person can kill another human being without knowing anything about them and without any real reason. Their only reason being religion.
This whole story was very moving and I thought that the interview was very interesting. It was sad how he had to go back and re examine what he had already gone through. It's crazy to think that somene that is our age would have gone through so much in their life and witnessed everything that he witnessed. I don't think I'd be sane if I had to see everything that he saw while at the camp.
I have seen pictures and clips of the holocaust and studied it before this video,but to have Wiesel explain everything that happened and showed us where the inhumanity took place gave me a whole new level of sympathy and seriousness for the victims. Like he said, there really isn't words to describe the cruelty and actions the Nazi's performed on the innocent Jews.
I have seen pictures and clips of the holocaust and studied it before this video,but to have Wiesel explain everything that happened and showed us where the inhumanity took place gave me a whole new level of sympathy and seriousness for the victims. Like he said, there really isn't words to describe the cruelty and actions the Nazi's performed on the innocent Jews.
In order for this video to be effective, the graphic was needeed. Showing pictures and locations of the actually events really made the mood of the video much more depressing. It shows how awful the holocaust and Auschwitz actually was and puts you into the shoes and mind of Elie Wiesel. A disgrace to human kind.
I loved this video. And when i say that I mean I loved it for how moving and educational it was. I was amazed while watching because of the emotions pouring out of Mr. Wiesel and the concentration camps. It really showed how torturous and painful being part of something like that could be. It gave me chills that repeatedly Mr. Wiesel said words couldn't even decscribe how he felt and that he couldn't even describe it in words. The pictures were just awful. Seeing people in such awful conditions was very moving. I was glad to see how good of a condition Mr. Wiesel was actually in. He didnt seem insane, or depressed or scared. He just seemed emotionial effected. You could tell how strongly he remembered being there 61 years ago, and hearing the screams, and seeing the dead bodies. It was in a way touching to see how much one man was effected. I think that this video should be watched by more people. Most people think they know about the Holocaust but this video really puts you in the place of someone who suffered through it, like Mr. Wiesel.
I've never seen that many pictures from the Holocaust, so seeing them was just disturbing. Also, like Nagle said, how Elie Wiesel was able to talk about all the things that he saw and experienced as he did is truely remarkable. I'm not sure I would ever want to talk about what I went through if I went through what he did.
This isn't the first time I've seen these photos and videos, but they still shock me everytime I see them. They are burnt into my brain forever and I can see them so vividly. I am impressed that Wiesel was able to talk about his experiences in the camp. If that happened to me I never would want to set foot in that place every again, so that astonished me. Like they said in the video, there are no words that express what happened there, and everytime I think about what the Nazis did I get angry. It just baffles me that someone could be so cruel to another human being without giving it a second thought. What went on in Auschwitz is just unimagineable.
I am moved by your comments. Now that you have read and seen and heard Professor Wiesel's story, think about how you can show your understanding. Surely these comments are a start.
Sometimes sharing just how this experience has moved you can move another person. Think about breaking away from an essay and maybe writing and illustrating a poem or a letter... Maybe a more personal review of the book/film that you would share with another person... Limit yourself to no more than a page. Think about an audience that needs to know about the power of this memoir and get their attention.
This video was very hard to watch. It is the saddest thing to see these pictures and videos of what these people went through. I can't believe humans could ever think that this was acceptable. What they did was undescribable. The part that really had me thinking was when Wiesel said that maybe one of those people that were killed could have descovered something that the world is still looking for.
I found the film very moving. It showed us what it was really like at those camps. I found it more moving than the book night because actually seeing Elie and hearing him talk about it was different. Hearing his story from him directly was very upsetting. From watching the film you could SEE his emotion rather than just reading about it.I hadn't even seen pictures of things that had happened during the Haulocost. I am learning about it in History but it is the first time I had seen such disturbing images and video clips of things that actually happened. I think more people should watch this film to see the truth, and educate others so nohting like that ever happens again.
I found this video that we watched to me very moving also. I had seen previous pictures about the holocaust and hear about it before but never have i seen some of the things that i found watching this film. Like they kept saying it's just someething you dont know how to explain. If more people watch it you can get a much better understanding of how bad and cruel it really was
Elie Wiesel tells how he had trouble explaining what he had experienced in the concentration camp. It wasn't because he couldn't remember what had happened, it was that the cruelty was hard to describe and put into words. It is disturbing to see and to think about all of the millions of people who died at Auschwitz. If I were him, I would not have ever wanted to even return to the death camp, but he mentions to Oprah that he has been back there several times, which was surprising to me. Elie mentions that many of the people who had been killed, namely the children, could have been of great assistance to our world today. They could have discovered a cure for cancer or AIDS, but because of the Nazis and their hatred that won't happen.
This film was very moving throughout and it was so disgusting and cruel to see how vast and how many people died in the Halocaust. Also the fact that people were being shipped just like it was in slave days, transpporting one race with certain intentions. The fact that Elie Wiesel said when he first got there at age 15, "all he could smell was burning human flesh." They put the people who were to die into gas chambers to be killed. I feel bad for the families because they were often separated due to physical assets, the children would be spared so they coould work and the elders were sent away to be killed. They would throw babies into the burning inferno, they literally had no mercy whatsoever. I found it horrifying to see the actual pictures of the Halocaust and all the deaths and murders. I ouldnt stand to hear the fact that the soldiers and watchers would have special peep holes to watch the people die and suffocate in the gas chambers. I feel bad for Elie Wiesel and how he had to live through all the pain and horrible situations, and then have to go back in the interview and relive and revisit the cite in which he escaped.
ReplyDeleteHe says that there are no words for it repeadidly and how he just can grasp how people could hav e done this and the world just sat by and watched. that really disterbed me because it is true and the world shouldnt have let it go on for so long before decidng to stop it.Its very couragious of his to still have faith in man and society. The barricks look like barns or stables to me and that shows what the germans thought of the jews. I never would have thought that the gistapo torchured the political inhabinats to get information out of them. it was something new i learned. I never thought about how many accomplishments those people could have made if they hadnt been killed. And how much better off we would be today. But there also may be people who dont understand this is so horrible without it acctualy happening
ReplyDeleteOverall this is just so sad, looking at all the peoples belongings is heart breaking. I don't know what kind of human being could do this to other people. It is sickening. It angers me to know that people were able to just kill millions as they pleased, people who like Wiesel said could have made a contributuion to the world. I think he is a very strong man to return back to the camp I dont think I would be able to go back after all that happened there.
ReplyDeletei can't believe how horrible these people were. the worst part was thinking about all the babies that must've died. they didn't even have a chance. i dont know if i ever would have been able to see all those things and not hate the people that killed everyone for the rest of my life. im very suprised at hoe elie didnt hate them.
ReplyDeleteThe film was very moving. As Elie Wiesel said, there are really no words to describe how horrible it is. The fact that there were millions shipped there like animals and only one lived is unimaginable.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very unfair that all of these innocent people were being treated so cruel and tortured. It was sad to hear that families were seperated and everything was taken away from these Jews. Although most were being killed, those who weren't were being tortured. I couldn't imagine sleeping with two other people in a small bed with hundreds of other people in the same room. I was shocked to see how many people were actually killed when the shoes were being shown. It was discusting how many children and babies were being killed. The amount of gas that was used to kill people was crazy. I could not imagine being Elie and going back there and reliving everything he went through. Seeing pictures of people that were completely skin and bones was very sad because innocent people were suffering and being killed for no reason.
ReplyDeleteAs Rob said, this film was very moving. It was able to stir emotions and show me the true atrocities of the Holocaust. Oprah said at one point it was "unimaginable" the horrors that happened and it is true. I cannot even fathom the pain and suffering these individuals endured, and i wonder if they saw death as a release from their pain. I feel for the jews who have survived through the Holocaust and their descendants because their families were destroyed forever.
ReplyDeleteThis film and the footage was absolutely shocking. I was moved by what Elis Wielsel had to say about the camps that he went though. The images and the words he used were terrifying to think about. He watched babies being thrown into fire, that makes me sick to think about. It's crazy that people actually got away with this cruel treatment and how they tried to ruin the remains of the camps and chambers after they weren't in use anymore. I respect Elie Wiesel and I now have a better understanding and appreciation of him.
ReplyDeleteI think it's crazy to think that it wasn't that long ago. I like how he had the courage to go back and talk about it. but the saddest thing ever was defiantly about the children. Just the thought of killing children. Babies who didn't have the chance to grow and learn. And also people actually taking picitures of the dead. That is horrible, it's all just horrible, but some things defiantly stood out more than other things. I don't think I'll understand how someone would just want to get rid of a whole race of people. But like Elie Wiesel said they too are human.
ReplyDeleteThe interview provided a lot of informstion sbout the camp. It also showed the thoughts of Weisel and the people who were forced to go to concentration camps. It provided great insights to the thoughts of people in camps and those who were carrying out the task of murdering the people in camps. It had a lot of emotion which allowed the me to feel how Weisel was feeling. so overall Weisel's emotions and thoughts provided great insight to what it would've been like to go through such an experience.
ReplyDeleteWhat we just watched was so powerful it is very hard to put into words. One of the things that constantly goes through my mind is how, of those one and a half millions of people, were all indviduals with different personalities and different stories, and the Nazis mercilessly ended all of their lives. Everyone killed all had great things ahead of them.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me the most about this interview is the fact that Mr. Wiesel can talk openly about his experiences in the camp. Also that he can return to the camp. I find that very impressive and couragous of him. The other thing that really amazes me is the horror of the SS. What kind of person can kill another human being without knowing anything about them and without any real reason. Their only reason being religion.
ReplyDeleteThis whole story was very moving and I thought that the interview was very interesting. It was sad how he had to go back and re examine what he had already gone through. It's crazy to think that somene that is our age would have gone through so much in their life and witnessed everything that he witnessed. I don't think I'd be sane if I had to see everything that he saw while at the camp.
ReplyDeleteI have seen pictures and clips of the holocaust and studied it before this video,but to have Wiesel explain everything that happened and showed us where the inhumanity took place gave me a whole new level of sympathy and seriousness for the victims. Like he said, there really isn't words to describe the cruelty and actions the Nazi's performed on the innocent Jews.
ReplyDeleteI have seen pictures and clips of the holocaust and studied it before this video,but to have Wiesel explain everything that happened and showed us where the inhumanity took place gave me a whole new level of sympathy and seriousness for the victims. Like he said, there really isn't words to describe the cruelty and actions the Nazi's performed on the innocent Jews.
ReplyDeleteIn order for this video to be effective, the graphic was needeed. Showing pictures and locations of the actually events really made the mood of the video much more depressing. It shows how awful the holocaust and Auschwitz actually was and puts you into the shoes and mind of Elie Wiesel. A disgrace to human kind.
ReplyDeleteI loved this video. And when i say that I mean I loved it for how moving and educational it was. I was amazed while watching because of the emotions pouring out of Mr. Wiesel and the concentration camps. It really showed how torturous and painful being part of something like that could be. It gave me chills that repeatedly Mr. Wiesel said words couldn't even decscribe how he felt and that he couldn't even describe it in words. The pictures were just awful. Seeing people in such awful conditions was very moving. I was glad to see how good of a condition Mr. Wiesel was actually in. He didnt seem insane, or depressed or scared. He just seemed emotionial effected. You could tell how strongly he remembered being there 61 years ago, and hearing the screams, and seeing the dead bodies. It was in a way touching to see how much one man was effected. I think that this video should be watched by more people. Most people think they know about the Holocaust but this video really puts you in the place of someone who suffered through it, like Mr. Wiesel.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that many pictures from the Holocaust, so seeing them was just disturbing. Also, like Nagle said, how Elie Wiesel was able to talk about all the things that he saw and experienced as he did is truely remarkable. I'm not sure I would ever want to talk about what I went through if I went through what he did.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't the first time I've seen these photos and videos, but they still shock me everytime I see them. They are burnt into my brain forever and I can see them so vividly. I am impressed that Wiesel was able to talk about his experiences in the camp. If that happened to me I never would want to set foot in that place every again, so that astonished me. Like they said in the video, there are no words that express what happened there, and everytime I think about what the Nazis did I get angry. It just baffles me that someone could be so cruel to another human being without giving it a second thought. What went on in Auschwitz is just unimagineable.
ReplyDeleteI am moved by your comments. Now that you have read and seen and heard Professor Wiesel's story, think about how you can show your understanding. Surely these comments are a start.
ReplyDeleteSometimes sharing just how this experience has moved you can move another person.
Think about breaking away from an essay and maybe writing and illustrating a poem or a letter...
Maybe a more personal review of the book/film that you would share with another person...
Limit yourself to no more than a page.
Think about an audience that needs to know about the power of this memoir and get their attention.
This video was very hard to watch. It is the saddest thing to see these pictures and videos of what these people went through. I can't believe humans could ever think that this was acceptable. What they did was undescribable. The part that really had me thinking was when Wiesel said that maybe one of those people that were killed could have descovered something that the world is still looking for.
ReplyDeleteI found the film very moving. It showed us what it was really like at those camps. I found it more moving than the book night because actually seeing Elie and hearing him talk about it was different. Hearing his story from him directly was very upsetting. From watching the film you could SEE his emotion rather than just reading about it.I hadn't even seen pictures of things that had happened during the Haulocost. I am learning about it in History but it is the first time I had seen such disturbing images and video clips of things that actually happened. I think more people should watch this film to see the truth, and educate others so nohting like that ever happens again.
ReplyDeleteI found this video that we watched to me very moving also. I had seen previous pictures about the holocaust and hear about it before but never have i seen some of the things that i found watching this film. Like they kept saying it's just someething you dont know how to explain. If more people watch it you can get a much better understanding of how bad and cruel it really was
ReplyDeleteElie Wiesel tells how he had trouble explaining what he had experienced in the concentration camp. It wasn't because he couldn't remember what had happened, it was that the cruelty was hard to describe and put into words. It is disturbing to see and to think about all of the millions of people who died at Auschwitz. If I were him, I would not have ever wanted to even return to the death camp, but he mentions to Oprah that he has been back there several times, which was surprising to me. Elie mentions that many of the people who had been killed, namely the children, could have been of great assistance to our world today. They could have discovered a cure for cancer or AIDS, but because of the Nazis and their hatred that won't happen.
ReplyDelete