How did the United States and other countries respond to the Holocaust?
Alex: They responded different and in many ways with thoughts and ideas. Americans wanted to stay out of the war but eventually America had to enter the war.
Brittany: They did not react. They remained ignorant and focused on their own concerns.
Alicia: We did nothing and remained neutral.
What policies and actions did the Nazis implement to remove Jews and other “enemies of the state” from society and later to eliminate them?
Nikalis: They threatened to shoot them and they turned everyone against them.
Audra: They threatened them, used propaganda and got people to support their policies.
What role did newspapers, editorial cartoons, newsreels, radio have during the Holocaust?
Jessica: It provided information about what was going on in Germany and the killings that were about to happen.
Courtney: The media lied about the Jews.
In photographs you observe in the museum display what are bystanders and observers doing and what are they looking at?
Kayla: They were either just standing and staring, weeping and yelling, or laughing as people fell, were shot, burned, or taken away.
Stacy: The observers in some of the photos are looking at the camera. Some of them were looking heartbroken.
In what ways did the victims of the Holocaust respond to Nazi oppression/
Ricky: When Jews were taken away some resisted, but most did not fight back.
Raquel: They were scared but did not really do anything. When they were lined up to be shot they could do nothing.
What one thing do you remember most from the survivors testimony?
Alex: The fact that he survived. He was moved from ghetto to ghetto and camp to camp, attempted an escape but returned to find one sister who planned the escape, despite the fact he was shot in the head, only to find out she was killed in the attempt.
Alicia: I remember that the survivor said that he does not hate all Germans just the Nazis that killed his family.
Brittany: I remember he said he was just a regular kid, and he said that people could no longer be treated as the Jews were treated under the Nazis.
Nikalis: The one thing I remember most was when he talked about being shot and grazed in the head by a bullet.
Audra: I remembered when he said he never understood why his older sister was taken to the one room hospital because she had typhoid fever, instead of being selected (by the “einsatzgrupen”- killing squads). She was left to suffer and die and die alone.
Jessica: He said that one brother and one sister were the only survivors out of his family (of nine brothers and sisters and his parents).
Courtney: When the war ended he was 17.
Kayla: I remember him telling us how horrible the hygiene and sleeping conditions were, with the lice and never having your haircut, and sleeping 3 people to a 50 inch wide bunk and not showering for four years.
Stacy: What I heard from the Holocaust survivor which was amazing to me was that his brother is 99 and will be 100 and is his only surviving sibling now out of 8 others.
Ricky: He went through a lot – suffering, loss of family, being starved- at such a young age.
Raquel: He was taken care of really poorly. He was not given enough food, no proper clothing, no bedding, no mattress. He lived on very little. He received a little bread and a cup of cabbage water .
What is one thing you learned at the RAC?
Alex: Working on environmental issues – volunteering on cleaning up.
Brittany: We have power to make a difference and change things we think are wrong.
Alicia: The two guys (legislative advocates for the RAC) are AWESOME!!! They helped me realize that you and other people need to speak up and take the lead.
Nikalis: We met two young men today and they said always find out where things are made before or after you buy them.
Audra: I learned that I can do something. Even though I am young I can help. I can make a difference.
Jessica: I learned from RAC about the problems around the world that need and should be changed world hunger, child labor in sweat shops.
Courtney: Not everyone’s life is as good as ours. Donating food to homeless shelters, the need for clean water for a lot of people are two things.
Stacy: From Sam and David I heard and learned that working on everyday things can make a big difference.
Ricky: You can do anything you put your mind to no matter what your age.
Kayla: I learned from our trip to the RAC that a good way to get involved in fighting for human rights is through your church.
Raquel: There is so much we can do to help the world. Look at the way we eat and work to deal with the issue of obesity.