Here are some specific questions you may want to think about as you peruse the Choices exhibit:
- What choices did non-Jews have during the Holocaust?
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Why did some non-Jews choose to rescue Jews? What were some of the ways they did so?
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What options did Jews have to resist? What were some ways that Jews did resist? In what ways were they effective?
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Should we think of those who resisted as ordinary or extraordinary people? Why does that matter?
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What questions does this raise for you about the Holocaust?
HE HELPED JEWS ESCAPE THE HOLOCAUST. HE DIED UNKNOWN.
ARTIFACT 1
Read about the mostly unknown Portuguese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews.
"For three days, he took to his bed in despair...Then he emerged full of energy.
Guiding Questions:
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What was the Portuguese government's Circular 14? How did that affect Jews?
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What did Sousa Mendes do to help Jews?
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Why did Sousa Mendes decide to be an upstander?
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What consequences did he face?
"DEFIANCE" TRAILER AND TEXT
ARTIFACT 2
Video Length: 2:09
Watch the trailer to the movie Defiance, about the Bielski brothers and the partisans in the Belorussian forest. Then read the article below.
Guiding Questions:
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How did the Bielski brothers resist the Nazis?
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How did the Bielskis help others?
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How did the Bielskis spend the rest of their lives?
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What does this story teach us about resisting injustice?
FIGHTERS IN WARSAW GHETTO
ARTIFACT 3
Video Length: 8:28
Watch the testimony of a survivor about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Learn more about the extraordinary resistance movement.
Guiding Questions:
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How did Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto resist the Nazis?
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To what extent was the resistance successful?
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What does this story teach us about resisting injustice?
RIGHTEOUS OF THE NATIONS
ARTIFACT 4
Learn about ordinary non-Jewish people who took the risk to help Jewish friends, neighbors, and strangers. Find out why Israel's Holocaust memorial museum has chosen to honor them.
Guiding Questions (For two rescuers):
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How did this upstander save Jews?
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Why did the upstander do what s/he did?
AMERICANS AND THE HOLOCAUST
ARTIFACT 5
Look into the United States' decisions during the Holocaust
Guiding Questions :
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What did the United States government and the American people know during the Holocaust?
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What were three options that the U.S. government had to help Jews? Why did the U.S. not do more?
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What was the Evian Conference? What was its result?
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What was the St. Louis? What happened to the passengers?
The Last Letter From Ghetto Revolt Commander Mordecai Anielewicz
ARTIFACT 6
April 23, 1943
"It is impossible to put into words what we have been through. One thing is clear, what happened exceeded our boldest dreams...."
Guiding Questions:
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How did Anielewicz view the fate of the Warsaw Ghetto resisters?
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Despite their ultimate loss, why does he maintain that "great things are happening?"
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How does he view the resistance movement?
RESERVE POLICE BATTALION 101
ARTIFACT 7
Learn about Christopher Browning's study of the members of the German Police Battalion who were given the option by their commander not to kill Jews.
Guiding Questions:
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What was the offer that Major Wilhem Trapp gave his soldiers in Police Battalion 101?
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What choice did most of the soldiers make?
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What reasons did the soldiers (later on) give for why they participated in the massacres?
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What does Browning believe were the reasons for their choices?