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In telling these stories, the writers have liberated themselves. For so many years we did not speak about it, even when we became free people living in a free society. Now, when at last we are writing about what happened to us in this dark period of history, knowing that our stories will be read and live on allows us to feel truly free. These unique historical documents put a face on what was lost, and allow readers to grasp the enormity of what happened to six million Jews – one story at a time.
David J. Azrieli, C.M., C.Q., M.Arch. Holocaust survivor and founder, the Azrieli Foundation
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TABLE CONTENTS OF
WHO WE ARE . .................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Age Appropriateness . ........................................................................................................................................6 Trauma-Informed Teaching ............................................................................................................................ 7 Significant Dates and Curricular Connections ..................................................................................8 EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY . ............................................................................................................................. 9 RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS . ....................................................................................................................... 11 Educator Tools . ................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Professional Development Opportunities ........................................................................................................ 13 RESOURCES FOR THE CLASSROOM . ........................................................................................................ 15 Education Programs and Activities . ............................................................................................................... 16 At Great Risk: Holocaust Rescue and the Righteous Among the Nations.................................................18 Hidden Children, Identity and the Holocaust: Surviving in the Margin of the Catastrophe.................20 Hearing History: A Holocaust Survivor Memoir Read Aloud.........................................................................22 The Warsaw Ghetto: From Persecution to Resistance...................................................................................24 Education Disrupted.................................................................................................................................................26 Author Biographies...................................................................................................................................................28 Survivor Presentations ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Re:Collection ................................................................................................................................................................ 32 Exhibits ............................................................................................................................................................................. 34 Audiobooks .................................................................................................................................................................... 36 MILESTONES . .................................................................................................................................................................. 38 NEW RELEASES .............................................................................................................................................................. 41 TITLES IN PRINT ............................................................................................................................................................. 49
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Who We Are
WHO WE ARE
The Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program was established by the Azrieli Foundation in 2005 to collect, publish and share the memoirs and diaries written by survivors of the Holocaust who came to Canada. We have published the stories of over 125 survivor authors. These books are read every year by students across Canada, and we have provided more than 700,000 copies of our award-winning memoirs to Canadian educators and students. Students tell us how important these books are to them and how moved they are by the authors’ experiences. The memoirs encou- rage readers to engage thoughtfully and cri- tically with the complexities of the Holocaust by creating meaningful connections with the lives of survivors.
Stories bring history to life, and that’s why we distribute these memoirs — published in both English and French and available as print books, ebooks and PDFs — free of charge to educational institutions across Canada, as well as a limited number of copies of our new audiobooks. The books and audiobooks are also available for sale online for everyone. Our editorial and research staff carefully fact-check the accounts and offer readers supplementary material, such as glossaries, introductions written by experts and maps. We also create a variety of bilingual edu- cational materials, made for and tested by the teachers who use these memoirs in their classrooms. We are here to make it easier for you to bring the subject of the Holocaust into your classroom, by helping your students connect with history through first-person stories.
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Who We Are
Who We Are
AGE
TRAUMA-INFORMED TEACHING
APPROPRIATENESS
Memoirs that are considered 12+ do not contain any graphic violence, sexual violence or sexual content. Generally shorter and less complex than our other memoirs, books in the 11+ category are perfect for students who are ending elementary school or who are starting high school, but are also appropriate for older readers. Memoirs that are considered 14+ might have some descriptions of graphic violence or sexual content. They may be a bit longer and have a higher level of complexity than those in the 11+ category. The 14+ category is suitable for more experienced high school students. Memoirs that are considered 16+ are usually longer and more complex, and might also contain descriptions of graphic violence, sexual violence or sexual content. We recom- mend these books to students who are about to graduate high school or start post- secondary education. 11+
Although we want as many students as possible to read our memoirs, not every story will work for every student. Due to the traumatic and often horrific nature of the authors’ experiences surviving the Holocaust, the memoirs contain sensitive material, which sometimes includes violence and sexual content. It is our policy not to excise these passages; we maintain the integrity of the survivors’ accounts, editing only for clarity, consistency and historical accuracy. Our memoirs have been classified by age according to content and not by reading level. While our books do have a recom- mended minimum age, there is no upper age limit. You are the best evaluator of a memoir’s appropriateness. We strongly urge you to use discretion and note the age recommendation icons alongside each book listed, as well as the mature content notice where applicable. We also recommend that you read any memoir you intend to provide to your students.
Canadian students come from all walks of life. Some students may have experienced or are currently experiencing some form of trauma in their lives. Your students’ diverse backgrounds will inform the way you teach sensitive subjects. Studying the Holocaust includes exploring themes such as inadequate housing, food dis- parity, education restrictions and limitations, illness and disease, racism and discrimina- tion, violence and abuse (physical, sexual and emotional), death, murder, escaping or fleeing dangerous situations, as well as war and other significant personal traumas. Students may identify with one or more of these themes as a result of their own experiences. When teaching about subjects such as the Holocaust, it is beneficial to approach the content with a proactive mindset and to embed proper supports into the planning of any unit.
Trauma comes in many forms and may not always be known or visible. While you do not need to be an expert on trauma, here are some things you can do as an educator to support your students:
• Know your students •
• Be thoughtful about the chosen content and methodology • • Be present, available and observant throughout the unit of study and beyond • • Foster opportunities for choice, collaboration and connection • • Check in frequently with your students • • Avoid assumptions • • Be prepared with resources • • Bring students safely in and safely out of the learning space • • Establish a safe space in the classroom •
These strategies are essential for some but good for all . For more information on trauma-informed teaching, explore the following resources: https://linktr.ee/hsmp
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Who We Are
Educational Philosophy
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
SIGNIFICANT DATES AND CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
There are certain days and months throughout the school year when the Holocaust is formally acknowledged in a community or global context. We encourage you to use these times as opportunities to bring the subject of the Holocaust into your classroom. Take a look to see how they might fit into your long- range plans for the upcoming school year.
CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS In history and social studies courses, the Holocaust can be studied as a way to develop historical thinking concepts (historical signi- ficance, primary source evidence, continuity and change, cause and consequence, histori- cal perspectives, ethical dimensions). It is also relevant in courses that cover World War II and immigration. Although study of the Holocaust most naturally fits into history courses that cover this time period, there are many addi- tional opportunities to cover other areas of the curriculum through Holocaust education. In language and literature courses, the Holocaust can be studied through the rea- ding of a Holocaust survivor memoir. Students can explore memoir as a literary genre, deve- lop oral comprehension skills through a read aloud of a memoir (see page 22), participate in a text study (such as literature circles) or build media literacy skills through propaganda or photo analysis activities. The study of the Holocaust can be brought in through other areas, such as humanities, law, civics, world issues, ethics, genocide studies and general school-wide character education initiatives.
We connect educators and students across Canada to first-hand accounts of Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Canada and we provide teachers with the resources they need for an individualized approach to Holocaust education.
Learning about history through first-person stories is a powerful way for students to deve- lop a multi-layered understanding of:
Holocaust Education Week and Month November is Holocaust Education Month, with a week early in the month designated as Holocaust Education Week. Check with your local Jewish Federation to learn more. International Holocaust Remembrance Day (UN) > January 27, 2024 Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day > Sunday, May 5, 2024 (sundown) to Monday, May 6, 2024* (sundown) Canadian Jewish Heritage Month > May 2024
• The specific historical, geographical, socio- logical and political contexts of each story Students realize the enormous multiplicity and diversity of experiences. • The people who lived ordinary lives before they were disrupted by war and genocide Students see survivors as individuals, rather than as statistics or victims. • The individualized impact of the Holocaust and its aftermath Students engage in historical empathy and recognize our shared humanity. • Critical thinking about complex and sensi- tive topics Students develop the capacity to under- stand contemporary global issues and debates.
* This date is determined based on the Hebrew calendar and changes each year on the Gregorian calendar.
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Resources for Educators
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS
Our tools for educators and professional development opportunities help you engage with the history of the Holocaust. Our resources are designed to build your knowledge, share best practices in the field of Holocaust education and explain our approach to Holocaust education using the voices of survivors.
I have found the Azrieli Foundation’s educational resources, including the memoirs, to be incredibly helpful tools for learning and reinforcing concepts across a wide range of topics related to the Holocaust. The lesson plans are clear, engaging and easy to follow, and the exercises are well-designed to help reinforce the student’s learning. The resources are also designed to be accessible to students of all learning styles. My students have enjoyed everything from the memoirs and the supportive worksheets and maps to the well-organized and easy-to-use digital resource Re: Collection.
Sarah P. Teacher, Our Lady of Peace School
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Resources for Educators
Resources for Educators
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
EDUCATOR TOOLS
The First Step: A Guide for Educators Preparing to Teach about the Holocaust
Our education team offers complimentary professional develop- ment to schools or school boards across Canada.
THE FIRST STEP HELPS YOU ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS 1. What was the Holocaust? 2. Why do I want my students to learn about the Holocaust? 3. How do I safely, respectfully and suc- cessfully teach my students about the Holocaust?
EDUCATOR TRAINING IS OFFERED
TRAINING IS AVAILABLE FOR
• An overview of our offerings • Implementing any of our Education Programs and Activities in the classroom • Using our digital resource Re:Collection • The First Step: A Guide for Educators Preparing to Teach about the Holocaust • Planning a unit of study using our resources • Co-planning and co-teaching
Virtually or in-person
The First Step A Guide for Educators Preparing to Teach about the Holocaust
Eng Fr
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THIS GUIDE COVERS
Bilingually
The core content (define the Holocaust and gather a sense of the scope and sequence of the Holocaust)
Teaching goals (create a learning objective)
For 1–2 hours , half-day or full-day *
www.memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
Methodology (explore best practices for teaching)
* Partial funding may be available to cover the cost of substitute teachers for daytime professional development.
The First Step helps both new and expe- rienced educators to feel more confident teaching about the Holocaust. This guide provides educators with reflective exercises, trusted resources and tangible takeaways and tools for use in the classroom.
For educators who are interested in comple- ting this guide with support from our education team, virtual and in-person teacher training is available. To schedule a teacher training, send an email to memoirs@azrielifoundation.org . The First Step can be accessed directly from the Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program website.
Thank you for the excellent teacher training session. I have taught the Holocaust for years and have a degree in History and I still learned so much and now have more tools and resources that I will be able to implement into the classroom immediately.
Natasha P. Teacher, St. Malachy’s Memorial High School
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Resources for the Classroom
We offer diverse educational materials that can be adapted to the needs of your classroom based on the age of your students, the subject you teach or the time that you have available. Our resources include memoirs, education programs and activities, short films and digital tools. Each resource has been thoughtfully created to support students learning about the Holocaust. Students will explore important themes related to the Holocaust and build their knowledge of the historical context of survivors’ stories. Our memoirs can be ordered on our website and are available for free as print books, ebooks or PDFs. All of our educational materials are available in English and French and can be accessed digitally on our website. RESOURCES FOR THE CLASSROOM
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Resources for the Classroom
EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Use these educational materials in conjunction with the stories of Canadian sur- vivors that are available in our memoirs or on our digital resource Re:Collection (see page 32).
Education Programs: These multi-lesson units offer a complete program of study on the Holocaust, using the stories of survivors and covering different themes such as res- cue, immigration, identity and persecution. Each program includes an introduction to the Holocaust and is adaptable to the needs of your classroom.
Education Activities: These short activities are designed to supplement a broader unit of study on the Holocaust. Each activity centres around one theme or a survivor’s story and takes approximately one lesson to complete.
Hearing History
Education Disrupted
A Holocaust Survivor Memoir Read Aloud
Teacher’s Guide
Teacher’s Guide
Education Activities
Education Program
11+
11+
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
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Resources for the Classroom
Education Program 4 lessons
AT GREAT RISK: HOLOCAUST RESCUE AND THE RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS
14+
and an optional final assignment
Available in French
MATERIALS NEEDED
FEATURED ANTHOLOGY
• Teacher’s guide • Student workbook • Student reflection journal • Short film — Holocaust Rescue and the Righteous Among the Nations
• Final assignment proposal (optional) • Class set of At Great Risk: Memoirs of Rescue during the Holocaust
Fishel Philip Goldig The Survival Story of a Six-Year- Old Boy • Born in Poland in 1933
14+
• Arrived in Canada in 1948; lives in Montreal, QC When Fishel and his parents escape from a ghetto and certain death, a farmer helps them survive in his potato cellar, creating an underground bunker.
DURING THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS WILL
• Read one memoir on the theme of Holocaust rescue • Learn about the historical context of the Holocaust • Engage in meaningful discussions with peers
• Reflect on their personal opinions and feelings • Complete a final assignment (optional)
David Korn Saved by Luck and Devotion • Born in Czechoslovakia in 1937
11+
• Arrived in Canada in 1965; lives in Halifax, NS As deportations to Nazi camps begin in Slovakia, David’s parents place him and his brother in a Lutheran orphanage, where a pastor directs his staff to protect Jewish children.
After completing the Education Program, students will recognize that the act of rescue during the Holocaust was a rare occurrence due to the extreme risk associated with hel- ping Jews. Students will develop a greater understanding of the complex context in which people made decisions that went against the rules of the society they were in and the signi- ficant outcomes of those decisions.
Eva Lang Three Stars in the Sky • Born in Belgium in 1930
11+
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Learn about the Holocaust by discovering its historical context and understanding the dynamics of Holocaust rescue • Learn from the Holocaust by analyzing forces that shape human behaviour in times of crisis and by applying this learning to become responsible global citizens
• Reflect on the value of first-person testi- monies in remembering and responding to past events
• Arrived in Canada in 1974; lives in Netanya, Israel Separated from their parents when they are released from an internment camp in France, Eva and her sister are moved from refuge to refuge by a clandestine network determined to save Jewish children.
At Great Risk An Education Program on Holocaust Rescue and the Righteous Among the Nations Teacher’s Guide
At Great Risk An Education Program on Holocaust Rescue and the Righteous Among the Nations Student Workbook
At Great Risk An Education Program on Holocaust Rescue and the Righteous Among the Nations Student Reflection Journal
At Great Risk An Education Program on Holocaust Rescue and the Righteous Among the Nations Final Assignment Proposal
If you are interested in Holocaust rescue, you might also like these memoirs:
Student Name: Survivor Author’s Name: Title of Memoir:
Student Name: Survivor Author’s Name: Title of Memoir:
Student Name: Survivor Author’s Name: Title of Memoir:
Education Program
Education Program
Education Program
Education Program
14+
14+
14+
14+
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
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At Great Risk : An Education Program on Holocaust Rescue and the Righteous Among the Nations
Teacher's Guide
Student Workbook
Reflection Journal
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Resources for the Classroom
HIDDEN CHILDREN, IDENTITY AND THE HOLOCAUST: Surviving in the Margin of the Catastrophe
Education Program 6 lessons 11+
Available in French
MATERIALS NEEDED
FEATURED MEMOIRS
• Teacher’s guide • Student package • Technology for accessing Re:Collection • Re:Collection instructions
• Class set of memoirs by Judy Abrams, Claire Baum, René Goldman, Muguette Myers, Arthur Ney and Marguerite Élias Quddus
Claire Baum The Hidden Package • Born in the Netherlands in 1936 • Arrived in Canada in 1951; lives in Toronto, ON
11+
DURING THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS WILL
Claire and her younger sister are hidden with a non-Jewish family and eventually find security with Tante Nel, who they forge a lifelong connection with.
• Read a memoir and/or use Re:Collection to explore video clips, memoir excerpts, photographs and artifacts related to their assigned authors • Explore the concept of identity during the Holocaust
• Analyze primary sources to consider the context of rising discrimination and persecution • Create a timeline or newspaper article • Reflect on the experience of immigration to Canada after the Holocaust
Muguette Myers Where Courage Lives • Born in France in 1931 • Arrived in Canada in 1947; lives in Montreal, QC
11+
After completing the Education Program, students will understand the variety of ways Jewish children experienced the Holocaust in hiding, as well as the value of using personal accounts to study this history.
Muguette and her family flee Paris and find refuge in the quaint rural village of Champlost, where they live under false identities and are protected by the townspeople.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Learn about the Holocaust by discovering its historical context and understanding the different survival strategies used by the Jewish population • Learn from the Holocaust by unders- tanding the formation and suppression of identity during the Holocaust, applying this knowledge to the concept of identity as a whole
• Develop critical thinking skills through analysis of primary sources • Explore the Canadian context by discovering the process of immigration after the war and the diversity of experiences upon arrival in Canada
Arthur Ney W Hour • Born in Poland in 1930 • Arrived in Canada in 1948; lived in Montreal, QC
14+
Arthur is separated from his family in the Warsaw ghetto and he must fend for himself. As he flees the city and lives first on a farm and then in an orphanage, he learns to hide his Jewish identity and figure out who he can trust.
HIDDEN CHILDREN, IDENTITY AND THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVING IN THE MARGIN OF THE CATASTROPHE
HIDDEN CHILDREN, IDENTITY AND THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVING IN THE MARGIN OF THE CATASTROPHE
HIDDEN CHILDREN, IDENTITY AND THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVING IN THE MARGIN OF THE CATASTROPHE Teacher’s Guide
Student Workbook
Student Reflection Journal
If you are interested in hidden children, you might also like these memoirs:
Student Name: Survivor Author’s Name: Title of Memoir:
Student Name: Survivor Author’s Name: Title of Memoir:
Education Program
Education Program
Education Program
11+
11+
11+
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
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Teacher's Guide
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Resources for the Classroom
Education Program Flexible length 11+
HEARING HISTORY: A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR MEMOIR READ ALOUD
Available in French
MATERIALS NEEDED • Teacher’s guide • Sample discussion questions • Author background reading
FEATURED MEMOIRS
• Language notes and content warnings • Copy of selected memoir • Supplementary visuals
Marguerite Élias Quddus In Hiding • Born in France in 1936
11+
DURING THIS PROGRAM, STUDENTS WILL
• Arrived in Canada in 1967; lives in Longueuil, QC As Marguerite and her sister struggle to accept their separation from their mother, they are taken from convents to farms and must learn how to lie about their identities to survive. This story is beautifully illustrated by the author.
• Listen to a memoir written by a Holocaust survivor • Analyze and compare similar literary forms (memoir, biography, autobiography and historical fiction)
• Engage in reflective and meaningful discussion
After completing the Education Program, students will gain an understanding of the Holocaust through the lens of survivor testimony. As the book is read aloud to students, they will learn about the value of memoirs as both a literary form and a tool for studying history.
Morris Schnitzer Escape from the Edge • Born in Germany in 1922 • Arrived in Canada in 1947; lived in Montreal, QC, and Ottawa, ON Morris escapes Nazi Germany for the Netherlands, only to find himself on the run once again when the Nazis invade the country. Through Belgium and France, through arrests and interrogations, Morris’s false identities and quick thinking help him to sur- vive when he is denied refuge in Switzerland. 11+
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Understand the historical context of the Holocaust • Build aural comprehension skills
• Learn to identify features of memoir as a literary form • Develop historical thinking concepts
Sample Discussion Questions Choose as many questions as you want to use during your class discussion. Adjust questions as needed.
Language Notes and Content Warnings for In Hiding by Marguerite Élias Quddus
Hearing History
Non-English Terms
Page Term/Phrase 25 “Oy vey iz mir”
Language
Definition/Translation
Yiddish German French
“Oh, woe is me”
A Holocaust Survivor Memoir Read Aloud
42 Mädchen 57 Boches
Girl
See glossary in book
121 “mayneh beybeleh”
Yiddish/English “My baby”
“Come, mayneh beybeleh, you too, come and kiss dayneh mameleh” “Gott in Himmel! Voss hostu undz gemakht?”
CONTEXT QUESTIONS
134
Yiddish/English “Come, my baby, you too, come and kiss your mother”
Teacher’s Guide
1. Where was the survivor author born? What did you learn about their family life before the Holocaust? 2. When did the survivor author first encounter the Nazis and their collaborators and how did living under Nazi rule change their life? 3. How did the survivor author survive the Holocaust (e.g., with the help of a rescuer, going into hiding, living under a false identity, moments of luck)? 4. What happened to the survivor author immediately after the Holocaust (e.g., reunited with family, returned home, started to work)? 5. When did the survivor author arrive in Canada? Where in Canada did they settle? 6. Why did the survivor author come to Canada?
155
Yiddish
“God in Heaven! What have you done to us?”
162 Quarré-Les-Tombes
French Yiddish
Tombes means graves, which scared Marguerite
168 “Mir kumen on!”
“We’re coming!”
Content Warning Some of the book’s content may be inappropriate for your students. At your discretion, the following content can be shortened or skipped to better suit the needs of your classroom. P – Profanity AS – Act of antisemitism V – Violence
Page Nature of Content Excerpt 9 P
My father didn’t let them say bad words in front of us, especially not “you bastard.”
HIGHER-ORDER THINKING QUESTIONS
23 AS, P
“Dirty Jew’s dog! Pisses all over the place!”
34 P 36 AS
“Come unplug the crapper!”
1. What themes are prominent in the memoir (e.g., family, education, Jewish life, discrimination/ persecution, violence, politics/war, ghettos/camps, resistance, hiding, escape, rescuers, liberation)? 2. Discuss the title of the memoir — why do you think that title was chosen? How does it represent the story of the survivor author? 3. What was unique or interesting about the way the survivor story was written (e.g., language, literary devices, pacing, sections/chapter lengths, use of dialogue)? Why do you think the author chose to write their memoir this way? 4. Aside from the survivor author and their family, think about another person who was mentioned or played an important role in the story. How did that person respond to the persecution of Jews? 5. What is antisemitism? What role did antisemitism play in the unfolding of the Holocaust? What examples of antisemitism might we see in modern day? 6. How was reading a memoir different from reading another genre of literature? 7. Why is it important to learn about the Holocaust today?
Someone has scribbled “Dirty Jews” on both our metal shutter and the Bieders’.
45-46 V
“Then she hits Yvette’s hands with her metal ruler. “You’re nothing but a dirty little Yid! Riff-raff!”
46 AS 57 P
“Shut up, you little idiot, you don’t know what you’re saying.”
61 AS, P
“Get the hell out of here, dirty Yid!”
67 P
“You can’t take a shit here.”
“They beat me, the swine! They beat me, Moishinkeh! They beat me for slipping a little note into the pocket of an eleven-year-old child…. They beat me and I’ll never forget it!” The butcher sticks the shining blade of his knife into the neck of the howling animal and slits her throat. It’s horrible! The blood spurts out into a basin.
67 V
112 V (animal)
120 P
“I have to clean your shit!”
I see the hammer in the old man’s hand. He takes the rabbit and hits it. I run away, far away, before the cook finishes it off with her knife. It’s not true, my father has not been murdered in the Auschwitz concentration camp. “ The My Cousin Goldalé section ” , which gives details on how people were murdered in the Auschwitz camp complex.
163 V (animal)
165 V
182-184 AS, V
Education Program
11+
Hearing History: A Holocaust Survivor Memoir Read Aloud
Hearing History: A Holocaust Survivor Memoir Read Aloud
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
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Resources for the Classroom
Education Activity 1-2 lessons 14+
THE WARSAW GHETTO: FROM PERSECUTION TO RESISTANCE
Available in French
MATERIALS NEEDED
FEATURED MEMOIRS
• The Warsaw Ghetto activity instructions • Access to the digital exhibit Four Stories from the Warsaw Ghetto (see page 35)
• Technology for accessing Re:Collection • Re:Collection instructions
Amek Adler Six Lost Years • Born in Poland in 1928 • Arrived in Canada in 1954; lived in Toronto, ON
14+
DURING THIS ACTIVITY, STUDENTS WILL
After the German authorities create a ghetto in Lodz, Amek and his family escape to Warsaw, hoping to live in safety. Their respite is brief — forced into the misery of the Warsaw ghetto, life becomes unbearable, and Amek’s father makes a quick decision to escape once again.
• Complete a collaborative research task • Explore the digital exhibit Four Stories from the Warsaw Ghetto
• Explore the Warsaw ghetto special collection on Re:Collection
This inquiry-based activity uses survivor testimony to encourage students to gather knowledge. Using Re:Collection and the digital exhibit Four Stories from the Warsaw Ghetto , students will explore pre-war Jewish life in Poland, life in the Warsaw ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
Pinchas Gutter Memories in Focus • Born in Poland in 1932 • Arrived in Canada in 1985; lives in Toronto, ON
14+
LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Develop an understanding of pre-war Jewish life in Poland, life within the Warsaw ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising • Recognize the impact of anti-Jewish
In the Warsaw ghetto, Pinchas studies in secret and observes the increasing starvation, death and despair that surrounds him. He tries to bury his emotions, but his fear is ever-present, and the images are ingrained in his memory.
attitudes and discrimination on Jewish life in Europe • Reflect on the agency of Jews during the Holocaust
Elsa Thon If Only It Were Fiction • Born in Poland in 1923 • Arrived in Canada in 1980; lived in Toronto, ON
16+
THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING
April 2023 marked eighty years since the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising stands as one of the most significant acts of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust. After the devastating wave of deportations from the ghetto in the summer of 1942, Jewish resistance groups began preparing for future Nazi operations. When the Nazis entered the ghetto to deport the remaining inha- bitants in April 1943, about 750 organized ghetto fighters launched an insurrection, while the other inhabitants took shelter in hiding places and underground bunkers. After several weeks of battle, the resistance fighters were defeated, resulting in the destruction of the ghetto. Many Jews were killed, and the surviving population of the ghetto was captured and deported.
INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING ABOUT THE WARSAW GHETTO
Seventeen-year-old Elsa is faced with a monumental decision in the Warsaw ghetto — escape with her parents or stay with her sister who has joined a youth movement, driven by the hope of resistance. Amid the horrendous conditions in the ghetto, Elsa feels both trapped and uncertain, and she makes a fateful decision.
The Warsaw Ghetto From Persecution to Resistance
Of the over one thousand ghettos created by the Nazis to segregate and persecute Jews in Eastern Europe, the largest was located in the Polish capital city, Warsaw. Starting in the fall of 1940, more than 400,000 Jews would eventually be forced into the Warsaw ghetto, where they faced extreme overcrowding, violence, starvation and disease. In 1942, depor- tations to the Treblinka killing centre began. In one of the most significant acts of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust, Jewish ghetto fighters launched an uprising in 1943 that lasted for almost four weeks before being crushed by Nazi forces. In this activity, students will learn about Jewish life in Poland, the Warsaw ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising using Re:Collection, our digital resource. Re:Collection allows students to explore the history of the Holocaust using “recollections,” which are pieces of survivors’ stories told through video interview clips, memoir excerpts, photographs and artifacts. Students will also explore Four Stories from the Warsaw Ghetto, a digital exhibit featuring four Holocaust survivors. There are additional recommended resources for fur- ther learning. The pedagogical goals of this activity are to gain knowledge of the Holocaust and reflect upon the persecution experienced by those in the Warsaw ghetto during this period. In addition, students will gain an understanding of the various forms of resistance that occur- red in the Warsaw ghetto. Survivor accounts of the Warsaw ghetto include discussion of immense suffering and death, so we ask teachers to take into consideration the maturity of their students. We recommend this activity for students ages 14 and up. Learning through first-hand accounts helps students approach the history of the Holocaust in the most meaningful way. Personal accounts, when carefully grounded in their specific contexts, enable students to recognize the multiplicity of stories that make up this historical event. Read more about our educational philosophy.
Pinchas Gutter Even if this world exists for a thousand, million, trillion light-years, no one could ever be able to tell all the stories of the Warsaw ghetto. “ ”
Pinchas Gutter at the Warsaw Ghetto Wall, Poland, 2016. Courtesy of Pinchas Gutter and the Azrieli Foundation.
Cover page image: Construction of a Warsaw Ghetto wall, Poland, 1940. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Leopold Page Photographic Collection.
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The Warsaw Ghetto: From Persecution to Resistance
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The Warsaw Ghetto: From Persecution to Resistance
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONS
RESEARCH GROUP #1 PRE-WAR JEWISH LIFE IN POLAND
GUIDING RESEARCH QUESTIONS • What are some features or elements of Jewish life in pre-war Poland? • What forms of antisemitism did Jews experience in Poland in the early twentieth century?
LENGTH 1–2 lessons (90–120 minutes)
Re:Collection Arthur Ney (Warsaw) “Cowboys and Indians” “Family” “Pre-War Family Life” “Before the War” Pinchas Gutter (Lodz) “Pre-War Photographs” “Growing Up in Lodz”
Elsa Thon (Pruszków) “Childhood” “Pruszków” “Photography“
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students learn about the Holocaust as they gain an understanding of pre-war Jewish life in Poland, life within the Warsaw ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Using excerpts from survivor memoirs and digital resources, students will develop their knowledge of these aspects of the Holocaust directly through first-hand accounts. Students learn from the Holocaust by acknowledging how anti-Jewish attitudes and discrimi- nation dramatically changed Jewish life in Europe. They will develop a greater understanding of how persecution occurred in many forms, as well as the importance of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust. Students will engage in historical empathy and develop their critical thinking skills and their capacity to better understand contemporary global issues.
Amek Adler (Lublin) “Amek’s Family” “Family Photos” Four Stories from the Warsaw Ghetto Exhibit “Jewish Warsaw”
If you are interested in Jewish pre- war life in Poland and the Warsaw ghetto and uprising, you might also like these memoirs:
MATERIAL NEEDED • An internet-enabled computer or tablet • Research organizer (Page 9)
Before you begin teaching about the Holocaust, it is important to reflect on your knowledge, goals and methods. To prepare educators and build their confidence in teaching this topic, we have created a guide titled The First Step: A Guide for Educators Preparing to Teach about the Holocaust . As you move through the material and short activities in The First Step , you will gain familiarity with the core content of the Holocaust, reflect on your teaching rationales and consider best practices in how to bring this topic into your classroom. We encourage you to explore this guide before beginning any Holocaust education activity with your students.
Education Activity
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Arthur Ney (in back) and his family. Warsaw, Poland, 1932. Courtesy of Arthur Ney and the Azrieli Foundation.
memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
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The Warsaw Ghetto: From Persecution to Resistance
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The Warsaw Ghetto: From Persecution to Resistance
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Resources for the Classroom
Education Activity
EDUCATION DISRUPTED
2 lessons and an optional final task
11+
Available in French
MATERIALS NEEDED
FEATURED MEMOIRS
• Teacher’s guide • Student workbook
• Final task (optional) • Access to the digital exhibit Education Disrupted (see page 34)
Felicia Carmelly Across the Rivers of Memory* • Born in Romania in 1931 • Arrived in Canada in 1947; lived in Toronto, ON
16+
DURING THIS ACTIVITY, STUDENTS WILL
On a dirt floor in the misery of the Shargorod ghetto in Transnistria, Felicia manages to continue her education with a small group of girls and a teacher. As an adult, she becomes an educator in commemorating the tragedy of Transnistria.
• Explore the digital exhibit Education Disrupted • Learn from a variety of first-hand accounts
• Engage in higher-order thinking questions and tasks • Complete a final task (optional)
Using the Azrieli Foundation’s digital exhibit Education Disrupted, students will explore what education and its disruption meant to Jewish students before, during and after the Holocaust.
David Newman Hope’s Reprise • Born in Poland in 1919 • Arrived in Canada in 1951; lived in Toronto, ON
14+
LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Think critically about themes such as persecution, resistance and rebirth • Learn about the Holocaust through the lens of education
Education is at the heart of David’s life — a teacher before the war, he clandestinely continues this work during the Nazi occupation. Later, in the Buchenwald concentration camp, David teaches the Jewish children there, bringing much- needed hope to the desolation.
• Develop historical empathy by making connections to survivors’ personal experiences with education • Understand the global efforts to secure a child’s rights to an education
Henia Reinhartz Bits and Pieces • Born in Poland in 1926 • Arrived in Canada in 1951; lived in Toronto, ON
14+
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONS
Education Disrupted explores the role of education for Jewish children and youth before, during and after the Holocaust. About Education Disrupted
LENGTH 1-2 class periods (90-120 minutes)
Education Disrupted
AGE APPROPRIATENESS 11+
LEARNING OBJECTIVES The learning objectives of this Education Activity include learning about the Holocaust and learning from the Holocaust. Students will learn about the Holocaust, particularly through the lens of education. Students will understand what education and its disruption meant to Jewish students before, during and after the Holocaust. Students will learn from the Holocaust by thinking critically about themes such as persecution, resistance and rebirth. They will also make connections to their own experiences with education and to the global efforts to secure a child’s right to an education.
The exhibit is organized into four Books, each focusing on a different theme. The Books move chronologically and are divided into subsections called Chapters. Students can explore this exhibit independently or with the guidance of a teacher, as a class or in groups. The exhibit is best viewed on a computer or tablet but can be viewed on a smartphone. It can also be displayed on projector technology such as a SMART Board. The experience is meant to simulate walking through an exhibit in a museum, and the supplementary materials between Books and Chapters, and the menu, allow flexibility in how the exhibit is navigated. Students should complete an introductory lesson to the core content of the Holocaust before exploring this exhibit. Educators can refer to our resource The First Step: A Guide for Educators Preparing to Teach about the Holocaust for reflective exercises and best practices in Holocaust Education. USING EDUCATION DISRUPTED IN THE CLASSROOM
As teenaged Henia endures the darkest moments of the Nazi camps, she promises herself that if she survives, she will live in Paris and become a Yiddish teacher. In her freedom, she fulfills both these youthful promises.
INSTRUCTIONS
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Upon completing an intro- ductory lesson to the core content of the Holocaust, students will explore the Education Disrupted exhibit individually, in groups or as a whole class.
There is an optional final task at the end of the activity. Students can choose one task to complete, or you can assign one for them. You can provide additional guidelines as needed.
As students explore each Book, they will complete the questions. Throughout the activity, they will answer two types of questions: Looking Back – Recalling important pieces of information from the exhibit. Thinking Bigger – Engaging in higher-order thinking questions and tasks: • Connect Relating the exhibit content to their own lives and experiences. • Discuss Considering the given question or topic with a partner, small group or as a whole class. • Reflect Communicating about the content learned by expressing their thoughts, feelings and opinions.
Teacher’s Guide
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You can collect the com- pleted student activity for assessment purposes.
Eva Felsenburg Marx (right) with her mother at graduation. Quebec, 1956.
For more information on the Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program, educational materials or to order memoirs for your class, visit us at memoirs.azrielifoundation.org.
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Education Disrupted - Teacher’s Guide
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Education Disrupted - Teacher’s Guide
* Contains graphic violence
After completing each Book, answer the corresponding questions.
BOOK 1 School Days
Looking Back 1. Jews lived across Europe for hundreds of years – and in some areas, a thousand or more – and interacted in many ways with their non-Jewish neighbours. Using examples from the exhibit, explain how Jewish children experienced both discrimination and a sense of belonging before the Holocaust.
If you are interested in more stories from the Education Disrupted exhibit, you might also like these memoirs:
United Nations Children's Poster - "For all children a safe tomorrow - If you do your part." Poster prepared by the United Nations Department of Public Information, 1947. United Nations Photo Library .
Thinking Bigger 2. Connect: In Chapter 1, we learn about different educational experiences of school- aged children before the Holocaust. Think about your own current and previous school experiences. What are some similarities? What are some differences?
Use the space below to plan your ideas, brainstorm or outline your task.
3. Discuss: In this Book, we explore a variety of experiences in different schools across Europe. Schools are a place of learning but can often provide opportunities beyond knowledge of academic subjects. With a partner or small group, discuss something we can learn in school other than academics. Jot your notes from the discussion below.
Education Activities
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memoirs.azrielifoundation.org
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Education Disrupted - Final Task
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Education Disrupted - Student Workbook
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Resources for the Classroom
Education Activity
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES
11+
14+
16+
2 lessons
Available in French
MATERIALS NEEDED
FEATURED MEMOIRS
• Background reading about the author and historical context • Author Biography Activity • Timeline Activity
• Technology for accessing Re:Collection • Re:Collection instructions
Nate Leipciger The Weight of Freedom* • Born in Poland in 1928 • Arrived in Canada in 1948; lives in Toronto, ON
16+
Eleven years old when the war begins in Poland, Nate grows up in Nazi death camps and concentration camps. As he struggles to survive, he forges a new, unbreakable bond with his father and dreams of an uncertain future.
DURING THIS ACTIVITY, STUDENTS WILL
• Read a short introduction about a survivor author • Use Re:Collection to answer questions about the survivor author’s story
• Create a timeline of the survivor author’s life alongside global historical events
Leslie Meisels Suddenly the Shadow Fell • Born in Hungary in 1927 • Arrived in Canada in 1967; lived in Toronto, ON
14+
The author biography activities are effective tools for learning about one or more survivor stories. They may be used to introduce a survivor’s story, to learn about multiple stories, to consolidate what students have learned after studying a survivor’s story or to prepare stu- dents for a survivor presentation. To access the full collection of our author biography activities, see the Activities tab under Educational Materials on our website.
In a ghetto in Debrecen, Hungary, Leslie makes a decision for his family that luckily gets them on a transport to forced labour in Austria instead of one bound for Auschwitz-Birkenau. His path to liberation is difficult, but Leslie is among the lucky few to survive with his immediate family.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Build historical empathy skills by en- gaging with survivor testimony • Develop media literacy skills by re- searching a survivor’s story on the digital resource Re:Collection
Margrit Rosenberg Stenge Silent Refuge • Born in Germany in 1928 • Arrived in Canada in 1951; lived in Montreal, QC
• Improve historical-thinking and critical- thinking skills by completing a timeline
11+
Margrit and her parents narrowly escape Germany for Norway, only to find that they must flee once again on a perilous journey from Nazi-occupied Norway to neutral Sweden.
* Contains sexual content and graphic violence
If you are interested in more author biography activities, you might also like these memoirs:
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