Online Source #3

The Visual History Archive is a great resource. Personally, I found it to be really accessible and easy. It did not take long to sign up. The website is very self explanatory. What I like most about the website is that each video has segments that you can skip to if you want to see one specific part. Also the website enables one to narrow down their searches by having filters. It is helpful to look up different topics that happened around the world.

Besa

Summary: 

Norman Gershman traveled to Albania and heard the stories of the Muslim rescuers who saved around 2,000 jews During World War II. Young child, Aaron, was given to the Hoxha family, who were muslims, so that he could be saved. Aaron's father saved three books and gave them to Mr. Hoxha. Mr Hoxha then passed away but left those books to his son. Hoxha ended up meeting with Aaron in Israel. The audience learns that Aaron was given no affection by his parents and tears were brought to his eyes when the memories came flooding back. Fortunately, the Hoxha family gave Aaron that affection that his parents never gave him. 

Commentary:

Overall, I enjoyed this movie. At the beginning it was slow and hard for me to get into it. However, when they showed the train and how 100 people had to squeeze into them, I was astonished. Also when Hoxha and Aaron met, I was so overjoyed. I could not believe that they found one another and to see how much the books meant to Aaron and how he was so loved by the Hoxha family was great to see. He was separated from his parents and put into another home, which were not always so great, yet it was a great outcome for Aaron. This movie was very insightful. 

Man's Search for Meaning 9/20

Summary:
Frankl further describes what life was like for the prisoners in the concentration camps. He describes how each prisoner acted a certain way because it was their defense mechanism. Some tried to make the best out of every situation by using humor or even solitude. Apathy was also a survival method as Frankl described his escape plan(which never fell through). Even after all the suffering the prisoners went through, the majority of them made the best of each situation. At the end of Part 1, he is set free but he states that he could never fully be happy because of what he had just been through in the concentration camp.



Comment: Frankl really goes into depth with discussing the prisoners self preservation. Friendship and humor were a big deal to the prisoners and I could not agree more with what they did to show that. I admire that the prisoners used stories to tell one another to make light of every situation. It is vital in life to be happy and to have someone whether it be a friend, family member or a loved one to share it with. Frank also described how he used the arts to help him during the worst time of his life. He used poetry and when shows of the theatre came on, he applauded the SS guards the most that he could. If he cheered for them the most, he could get a break and get on their good side. He did this to survive along with putting himself in solitude and separating himself from the crowd which drew him away from the spotlight. He did anything he could to survive and was in the right mindset.

Man's Search for Meaning pg. 41

Summary:
Victor Frankl writes a novel of what he experienced in the concentration camps. Frankl describes the whole process of the camp. He went into detail of who was able to stay in the camp and who got burned. He talks about Capos who were prisoners that had more privileges than regular prisoners. Frankl explained that they looked for "mean" people to be Capos and most of them were non-jewish. It turns out that about 90% of people go to death starting with disabled people and old people. Frankl explained that as time went on people cared less and less about the bodies and did not even acknowledge them as human beings.


Commentary:
I really enjoyed reading this book so far. I have learned far more about concentration camps from this book than in school. I really enjoyed how Frankl went into so much detail about the camps. From discussing how they had to be completely shaven to how they looked at the beauty of nature that gave them faith. The book has been really depressing and really shocking to me. These people were treated so poorly and it disgusts me how some people even deny that their were such things as concentration camps. Although it has been hard to read, the book also contains many areas of light and quotes that are inspirational and well described, such as the nature surrounding them. This is such an important book to read to learn more about the process of concentration camps and I am looking forward to reading more about it.

From Cruelty to Goodness

Summary:
In the article "From Cruelty to Goodness" by Phillip Hallie, he explains cruelty is just not in one form and it is expressed in many ways. He noticed that people use harsh words and not just harsh actions. He explains how people held in camps were not allowed to wipe themselves after using the restroom and forced to drink from unsanitary bowl. He also states that in bullying with relation to power, the victim becomes the "victimizer". It depends on ones morals and thoughts and how they handle each situation even though usually they become both the victim and victimizer. Hallie discusses the "power imbalance" of the Jews and Gypsy children in the death camps of Le Chambon. He then found himself feeling sorry for the children or wanting to be cruel to them.

Comment:
The article "From Cruelty to Goodness" was not the best article I have read. It took me quite some time to get into the reading. I like how Hallie said that there is not only one form of cruelty. I never really thought about cruelty in other ways. I also like how he tried to find the goodness in cruelty. Not many people can see the brighter side of things so I find that very surprising and I admire that in Hallie. This article helped me look at cruelty and goodness in different ways and made me look at things from a different perspective.