Can I ask a sensitive question?

[minkydog]

A few years ago I read a children's book about the the Jewish children who were sent away from the homes and harbored by French farmers for the duration of the war. It was a photographic book, I can't remember the name. But the children were so lovely.

There aren't a lot of films and books that are apropriate for a 10yo. I think it is almost incomprehensible to an adult that anyone would think it's okay to kill people because of their race. But that was a different day & time. I can ermember asking my mother when I was a teenager, "why didn't anybody do anything?" There was never a satisfactory answer.

 

[arminnie]

I have many Jewish friends. My best friend in the whole world is Jewish. Our families are very, very close. Her mother used to come and stay with me when I lived in Houston. My mother's last trip before she died was to her daughter's Bat Mitzvah.

This years she attended my family's Christmas celebration and that night (first night of Hannukah) we celebrated with her family. I've been in one of the Temples in Dallas so much that I can even give directions on how to people looking for a specific area.

I remember as a child of about 10 wondering how Hitler had decided on the Jews as opposed to say the Lutherans. I was totally unaware of anti-Semitism.

My college had a large percentage of Jewish students - unfortunately overall because at that time the Ivy League schools still maintained a "quota" and would not admit "too many" Jews but fortunately for me as I made so many wonderful friends.

My roommates from my freshman year are Jewish. Both of their mothers left Eastern Europe as young teenagers to escape the Nazis. ALL of the rest of their relatives were killed.

At the time I met my friend's families it was less than 20 years after WWII so this was still pretty fresh. I was changed forever hearing their stories.

I am really glad that schools are teaching about what happened. I cannot answer the question of why Hitler did what he did as there really is no answer. It is unfathomable to a normal person.

But what I will add is that anti-Semitism was NOT invented by Hitler. It unfortunately existed LONG before Hitler was even born. Hitler just took it and exploited already existing prejudices in a manner which no one could have imagined.

Anti-Semitism is just as evil as Racism, but it doesn't get the publicity.

 

[GoofyDad869]

Thanks for bringing up "Paper Clips". It'll be released in March 2006.

In my opinion (and as I said in an earlier post), "Maus" & "Maus 2" by Art Speigelman would FOR THE MOST PART be appropriate for a 10-11 year old. As a parent, I would pre-read before my child. Some portions of the book may not be appropriate for a given child. Use your own judgement. This is not an easy topic at any age.

 

[carolfoy]

I'm guessing that the OP used "mean" because that's what 10 year olds understand, and to expose kids that young to the full horror of the holocaust might be too much for them. I don't think it should be sugarcoated either, but sometimes you need to make things age appropriate.

Thank you for your support, I intentionally used that word in the context that you suggested. Mean is a word 10 year old understand, end of story.

My father has a long military career, my grandfather (deceased) won a Victoria Cross, I am quite well aware of the pain and suffering WW2 brought to the world. There has never been any real understanding as far as I know as to exactly why the Jews were singled out, your many varied and interesting points of view prove that. I thank you for your opinions and they are all worthy of debate by Callums class.
Goofydad869 thanks for the suggestion, I have Anne Franks diary at home, I certainly can't remember any points in it that may explain a 'why' (after all this young girl was probably wondering it herself) but it will make for topical reading anyway.

 

[carolfoy]

But what I will add is that anti-Semitism was NOT invented by Hitler. It unfortunately existed LONG before Hitler was even born. Hitler just took it and exploited already existing prejudices in a manner which no one could have imagined.

Good point Arminnie, thank you

 

[POB14]

2, He didn't like them simply because they are naturally dark skinned, dark haired. (this confuses me as although I know he wasn't actively pro black or pro asian he didn't seek these ethnicities out to torture)

Yeah, actually he did:

The fate of black people from 1933 to 1945 in Nazi Germany and in German-occupied territories ranged from isolation to persecution, sterilization, medical experimentation, incarceration, brutality, and murder.

The Jews were just higher on the list, I guess. Also there were more of them around Germany at the time than there were Blacks.

As to the original question -- why? Because he was the embodiment of pure evil, and also bug**** nuts at the same time.

 

[Sleepy]

That was a topic not discussed in my school, so I never quite understood the pure evil this man was until last summer when I visited the Holocaust Museum in DC. If ever there was a question in a person's mind, it was surely answered there. I still sit in disbelief that one man had the power to control so many people and to gain their trust in the beginning the way he did. That he was so evil that he went so far as to place shower heads in the gas chambers to make these people think in their last minutes that they weree actually getting a shower to remove lice, etc. Just sick. The one thing that impacted my emotions the most was the film toward the end of the tour. Stories told by the people who lived it. I left the building sobbing. I could not even complete the rest of the tour.

 

[Stitchfans]

IMO. I always thought it was because he himself was a weak man. He had to tortue a group of people he knew would not retaliate or fight back. From what I understand it was/is against the Jewish faith to fight, or kill or do anything like that. Since they refused to defend themselves they were not a challenge in any way. So this proves to me that Hitler was a weak, evil, man. Like I said just my opinion.

 

[Disney-Kim]

Reading this post made me realize that as much as I know about the Holocaust/History...there is no specific answer to your question.
I have watched the History channel shows on Hitler and I know that he sought to be important and needed a campaign to pitch...or something like that. He was able to put blame on a race for all the problems of Germany's youth. why he hated the Jewish community...I don't really know the exact answer. but the Jewish people have been persecuted since the beginning of time and it was a war waged long before Hitler.
I had always thought it was because he wanted a PURE race...no mixing of the bloodlines. also it had to do with the wealthy bankers/professionals/etc and feeling that the pure Germans should have that wealth.
?????????
that is one hard question to answer.

 

[missypie]

I think that you can't quanitfy the evil of Hitler! Why was he "mean" to the Jews? First I am offended that you would ask that in that way. He wasn't "mean" he was sadisitic, inhumane, lethal, and downright hate filled. Mean implies that is was not so horrible. So I would suggest that the first thing you do is explain that at 10 your son can't begin to understand or comprehend Hitler. Then I would explain that he was afraid of anyone different. He had his idea of a perfect world. As many have stated he didn't just target the Jews. They were the worst offenders in his mind though. He thought that they were God's chosen people and made God mad at the rest of the world. He said they took all the good jobs Bankers, Jewelers, Professorers, etc.. That for Aryans to live up to their full potential these parasites (Jews his words not mine) had to be exterminated. He said without this plaque of unpure blood that corrupted the world that the Arayans would succeed. He thought Jews were the reason that we were in a Great Depression. He felt they sinned against God. It is really to much to explain on a Disney board the hatred and vile filth he spread but I think at 10 if he has to write a report on Hitler it should first explain that he wasn't merely mean to the Jews. That does a dishonor to the 6.2 million Jews that lost their lives to the Death Machine. He should simply explain some people fear things they can't control and act as bullies. Hitler was one of the world's biggest bullies. Sorry this is long but I feel passionately that we shouldn't minimize or belittle the people massacred for their race, sexual, and or religious beliefs.

Your response is exactly why 10 year olds shouldn't be studying Hitler yet. You have to simplify things for them and it is an issue that should not be simplified or trivialized. One must understand both Hitler AND how the German people let him carry out his evil acts.

 

[rigs32]

I'm trying to remember when the Holocaust first came up in Hebrew school. I know it was before age 13, as I stopped going after my Bat Mitzvah. I want to say that when we were 11/12 we had Holocaust and Hebrew on Thursday and Hebrew and Culture on Sundays. (Once you started learning Hebrew, it got stepped up to 2 days a week)

I know that we read books, watched films, and met several survivors. I know the most graphic images were not shared with us, but it was NOT sugar coated. We heard about many atrocities and saw photos of emaciated and killed prisoners.

I don't think it scarred any of us and I don't think any parents had a problem with it. Maybe that had to do with the fact that they were all Jewish and felt it was important to share the message of "never again."

 

[carolfoy]

I'm trying to remember when the Holocaust first came up in Hebrew school. I know it was before age 13, as I stopped going after my Bat Mitzvah. I want to say that when we were 11/12 we had Holocaust and Hebrew on Thursday and Hebrew and Culture on Sundays. (Once you started learning Hebrew, it got stepped up to 2 days a week)

I know that we read books, watched films, and met several survivors. I know the most graphic images were not shared with us, but it was NOT sugar coated. We heard about many atrocities and saw photos of emaciated and killed prisoners.

I don't think it scarred any of us and I don't think any parents had a problem with it. Maybe that had to do with the fact that they were all Jewish and felt it was important to share the message of "never again."

Thanks Rigs, I myself studied it in school at the ages of 10/11 so its good to know we weren't the only ones. I agree with not sugar coating it, I'm sure we were explained the horrors even though we weren't shown any graphic images. I can remember being utterly shocked that this kind of thing could happen and my son is always very keen to understand the reasons behind remembrance day services, VE celebration etc, I guess he's just got a very inquisitive mind. He's seen his grandads medals, and listened to some of his stories and he's really interested. Theres a school thing at the mo where war veterans come into school and explain their personal experiences to the children, these gents and ladies are all up in their 80's and 90's and some were soldiers, some evacuees so it makes for very interesting listening. One 10 year old girl in Callums class was so moved by a gentleman who began to weep whilst he was recounting his experience that she went right up to him and hug him. I think its very important to carry on the tales so, as you say, Never again.

 

[Jockaroo]

Wow, you asked a tough question. The best answer as to why Hitler pursecuted and exterminated millions of Jews is that the man was a psychopath.

But there is more. The Treaty of Versailles which ended WWI placed the blame and restitution for the war on the back of Germany. It was neither harsh enough to completely distroy Germany, but was so harsh it in essence crippled the nation. As my grad. history professor put it: you see your enemy stuck in the mud up to his waist you have two options--1. extend your hand and help him or 2. push him all the way in. The V. Treaty just left Germany stuck in the mud--the enemy got out, but was mad. Facing the restitution costs for much of the war placed Germany in dire economic straights. Hitler came along at a time when the German people were suffering on multiple levels (financially, emotionally, spiritually, etc.). He had a very charismatic personality and told the people what they wanted to hear. Basically that Germany would rise again to glory and that he had the plan. One group in this area of Europe that was doing well financially was the Jewish population with many of these people being bankers, and having higher paid professional jobs. Need a loan and can't get it--blame the banker (i.e. the Jew.) for your suffering and your children going hungry. The Jewish race has been pursecuted for centuries. Hitler took it to another level. In addition, the Treaty of V. took German territory away and gave it to Poland and other European countries. Poland was the first country that Germany and Hitler focused on in removing Jews--a large percentage of the country's population.

Google Treaty of Versailles for more information. There is much more to this, but will help you understand how and why Hitler rose to power, and therefore, how the German people got caught up in a slaughter of an innocent race.

I have a friend from Germany and we have discussed the Holocaust. She said that one entire school year is spent discussing the Holocaust and its causes. It is not something they speak of most of the time, it is too horrific to comprehend. She said that her people were responsible for these attrocities and therefore must never allow them to happen again. It will be hard for your son to understand this at 10; I took several semesters of graduate level courses in German WWII history and I still can't understand it.

 

[pezheadval]

There also is a movie called Paperclips
http://www.miramax.com/paperclips/

I was going to suggest Paperclips, too. What a wonderful documentary and appropriate for a younger crowd.