Overview
week 3
1) Discussion Questions; Search online for recent examples of antisemitism around the world. Why is this happening? Are justifications given? Share your information on the discussion page. Find 2 examples; one in the U.S and one global.
2)All But My Life by Gerda Weissmann Klein
Study questions pages 1-94 BIELITZ (BIELSKO) 1. What historic event occurred on September 3, 1939? (p.1) What was its immediate effect on the Weissmanns’ lives? What was the Third Reich? 2. On the day of the Nazi invasion, Gerda’s parents ask her to telephone the other family members, but when she does so there is no reply (p. 6). Why not? Where have these people gone? 3.Why do Mr. and Mrs. Weissmann feel “relief and pride” (p. 6) when their children insist on staying with them? 2 4. When one of Arthur’s classmates tells him that young Jewish boys are being murdered in the camps, Arthur says, “Nonsense” (p. 17). Why doesn’t he believe this? 5. Why doesn’t Arthur want his family to accompany him to the station? Why doesn’t he turn around as he leaves the house? (p. 21) 6. What does Gerda’s father have in mind when he says, “Whatever you are thinking now is wrong” (p. 32)? What promise does Gerda make to him at this moment? 7. Why is Gerda not able to summon a doctor the night her father has a heart attack? (p.47) 8. What does Ulla represent to the young Gerda? (p. 48) Why does Gerda decide to learn English, despite the danger of doing so? 9. How are Gerda’s life and character affected by the terrible letter from Erika? What changes have the dreadful events wrought on Erika’s own character? “I want to kill, just kill,” she writes (p. 68- 70). Would you say that acts of hatred engender more hate? 10. Why are Gerda’s parents in better spirits when they arrive in their ghetto apartment? (p. 78) 11. How would you describe the farewell Gerda’s parents take of one another: joyful, sorrowful, or a combination of the two? (p.85) What legacy do they leave the young Gerda? (p.86) 12. Reflecting upon the horrible scene in which families were separated and thrown into trucks, Gerda wonders, “Why? Why did we walk like meek sheep to the
slaughterhouse? Why did we not fight back?” (p. 89). What answer does she give?
Does that answer seem sufficient to you? What other reasons might there be? 13. Why do you think Merlin threw Gerda back on the truck? (p.91)
3) Reflection notes