HISTORY 178 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: American Jews, Elie Wiesel
Document Summary
Nazis robbed from jews the idea that their death had a meaning, served a high purpose. For nazis, on other hand, was meaningful, a glorious page in german and world history . Elie weisel was scared memory of holocaust would be forgotten or abused. 25 students enrolled to hear how the jews lived and 90 enrolled to hear how they died. Holocaust represents the complete collapse of western civ at that time and place. There is a museum on the mall when america didnt cause it and american jews didnt die. Since 80"s word it has been including other groups targeted by nazis (roma people (gypsys), homosexuals, jehovah witnesses, disabled) This wider range is not found in europe. Holocaust: holo = whole, kausto = burnt sacrifice offering (greek) Shoah: catastrophe, comes in the 60s, word appears in bible. Systematic state sponsored murder of european jewry (bigger definition on slides)
