Re: Holocaust

Edward Behrendt (edsdanzig@WORLDNET.ATT.NET)
Thu, 22 Jan 1998 11:18:21 -0800 

Hi Kari,

Let me try to answer your questions:

1.  Jews of course were never members of the Hitler Youth.
They did not want to be and
     only non-Jews were allowed to become members.

2.  Sometimes it could be dangerous to refuse to become a
member, although there are
     no records of any child ever being killed for not
joining.  It was mainly bad because your
     friends and everyone in school was usually a member,
and if you were not, they would
     make fun of you, tease you and often not even speak to
you. Some children and their
     families were very brave and did not become members,
but many did.  Some children
     loved it, and some were very afraid.

3.  I am not exactly sure what you mean by that question
about the homes?  Can you explain a
     little more please?

4.  Yes, much of the time, especially toward the end, there
was a shortage of food in
     most countries in Europe.

5.  After the war, it was pretty bad in many countries,
especially in Germany.
     Many places and homes had been destroyed by bombs,
there was little
     food and clothing, and many people had died during the
war.  Just about
     everything had to be rebuilt once again.

6.  No, non-Jewish people were not allowed to have anything
to do with Jews.
     Doctors were not allowed to treat Jews and hospitals
were not allowed to take
     in Jewish patients. Jews were not allowed to go to
regular restaurants or movies,
     or take public buses and trains.  Except for work as
slaves, Jews were not allowed to
     hold jobs or own businesses. It was very cruel and very
hard.

7.  When the war was finally over, all good people were very
very happy, and there was
     much celebration.

The main thing to remember about all this Kari, is that it
was a terrible thing to happen,
and that we must all try to make sure that such things never
again happen to anyone
anywhere.  Wars, killings and cruelty are stupid and not
necessary.  We are all one people,
regardless of where we live, what we believe in or what we
look like.   We must learn to get
along with each other and be friends with each other.  OK?

Good luck with your project.

 Edward J. Behrendt
" Reach & Teach "
Worldwide Holocaust Education Group
E-mail:  edsdanzig@worldnet.att.net
Web: http://home.att.net/~edsdanzig
Fax:  541-302-5724