A poet once remarked that the death of a child is the loss of infinite possibilities. What, then, can be said about the more than one-and-a-half million Jewish children who were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust years (1933-1945)? Of course,
many more boys and girls suffered unimaginable hardships and bore witness to the brutality of the Nazis. Some survived. Many did not. Regardless of how experiences varied from country to country, children’s lives were changed forever. The purpose of this essay contest is to record the stories that must be told to yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s children.
Part A: Research the history of a specific child or youth (Wikipedia not an acceptable source) who was caught in or witnessed the events of the Holocaust in Europe. This person could have lived in a ghetto, been hidden, carried out clandestine activities, been a part of a kinder transport, known the horrors of concentration camps and/or experienced the Holocaust in a myriad of other ways. He or she could have be a Jew or a non-Jew, or have been a part of a family or a group of children suffering the same fate. Describe the conditions under which this individual lived during the Holocaust and the circumstances that impacted his/her life during the Holocaust years. If he or she survived, briefly explain what happened after 1945.
Part B: Tell how learning about the Holocaust through the personal story of this one individual makes the Holocaust more meaningful to you! The writer’s understanding of this topic is very important so insure that history will not repeat itself.
