Hitler is also shown, voicing his reasons for the setting up of the ghettos.
“I must get rid of the Jews.
They are the element of revolt”.
“We will annihilate, and exterminate the enemy, root and branch
Systematically and mercilessly.”
The ghettos were established by the Nazis as a first ‘stage’ towards the complete annihilation of all Jews inside German-occupied Europe – as evidenced in source B, where leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich, denotes the distinction between the ‘ultimate aim’, and its prerequisite ‘stages’. At a conference held in Berlin to discuss the long-term future of Polish Jewry, he describes one such stage as being the ‘concentration’ of Polish Jews into a particular area of the city, with orders given “forbidding Jews to enter certain districts of that city altogether.”- In other words, the setting up of ghettos. This edict for the setting up of the Warsaw ghetto didn’t affect only the Jewish population. The area to be used for its creation had to be cleared of all of those from non-Jewish descent. This meant tens of thousands of ‘ordinary’ Polish citizens had to leave their homes and possessions, and move to another part of the city to make room for the Jews. (Source C)
Question 3
When accessing source A to be a true representation of life in the Warsaw Ghetto, key issues must be taken into account before, I as an historian can accept and believe in its reliability.
1. Can the footage be accepted as original? And if so, how did it survive – how useful is it?
2. Can I detect bias - and is it acceptable?
3. Where did the clip come from? Who made it and why?
I believe the footage can be taken as original. The poor quality of the film couldn’t be authentically copied with today’s modern capabilities, and the depiction of the Jews emaciated bodies, could neither be achieved with camera trickery, nor the actors going on diets! How it survived depends on who shot the film. If it was by a Polish Jew, it was probably hidden, to be found after the event - like the majority of Jewish records found after WW2. Or as I think most likely, the film was taken by a German soldier/ sympathiser who worked for the Nazi controlled television stations, to be used either as evidence to prove their theory that the Jews really did live as the vermin they were portrayed to be, or simply to keep an official record of events. With the Nazis being so fastidious in keeping records – this one could have been overlooked, as they attempted to destroy them once they realised they were losing the war
There are two ways to consider any bias contained in this footage. The first is to decide if any bias is apparent in the way the original film was shot. This really depends on who took the footage – if it was by a Jew, you could assume that they showed the very worst conditions experienced inside the ghetto. Conversely if it was taken by the Nazis, then it would depict Jewish conditions in the best possible light. Given the horrific nature of the deprivations suffered, it doesn’t matter who was responsible, the images speak for themselves; in my view, any bias contained is negated by the suffering shown. The second way bias could be shown was how the entire programme that contained the original footage was edited. Because images can be taken out of context, the question of who made the film, and why, must be answered if the bias, (if any) is to be accepted.
The video clip came from a television programme intitled “Hitler the Criminal” (the title alone is enough to assume bias, however, given the huge amounts of other evidence corroborating Hitler’s guilt of instigating the atrocities, this bias is acceptable.), which was made by The Discovery Channel, a highly respected media company that produces well researched, balanced documentaries on a wide range of topics. As Hitler’s guilt is no longer in question, and the events happened over half a century ago; did the makers of the programme have any reason to produce a biased work? For me the answer is no, and I can accept this evidence as reliable. I also think that the original footage is extremely important and useful. There are thousands of documents that tell of the horrors endured by European Jews, but it’s not until you actually see, in black and white what they suffered, that it becomes a reality – and one you wish you didn’t have to witness.
Question 4
In source A, the conditions and deprivations experienced by the Warsaw Jews inside the ghetto, are brought home to the viewer with horrific clarity. Brutal scenes depict the angst and suffering that is almost impossible to dispel.
In the faces of men, women and children you observe the gaunt, worn and weary expressions, that speaks more eloquently than words – the effects of trying to survive on 184 calories per day; you see the image of a Jewish woman hopelessly trying to unravel woolen garments to fashion newer ones, simply because the was nothing else to use. You also observe the effects of the chronic over-crowding, both inside dwellings and on the streets-and get a sense of the hopelessness and helplessness felt by the ghetto’s inhabitants that was laid bare, as their ‘shame’ was exposed for all to witness. The Jews only relief from their living nightmarish existence was death - to become one of the skeletal bodies hauled onto carts and disposed of as rubbish.
The first part of source D supports source A, backing up the grim reality with cold facts and figures. For a population of 500,000, there were 780 dwellings- 718 of which had no heating. The average occupancy was thirteen people to a room, with the remaining thousands left in the streets. (This statistic for me, puts into perspective how over-crowded ‘living conditions’ must have been). Along with the Nazis’ systematic confiscation of property, and the fuel /food shortages, these facts paint a gloomy and bleak picture of life inside the ghetto. One of a people passively waiting to die.
But there were sparks of life. The human spirit is indomitable- and even in the midst of their sufferings, the Warsaw Jews attempted to live a normal life, in abnormal circumstances. As the latter part of source D tells us, not all the population was over-whelmed by the poverty and sickness. They reproduced their cultural identity, with musical evenings, lectures etc. And according to source E, even went as far as to have their own governmental bodies. This took the form of work-shops, housing authorities and hospitals, amongst others.
As far as they go, these three sources give a representative picture of life inside the Warsaw Ghetto. Source A shows their undeniable sufferings, whilst sources D and E give details of their daily bravery - their ability to make the best use of the limited resources available to them - and to live - as they were waiting to die. However they do have limitations. Sources D and E are excerpts from books by the same author. Where did he get his information from? Can it be proven that these ‘governmental bodies’ were actually set up? Does this author have any cultural/religious bias? For me to accept his view unreservedly, collaborative evidence from a German perspective, or indeed primary evidence from Jewish survivors of the Warsaw ghetto should have been included in my source material.
Question 5
Source F is primary sourced evidence taken from the dairy of Chaim Kaplan, a leading Jew within the Warsaw Ghetto. He was an Educationalist, and therefore a highly schooled, intelligent, articulate individual; a person well able to discern the reactions and rationale of his fellow prisoners. In his diary, he keeps a record of the rumours ‘of outside’ atrocities, and explains how he sees the Warsaw Jews reactions to them. His reasons for keeping this record aren’t given, although it wouldn’t be hard to recognise at least a few. He could have written his diary as a record for posterity as he knew his own death was imminent, but at least his words would be remembered; for other Jews to read, so they never forgot the harrowing evils suffered in the ghettos; or as proof to the outside world of what occurred to himself and his people.
This extract of Kaplan’s diary has poignant relevance, as it was written at the time when the inhabitants of the ghetto were beginning to be transferred to Auschwitz, and therefore gives us a glimpse into the minds and psyche of the Jewish victims. In source F, Kaplan tell us, (that after the rumours concerning the hundreds of thousands Jews being shot circulated), he noticed two distinct responses generated by the realization of their own imminent death. The majority of Jewish people, who had lived with the very real fears of death by starvation- ‘which takes a very long time’ (source A), now, ’on the very eve of their death …. worried about their routine affairs as though they still had a long life ahead of them.’ Which as Kaplan explains was simply; ‘the desire to live grows stronger at that point when your time to die has been set.’ The remaining Jews- Kaplan makes the distinction, ‘…the intelligent and perceptive’ – recognizing the futility of their daily lives, as they acknowledged the reality of their own deaths; and the genocide about to occur - ‘walk around like mourners.’
Although Kaplan only mentions two reactions, given the diversity of the human psyche, these could only be generalizations, and may not have been the experience of all the Jews in the ghetto. Further primary evidence would be needed, preferably other ‘diaries’ from Jews who weren’t as well educated, or who came from different backgrounds. Kaplan’s diary dated 30th July (source G) gives further examples of how Nazis terriorised the Jewish people, and lured them to their death. With blockading houses and hunting people like animals in the streets- these terrifying ordeals added to already overwhelming feelings of despair. So when the Nazis put up posters, promising free food, if they left the ghetto, the temptation was immense – as one Jewish boy recalls, ‘Wherever it would be, we imagined that it couldn’t be a worse place’ The pressure to ‘take up’ this offer was increased as the Jews only had a few days in which to make up their minds. Those left behind were later forced from their environment, and sent to the death camps.
The Nazis forced the Jews to implement the ‘stages’ in their own destruction. Work-gangs built the concentration camps; loaded the bodies of their dead onto carts and then dug the graves to bury them. The councils that were set up by the Jews themselves, to run the daily lives of those inside the ghetto - were also used to carry out German orders. As evidenced in source G, which tells the reaction of the Jewish leader, Adam Czerniakow when he was forced to sign deportation orders. He refused to sign orders for children when he failed to get the orders rescinded, and when 10,000 were demanded for the next day, he committed suicide. This man, who lived through the deprivations of the ghetto, finally broke under the burden of being morally responsible for the slaughter of his own people; choose to die before condemning others.
Although you can appreciate the hopelessness and suffering, the Jewish population experienced. It still leaves the unanswerable question; ‘How did 6 million people allow themselves to be led like sheep – to their deaths?’ In an attempt at rationalisation, Raul Hilberg wrote in his book (source h The Destruction of European Jews, published after the war), why he felt the Jews didn’t retaliate- and so doing, helps to explain Jewish attitudes of the time. The secrecy surrounding German plans of the final solution meant that the Jews viewed ‘ghettoization as the culmination’ of German intent. And with the deprivations they suffered, were unable to see, ‘a further, more drastic stage in the destruction process.’ They were so intent on trying to stay alive on a daily basis, all the while believing that they only had to survive these routines until the war was over; that they, ‘had fallen into a rhythm or pattern that did not allow for prolonged reflection about the real meaning of the ghettos in the Nazis scheme of things….’
This Nazi ‘scheme of things’ is graphically shown in source I, German produced ‘Population and Death Rates for the Warsaw Ghetto,’ in which both pre and post transportation to Auschwitz, are given. These tallies make disturbing reading in two ways. The first is the huge numbers of people killed; (this programme of genocide being repeated many times throughout Europe.) And the second, as it exposes German/Nazi attitudes towards the Jews. Source I lists the numbers of people being slaughtered, breaking them down by age and sex. Who compiled these figures? What for? Who was involved – were there people who actually counted the bodies? Why did no-one question the ethics behind these tables? Were the German soldiers, bureaucrats, and population, so detached from the reality of human suffering, that they had little compassion to ask- or more likely, had the Nazi propaganda machine succeeded in dehumanizing the Jews to the extent that ‘an enormous number of ordinary, representative Germans became – and most of the rest of their fellow Germans were fit to be- Hitler’s willing executioners..’
These words were written by revisionist historian, Daniel Goldhagen- himself the son of a Holocaust survivor, in his book “Hitler’s Willing Executioners” 1996. This book is undoubtedly written from a Jewish perspective and therefore biased; but is there evidence to support his theory, or indeed disprove it? Certainly when you look back to the Nazi propaganda; posters, film, books, all depicting the Jewish population in derogatory ways; not to mention the Nuremberg Laws, Krystalnacht and the belief in ‘Aryan superiority- you could be forgiven for thinking that all Germans upheld and assisted the Nazis. As I believe a large number did. However, you must also bear in mind that Germany was being run by a dictator. By a man who ruled by fear and intimidation, and counteracted any opposition to his plans with deadly force; both to the Jews, and his own German peoples. As most people possess an overwhelming desire to live. I believe the masses of German, Polish and other conquered European citizens, passively chose to ignore the genocide that surrounded them, in the hope that they themselves would survive.
Just as the Jews themselves carry some guilt for what occurred; so the passive, selfish behavior from the Nazi - ruled masses, must also. I believe it was Churchill who said, ‘All it takes for evil to flourish is for the good to do nothing’. Hitler shouldn’t have been allowed to lead a nation without censure; his policies were widely recognised as being extreme and genocidal – and still no-one spoke out against him. In so doing, the German population gave unspoken permission for the slaughter of millions; and can’t now with the gift of hindsight, reflection and rationalization, change history. They are all guilty to a greater or lesser degree of the genocide that occurred. As history has a habit of repeating itself; we had better learn the lessons harshly given in the Second World War.
Jacqueline Ewing
April 21, 2003.