Contacted a publisher

Not much writing the past month. Kristallnacht is as finished as it can get by now, and Judenrat needs more research.

I’ve sent Kristallnacht to a publisher in Norway, and have established contact with the Holocaust Teacher Resource Center, who seem interested in the project. (No reply yet from Yad Vashem or the Simon Wiesenthal Center).

Rethinking the structure of Judenrat

From an online discussion on the project comes this very valid point:

“This kind of format tends to heavily reflect the biases of the author while at the same time implying that the chooser’s choice in some way matters. (…)  You’ve created a somewhat crude Holocaust simulation that invites people to imagine what it might be like to make unimaginable choices; I think the nature of your medium (…) may compromise that vision by framing those choices as discreet, “imaginable” and in some way fatalistic.”

I see the problem.

 The current design (which may very well undergo heavy changes) is a compromise based on the assumption that the participants will need a strongly structured form, since having a more open form will easily confuse people and disrupt the whole thing.

The choices presented, and the consequences of the choices, are so far primarily based on events from the Warsaw, Lodz and Lakhva ghettoes. It is impossible to say for certain what might have happened, had circumstances and/or choices been different. (It is possible to extrapolate and make educated guesses, based on Nazi policy regarding the ghettoes).

 I am not certain what to do about this. Judenrat can’t be described, at present, as a perfect historical simulation. The current concept is good for showing the basic problems the Judenräte faced, and highlighting the deliberate Nazi tactics of tightening the grip and removing Jewish rights and property in steps. I believe this is worthwhile as part of a historical curriculum. Some of the choices presented may be useful for debate in a course on ethics.

But the main problem stands: In selecting and presenting the choices and their consequences, I can never be a completely impartial judge. My interpretation and judgment of the events will show through – even if I think through and debate that interpretation and judgment thoroughly. The Judenräte are controversial to this day, and I must take care not to attempt to “solve” the controversy by giving simple answers.

What is this project about?

We All Had Names (WAHN) is a project of education about the Shoah – the Nazi Holocaust of World War II.

When finished, WAHN will consist of three historical interaction pieces. In each piece, participants will verbally portray characters and events in a critical historical period. After each piece, participants discuss the characters and events, relating them to their own experiences, the greater historical picture, and current affairs.

 

Kristallnacht: Night of Broken Glass

The first piece, «Kristallnacht: Night of Broken Glass», is set in Germany and France in the winter of 1938. The piece focuses on the events leading up to and following the pogrom. Participants follow the fates of thousands of German Jews being sent to Poland; the assassination of a German diplomat; the Kristallnacht itself, where Jewish stores and synagogues were destroyed and looted; and the transport of German Jews to the concentration camp in Dachau.

Among the themes addressed in «Kristallnacht: Night of Broken Glass» are:

• The Nazi political tactics of collective blame and anti-Jewish propaganda

• The role of active and inactive civilians in allowing or helping the Kristallnacht take place

• The role of individuals in major historical events

 

Judenrat: Jewish Councils of Eastern Europe

The second piece, «Judenrat: Jewish Councils of Eastern Europe», is currently being written. It is set in occupied Poland in the years 1939 to 1943. The piece focuses on the Judenräte, councils of Jews set down by the Nazi occupants to administrate the Jewish ghettoes. Participants follow and re-enact the decisions of the Judenräte. Discussions focus on the controversial role of the Judenräte, who were forced to follow the orders of the Nazi occupants while simultaneously attempting to save those who lived in the ghetto.

Among the themes addressed in «Judenrat: Jewish Councils of Eastern Europe» are:

• The Nazi tactic of deliberate step-by-step removal of all Jewish rights and property

• The impossible double role of the Judenräte

• The values of individual lives versus the lives of thousands

 

The Silence

The third piece, «The Silence», is currently in planning. It will address one central theme: The reasons why so many individuals did not speak up or take any action to prevent the horrors of the Holocaust. The piece will require participants to ask themselves the question: In current, ongoing crises in the world, do we as individuals use the same reasons not to act? If so, how can we change that behavior and take positive action?