Aaron and Aileen's Week Summary!

Hey everyone, it's Aileen (F block) AND Aaron (H block). Double Threat...

Anyway, so here is an update about what we covered in class:

We learned about the different political parties that existed in the Weimar Republic in the early 1930s. They were KPD, SPD, Center, and the Nazis. After each group representing each political party presented their platforms, the undecided voters evaluated the benefits and disadvantages of electing each party, and they finally made a decision. In both classes, the SPD came out with the victory.

Next class, we explored the course theme of obedience related to Nazi Germany. We read a excerpt from a German professor who experienced life under of the Nazis. Because of the "small steps" the Nazis used, he wasn't aware of the damage these measures would cause in the long term. We also talked about military obedience, how age affects obedience, and when it is appropriate to disobey.

Yesterday, both classes covered different material:
F block: We uncovered the role of obedience in Hitler's Nazi Youth Movement. Hitler's Youth Movement was intended to get the young to follow Hitler's ideology. Hitler was able to persuade these young minds and turn them against the Jews. We then learned through film about one man's experience during Hitler's youth movement. He explains that he was unaware of what was actually going and that he was easily persuaded by Nazi propoganda. Nazi beliefs became his own conviction.
H block: Yesterday we had a visitor, Ralph Samuel, who was a survivor of the Holocaust. We learned that through the Kindertrasnport, he was able to survive the extremities of the genocide. Ralph stated that even though the US did not pass the Act in Congress to allow unaccompanied children into the US, Britain began a system to transport children into England, called the Kindertransport. By the time the Kinderstransport stopped in the September of 1939, 10,000 children were saved. Ralph was about 8 years old when he was flown to England to meet his new family. However, a few months later he was evacuated to the countryside where Mrs. Strachey took him and 7 other children to stay with her during the war. His purpose in talking to many different schools is to memorialize Mr. Epstein, the father who took him in, as well as the other 6 million Jews that died. The moral of his talk is that anyone can make a difference.

Have a good blog week!