This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Period 1 - The Gestapo
You've been watching the BBC documentary, The Rise of the Nazis - A Warning from History. Please share your thoughts about the film thus far. Does anything stand out for you about the segment on the Gestapo that you saw today?
19 comments:
Chris Armand
said...
The thing that stood out to me the most was that there were only about 28 Gestapo who controlled a million people. The Gestapo wasn't based upon actual officers in Hitler's Secret Police, it relied on different citizens selling each other out and reporting on their neighbors. Seventy to Eighty percent of the crimes reported were based upon citizens reporting them. It is disappointing that people would act like this. Everyone always blames Hitler and how he brainwashed all of Germany. However, it seems like the citizens of Germany were just as much at fault. They either encouraged what was happening by reporting on their neighbors to the Gestapo or went along with what was happening regardless of whether or not they thought it was right . It's also really fristrating how a women can deny reporting her neighbors to the Gestapo, fifty years later, with evidence of her report right in front of her, with her name and address on the report. You think she would show a little integrity by now and at least own up to what she did.
Until seeing this film, I was unaware of how much the German citizens truly aided in the extermination of the Jewish population. When I say this, I mean how willing even neighbors were to give into Nazi ideals and report on their observations of other people. It is unfortunate to hear how much the Gestapo thrived on gossip from people within the Nazi party. Like Chris said, there were masses of people controlled by a small amount of Gestapo agents. This is very shocking. To continue, the woman who spoke in regards to the document signed was, in complete denial of the actions she took years ago. There was even evidence and she continued to deny her involvement. A lot of the blame for the death total can be put on some German citizens. This is extremely surprising. "The Night of Broken Glass" is also extremely appalling. There was so much death and destruction in that one night. The man being interviewed in the film even watched his father die. This is yet another unfortunate event that occured under the Nazi rule and it reveals the relentless and heartless nature of the Gestapo.
It is really awful to see that the German citizens were so willing to, as Chris said, sell each other out. I would hate to think that at any moment your neighbor would be willing to report you rather than having your back in a time like that. I also agree with Chris and that the Gestapo had a lot to do with turning Germany into the destructive place that it became. Also, I agree that the people were willing to let Hitler control them and go along with the things that he was telling them. This willingness to obey was defintely a main reason as to why Hitler was so successful in his control of Germany.
I agree with Armond and feel that the most amazing thing about the Gustapo was that only 28 officials controlled such a broad area. The fact that the Nazis were able to create such a fear of those who strayed from the status quoe with in the general public that they would snitch on one another is amazing. I would surmise that many people were falseley accused because people were afraid that they themselves would be punished if they did not report any little odd detail.
At first, I was very surprised how reluctant the old women was to admit that she wrote the letter to the Gestapo. However, I then remembered one of the 8 steps of Genocide: denial. Although the woman did not actually murder anyone or commit genocide, what she did was certainly not something I would be proud of and her being in denial that she wrote the letter was interesting but at the same time not surprising.
The most interesting thing to me was the interviews with the ladies who cooperated with the Gestapo. In the first interview, the interviewer had a letter that the German woman had written that denounced her neighbor. Even though it was signed by her, the woman tried to deny that she had written the letter. This just goes to show how ashamed and embarrassed she was that she had cooperated with the Gestapo and the Nazi regime. In the second interview, the woman pointed out that even though she disagreed with the Nazi’s, she still went along with them and the rest of the crowd. It is so easy for us to look back on Nazi Germany now and say “Why in the world would you go along with everything that was happening?” But in reality, not many people have the courage to stand up and fight for what’s right if it means going against the crowd. Neither of these women had enough courage to stand up for what was right, which is why they are so ashamed by their past.
I agree with Chris that it was not just Hitler who caused the Holocaust but all of Germany participated in the cruel events that took place. Like Chris said there were only about 28 Gestapo but most Germans supported the Gestapo and told on their neighbors. I don't understand how an entire nation can fear such a small group so much. The citizens fear drove them to tell on each other.
The thing that shocked me most about learning about the Gestapo was the coroporation that the German people had. It was mind blowing to think that this small group of people was so influential to the public. Most of what the Gestapo was run on was the gossip and rumors in the public, much like the Salem witch trials, which was another point that was mind blowing. Although the blame doesn't lie on the German people, they were the fuel to the fire. Without them, the Nazi's wouldn't have been successful. This is true of any country and it just so happened with the Nazi's in Germany that they were so successful. Nothing of that proportion could happen in today's day and age but with successful organizations like Gestapo back in that time, the Nazi's were able to have absolute power.
I though it was interesting how the old woman was so quick to deny that she wrote the letter. But at the same time it made sense that she would deny being responsible for doing such a thing. The way the Germans sold out other people(Jews) in their community was interesting especially because those peple were just as German as they were. Since the Gestapo weren't outwardly known, it was a lot easier for Hitler to enforce what he was trying to establish and succed. And in reality, that makes sense.
i totally agre with timonicca and chris. 28 gestapos controlling millions of people.. at any moment im sure that those millions of people could revolt and not allow thye gestapos to comtrol but they wanted them too also not knowing hitlers plan to wipe out all jews in germany. and to me, when hitler stands and preaches to an audience he somewhat sounds like hes brainwashing all of these people.
I found it very interesting that there were so few Gestapo to patrol so many people. I felt sorry for the lady that was interviewed because she was not sorry for what she did in the past. If I were living in Germany durring this time, I probably would have done the same thing. I am totally understanding why she would want to hide the past, but the German citizens were being told time after time that Jewish people are bad. Since the authority was evil, the people turned evil.
i found it interesting when the woman was talking with the interviewer and he asked whether or not she ever thought to stand up against the gestapo, and she was so quick to say "Nein. Nein, nein, nein..." She talked about how everybody she knew cheered for the Nazis, so she just went with the flow and supported them as well. I think that after Hitler came to power, there was nothing one person could do to stop what was to come.
For me, what stood out the most was how involved the people of Germany were in the carrying out of Hitler's laws. I was shocked to hear that there were so few Gestapo per city, and that the citizens were the ones enforcing Hitler's edicts. Despite all we've learned about how the German people were "brainwashed" into believing in Hitlers ideals, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that they could do those things to other human beings. For example, I couldn't believe the Gestapo documents from citizens denouncing their neighbors for behaving out of the ordinary, or the requests to kill their own handicapped children. This film really opened my eyes to the reality of Nazi Germany, because I thought I knew a lot about it, but apparently I was wrong.
The fact that a simple letter began the murders of innocent children who had done nothing wrong is astounding. It is also disgusting that after a while, the staff chose which children would live and which would die. And The Night of Broken Glass is also extremely appalling. A lot people died and destruction in that one night.
The fact that a simple letter began the murders of innocent children who had done nothing wrong is astounding. It is also disgusting that after a while, the staff chose which children would live and which would die. And The Night of Broken Glass is also extremely appalling. A lot people died and destruction in that one night.
I think that it is incredible for starters for only one person to get that much power in such a short period of time. Of course he couldn't do it by himself but, people were so desperate with the condition and with all that was going on in Germany that they actually had no other chance but to trust and believe on what they thought that it would be the answer to all their problems. The fact that civilians were helping to accuse other people, especially neighbors who they have known their whole lives, just to be "good" with the regime it's really unbelivable. I mean, why would people "try" to get rid of their friends, instead they should've been defending them, at least that's common sense. Hitler got so much into people's minds and the Germans became so nacionalized that I believe that they don't remember doing half of they did while they were like that, having clear minds now. Adolf HItler did not brainwashed people, the people allowed themselves to act like this, it was obligatory to do so (inform on their friends and neighbors) but they chose to do so in order to show something that it isn't quite explainable to me, or to anyone else who hasn't been under the same situation themselves.
I disagree with Justin. I do believe that that old lady wrote the letter, and she knows she did because it has her signature in it. ALthough it is wrong now, it was something considered right whike the Nazis rule so, i do not think that she should be embarassed because in her own mind when she did write that letter to the Gestapo she thought that hse helping out her country and being a good nationalist. She was as overthrown by all the Nazi rulling and beliefs as everyone else was so, she can't really be blamed now for something now a days wrong that was considered good and right when she did it in the first place.
I agree with Chris in regards to the amazing fact that 28 gestapo could regulate and enforce law upon a million people. Also, the gestapo were able to be successful because rather than the million people acting against the gestapo, it enabled people to scapegoat the jews and every non jew to rat out the jewish community. Its also amazing how that women could deny having assisted the gestapo when clearly her signature was there and all the evidence told us otherwise. She should have admitted to her faults and told the truth rather than lying to us, the audience.
in order for 28 gestapo to put that kind of pressure on millions of people, they must have had huge support from the locals. Hitler planned out every detail of his extermination and executed them perfectly, including driving people crazy enough to turn in their life long neighbors for suspicious behavior. Especially considering their only crime is their ethnicity!
19 comments:
The thing that stood out to me the most was that there were only about 28 Gestapo who controlled a million people. The Gestapo wasn't based upon actual officers in Hitler's Secret Police, it relied on different citizens selling each other out and reporting on their neighbors. Seventy to Eighty percent of the crimes reported were based upon citizens reporting them. It is disappointing that people would act like this. Everyone always blames Hitler and how he brainwashed all of Germany. However, it seems like the citizens of Germany were just as much at fault. They either encouraged what was happening by reporting on their neighbors to the Gestapo or went along with what was happening regardless of whether or not they thought it was right . It's also really fristrating how a women can deny reporting her neighbors to the Gestapo, fifty years later, with evidence of her report right in front of her, with her name and address on the report. You think she would show a little integrity by now and at least own up to what she did.
Until seeing this film, I was unaware of how much the German citizens truly aided in the extermination of the Jewish population. When I say this, I mean how willing even neighbors were to give into Nazi ideals and report on their observations of other people. It is unfortunate to hear how much the Gestapo thrived on gossip from people within the Nazi party. Like Chris said, there were masses of people controlled by a small amount of Gestapo agents. This is very shocking. To continue, the woman who spoke in regards to the document signed was, in complete denial of the actions she took years ago. There was even evidence and she continued to deny her involvement. A lot of the blame for the death total can be put on some German citizens. This is extremely surprising.
"The Night of Broken Glass" is also extremely appalling. There was so much death and destruction in that one night. The man being interviewed in the film even watched his father die. This is yet another unfortunate event that occured under the Nazi rule and it reveals the relentless and heartless nature of the Gestapo.
It is really awful to see that the German citizens were so willing to, as Chris said, sell each other out. I would hate to think that at any moment your neighbor would be willing to report you rather than having your back in a time like that. I also agree with Chris and that the Gestapo had a lot to do with turning Germany into the destructive place that it became. Also, I agree that the people were willing to let Hitler control them and go along with the things that he was telling them. This willingness to obey was defintely a main reason as to why Hitler was so successful in his control of Germany.
I agree with Armond and feel that the most amazing thing about the Gustapo was that only 28 officials controlled such a broad area. The fact that the Nazis were able to create such a fear of those who strayed from the status quoe with in the general public that they would snitch on one another is amazing. I would surmise that many people were falseley accused because people were afraid that they themselves would be punished if they did not report any little odd detail.
At first, I was very surprised how reluctant the old women was to admit that she wrote the letter to the Gestapo. However, I then remembered one of the 8 steps of Genocide: denial. Although the woman did not actually murder anyone or commit genocide, what she did was certainly not something I would be proud of and her being in denial that she wrote the letter was interesting but at the same time not surprising.
The most interesting thing to me was the interviews with the ladies who cooperated with the Gestapo. In the first interview, the interviewer had a letter that the German woman had written that denounced her neighbor. Even though it was signed by her, the woman tried to deny that she had written the letter. This just goes to show how ashamed and embarrassed she was that she had cooperated with the Gestapo and the Nazi regime. In the second interview, the woman pointed out that even though she disagreed with the Nazi’s, she still went along with them and the rest of the crowd. It is so easy for us to look back on Nazi Germany now and say “Why in the world would you go along with everything that was happening?” But in reality, not many people have the courage to stand up and fight for what’s right if it means going against the crowd. Neither of these women had enough courage to stand up for what was right, which is why they are so ashamed by their past.
I agree with Chris that it was not just Hitler who caused the Holocaust but all of Germany participated in the cruel events that took place. Like Chris said there were only about 28 Gestapo but most Germans supported the Gestapo and told on their neighbors. I don't understand how an entire nation can fear such a small group so much. The citizens fear drove them to tell on each other.
The thing that shocked me most about learning about the Gestapo was the coroporation that the German people had. It was mind blowing to think that this small group of people was so influential to the public. Most of what the Gestapo was run on was the gossip and rumors in the public, much like the Salem witch trials, which was another point that was mind blowing. Although the blame doesn't lie on the German people, they were the fuel to the fire. Without them, the Nazi's wouldn't have been successful. This is true of any country and it just so happened with the Nazi's in Germany that they were so successful. Nothing of that proportion could happen in today's day and age but with successful organizations like Gestapo back in that time, the Nazi's were able to have absolute power.
I though it was interesting how the old woman was so quick to deny that she wrote the letter. But at the same time it made sense that she would deny being responsible for doing such a thing. The way the Germans sold out other people(Jews) in their community was interesting especially because those peple were just as German as they were. Since the Gestapo weren't outwardly known, it was a lot easier for Hitler to enforce what he was trying to establish and succed. And in reality, that makes sense.
i totally agre with timonicca and chris. 28 gestapos controlling millions of people.. at any moment im sure that those millions of people could revolt and not allow thye gestapos to comtrol but they wanted them too also not knowing hitlers plan to wipe out all jews in germany. and to me, when hitler stands and preaches to an audience he somewhat sounds like hes brainwashing all of these people.
I found it very interesting that there were so few Gestapo to patrol so many people. I felt sorry for the lady that was interviewed because she was not sorry for what she did in the past. If I were living in Germany durring this time, I probably would have done the same thing. I am totally understanding why she would want to hide the past, but the German citizens were being told time after time that Jewish people are bad. Since the authority was evil, the people turned evil.
i found it interesting when the woman was talking with the interviewer and he asked whether or not she ever thought to stand up against the gestapo, and she was so quick to say "Nein. Nein, nein, nein..."
She talked about how everybody she knew cheered for the Nazis, so she just went with the flow and supported them as well. I think that after Hitler came to power, there was nothing one person could do to stop what was to come.
For me, what stood out the most was how involved the people of Germany were in the carrying out of Hitler's laws. I was shocked to hear that there were so few Gestapo per city, and that the citizens were the ones enforcing Hitler's edicts. Despite all we've learned about how the German people were "brainwashed" into believing in Hitlers ideals, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that they could do those things to other human beings. For example, I couldn't believe the Gestapo documents from citizens denouncing their neighbors for behaving out of the ordinary, or the requests to kill their own handicapped children. This film really opened my eyes to the reality of Nazi Germany, because I thought I knew a lot about it, but apparently I was wrong.
The fact that a simple letter began the murders of innocent children who had done nothing wrong is astounding. It is also disgusting that after a while, the staff chose which children would live and which would die. And The Night of Broken Glass is also extremely appalling. A lot people died and destruction in that one night.
The fact that a simple letter began the murders of innocent children who had done nothing wrong is astounding. It is also disgusting that after a while, the staff chose which children would live and which would die. And The Night of Broken Glass is also extremely appalling. A lot people died and destruction in that one night.
I think that it is incredible for starters for only one person to get that much power in such a short period of time. Of course he couldn't do it by himself but, people were so desperate with the condition and with all that was going on in Germany that they actually had no other chance but to trust and believe on what they thought that it would be the answer to all their problems. The fact that civilians were helping to accuse other people, especially neighbors who they have known their whole lives, just to be "good" with the regime it's really unbelivable. I mean, why would people "try" to get rid of their friends, instead they should've been defending them, at least that's common sense. Hitler got so much into people's minds and the Germans became so nacionalized that I believe that they don't remember doing half of they did while they were like that, having clear minds now. Adolf HItler did not brainwashed people, the people allowed themselves to act like this, it was obligatory to do so (inform on their friends and neighbors) but they chose to do so in order to show something that it isn't quite explainable to me, or to anyone else who hasn't been under the same situation themselves.
I disagree with Justin. I do believe that that old lady wrote the letter, and she knows she did because it has her signature in it. ALthough it is wrong now, it was something considered right whike the Nazis rule so, i do not think that she should be embarassed because in her own mind when she did write that letter to the Gestapo she thought that hse helping out her country and being a good nationalist. She was as overthrown by all the Nazi rulling and beliefs as everyone else was so, she can't really be blamed now for something now a days wrong that was considered good and right when she did it in the first place.
I agree with Chris in regards to the amazing fact that 28 gestapo could regulate and enforce law upon a million people. Also, the gestapo were able to be successful because rather than the million people acting against the gestapo, it enabled people to scapegoat the jews and every non jew to rat out the jewish community. Its also amazing how that women could deny having assisted the gestapo when clearly her signature was there and all the evidence told us otherwise. She should have admitted to her faults and told the truth rather than lying to us, the audience.
in order for 28 gestapo to put that kind of pressure on millions of people, they must have had huge support from the locals. Hitler planned out every detail of his extermination and executed them perfectly, including driving people crazy enough to turn in their life long neighbors for suspicious behavior. Especially considering their only crime is their ethnicity!
Post a Comment