Transformations of Individual Identity caused by Experiencing Humanitarian Catastrophe:
Examples from Elie Wiesel’s Memoir, Night
Humphry Shan
CHC 2DE-D: Canadian History since WWI
May 2, 2022
When people hear the word “genocide”, few things come to mind quicker than the Holocaust. The Holocaust is the genocide to end all genocides, which lives forever in infamy, known for being the most catastrophic, lethal, and egregious example of genocide. Throughout their time in power, the Nazi regime in the German Reich sought to annihilate the Jewish, Romani, LGBTQ+, and disabled population of Europe, which we now know as the Holocaust. Increasing anti-Jewish laws and persecution culminated in the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question”
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After the death march to Buchenwald concentration camp, Wiesel’s father Shlomo’s health and strength begin rapidly deteriorating as he gets sick with dysentery. Wiesel is a very conscientious person, and he continues giving his father his ration and attending to him until the very end. Despite this, even cracks in Wiesel’s conscience begin forming as a result of the desperation and life or death reality that he faced. When the Blockälteste of the barrack tells Wiesel that he should stop sacrificing himself for his father, Wiesel thinks to himself “He was right, I thought deep down, not daring to admit it to myself. Too late to save your old father … You could have two rations of bread, two rations of soup …” As Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs states, human’s physiological needs take precedence over the interpersonal. When faced with such prolonged hunger and malnourishment, even Wiesel knows deep down that it might be worth it to give up on him, and let him die, which he does a day later. Wiesel does not dare admit it to himself because he does not want to believe that he is capable of even considering abandoning his father, yet he is capable, showing how drastically he changed during his period fighting for survival in concentration …show more content…
These changes result from a loss of faith in God, or God’s mercy, a loss of home and meaningful personal possessions, and a loss of conscience and personality. The Holocaust and all humanitarian catastrophes are often known for the sheer number of deaths that occurred, the number of displaced peoples, or whatever relevant statistics. These looks into the personal effects these events have on their victims make them closer and more personal, and are crucial in preventing them from occurring in the future. They are also important as they help people sympathize with survivors of other humanitarian catastrophes, and be better informed of the effects that such things have on people. The Holocaust was a tragedy that destroyed an entire generation of innocent Jewish, Romani, LGBTQ+, and disabled people in Europe. One can only hope the lessons learned from it can help future generations ensure such events remain relegated to history. Never