The course Facing History and Ourselves has taught me many things that I will carry with me throughout my life. A few of the many traits it has brought me are empathy and courage. The course has also made me a less self-absorbed person, and I have learned how to respect others and myself more. Facing History and Ourselves had a very powerful impact on me that will last long.
Before the course, I was more focused on myself. By that, I mean that I was selfish in the fact that, for the most part, I put myself as my only and first priority. I did not really think much of others; I made my choices in life by thinking about what would benefit me. The fact that I even have choices in life makes me feel lucky. The story that we read about the ‘Jungvolk’, a sub-division of Hitler’s youth, made me realize how much of a blessing it is in life to be able to make my own choices and think my own thoughts. What stood out to me the most in the story was the part when the boy received a map with his bicycle on his birthday. It was surprising to me that the boy was expected to memorize the map just to benefit his role for Hitler. Another compelling part of the story is when Fritzkaerl, a friend of the birthday boy and a member of Hitler’s youth, came in to report his friend’s parents. This part really showed me how the children were affected by the Nazis. The Nazis treated them like robots – they were even able to brainwash young children. Reading this story definitely made me feel grateful for the amount of free will I have in life. This story also affected me in a way that made me aware that there are others out there who need help. In short, it made me want to be less of a bystander.
Members of Hitler’s Youth The course made me learn how to respect other people and how to practice deference. I was appalled by the footage of the documentary done by ‘Frontline’. What shocked me the most were the images showing the extremely thin Jewish people. When I saw the images, I was thinking more than just about the starvation. It made me realize exactly how the Jews were treated; to the Nazis, they were literally lifeless, undeserving creatures who could be treated in the worst possible ways. I would be lying if I said that before this course I never pre-judged anyone. This course made me want to meet a person before making any assumptions. It is very important that I learned that because everyone deserves a certain amount of respect.
Starved Jews From the Facing History and Ourselves course, I noticed that the human mind and thoughts can be very easily controlled. Through the use of Nazi propaganda, Adolf Hitler was able to convince others that the Jewish people were less than what they were. One of the images, of the man holding out coins in one hand and a whip in the other, definitely was worth a thousand words. The image below is known as one of the most influential source of media during the Holocaust. Just because of the picture’s popularity, people began thinking differently of Jews. The influence of the image also shows how powerful art can be. Just through the colors, text, and overall depiction of the Jew, a thousand words can come rushing in about the image. This goes to show that even the smallest of details can influence someone’s mind and control someone’s thoughts. Every little detail is capable of having an impact.
Nazi propoganda Most importantly, Facing History and Ourselves has taught me to think before I act. I realized that every action I take is important and will impact me. That seems a bit self-centered, but by I, I mean that every action anyone takes is important. Our actions may or may not affect others in the long run, but the actions that we take determine what our lives will be like. One of the films we saw in class, Amen, was very powerful. Even though the movie was fictional, it showed me how other people, even those of authority such as the Pope, were not willing to make choices to help others because of the fear that they had. Even though Lieutenant Kurt Gerstein did everything in his power to stop the Nazis, the Catholic Church gave a weak response. I have respect for the character of Kurt Gerstein; he sacrificed his fear and found courage to help others. I did not have respect for those in the Catholic Church in the film. Even though they did have a substantial amount of power, they did not do anything because they were too cowardly. They were simply being bystanders. Even though the event of the Nazis affected them personally, they were not willing to take action. This film definitely made me feel more motivated to make changes on the issues I care about and to never be a bystander. I learned that the actions we take can be very powerful and have a large impact. Another film that we saw in class, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, made me gain a perspective on the Nazis with the innocence of Bruno. It was interesting to see a child’s response because a child is naïve and less experienced than adults. In a way, the film made me look at the Nazis with a child’s initial response, meaning that I could look at it without former knowledge. It was discomforting to know how much the Nazis could take a child’s innocence.
'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' Poster
'Amen' Film Poster I am very grateful that I got the chance to take the course Facing History and Ourselves. As I have discussed above, the course gave me a sense of respect, empathy, motivation, courage, and consideration. I believe that this course should definitely be open to underclassmen. Just like Bruno in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, history can affect anyone
