Sarah’s Key

Did soldiers ever show humanity to the people in the concentration camps?

In the book Sarah’s Key, the description of the concentration camps was unimaginable. The living conditions and treatment the Jews received was sickening, but occasionally the soldiers did show humanity towards the Jews. “For God’s sake, run! Run now, quick, both of you. If they see you… Take off your stars. Try to find help. Be carful! Good luck” (Rosnay 92) said a young policeman to Sarah and Rachel, two characters with major roles in the book. The policeman guarding the camp let the two girls sneak away through the barbwire fence, pretending not to see them.

This act of humanity by the policeman was strongly looked down upon, and could have resulted in death if caught. Not only was this policeman humane in the book, but incidents like this also happened in history. “My father convinced a French guard to let our family stay together because my mother was ill from tuberculosis” (Cecile Widerman Kaufer). Cecile Widerman Kaufer, a holocaust survivor who was also able to escape the camp thanks to a French guard that showed humanity towards her family.

Like Sarah and Rachel, where did Jews go to find refuge after escaping the camps?

In Sarah’s Key, Geneviève and Jules are static characters that represented a harborer during the holocaust/Vel’ d’Hiv roundup. They symbolized the brave citizens that risked their lives to hide and care for the children who escaped the concentration camps. “A great number of Jewish children survived, thanks to the help and generosity of French families or religious institutions that took them in” (Rosnay 126). Once the children found a home that was willing to take them in “they must be hidden at once” (Rosnay 110) because if they were found they would either be killed or be brought back to the camps for worse punishment.

The harborers provided a safe haven for the Jews. Every rescue story is different, “I don’t consider myself a hero, but was compelled to help when I saw the Jews being deported to concentration camps like cattle” (Nell Van Rangelrooy) said a harborer that rescued 6 Jewish children over the time of the holocaust. “The Holocaust memorial, Remembrance Authority, includes the names of over 10,000 people who risked their lives to save the Jews during the Holocaust.” (Walter Laqueur).

http://facts.randomhistory.com/holocaust-facts.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/17/france-vel-d-hiv-70-anniversary_n_1678941.html#slide=more239269

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005407

Pictures:

http://www.suitcasesandsippycups.com/2013/01/planning-a-trip-to-the-us-holocaust-for-kids.html Shoes- The helpless people

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/books-and-arts/magazine/102134/spanish-holocaust-francisco-franco# soldier – holocaust soldier

http://brucemctague.com/tag/the-marais-district-and-vel-d-hiv train- Vel’ d’hiv

http://quitenormal.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/survey-finds-young-frenchmen-know-nothing-about-wwii-jewish-roundup/ people sitting –Jewish roundup

“About 1,000 Jewish prisoners participated in the revolt in Treblinka. On August 2, 1943, Jews seized what weapons they could find–picks, axes, and some firearms stolen from the camp armory–and set fire to the camp. About 200 managed to escape. The Germans recaptured and killed about half of them.”

Was Rachel a real person in Sarah’s key?

No, Rachel was not based off of a real person, but she did represent the rebellion leaders and the resistance within the camps. “Rachel gazed at the men with hatred and contempt. She spat on their shoes…We should leave. We should all escape” (Rosnay 81). Rachel was the only child in this book that expressed her true feelings, and was not afraid of the policemen.

Knowing that spitting on the policemen shoes and escaping could result in cruel punishment, or worse, death she did it anyway. On August 2, 1943 about 1,000 Jewish prisoners revolted at one of the concentration camps in Treblinka. They “seized what weapons they could find–picks, axes, and some firearms stolen from the camp armory–and set fire to the camp” (John Smith). This rebellion was very different from Rachel’s, but they both showed resistance within the camps.

About 1,000 Jewish prisoners participated in the revolt in Treblinka. On August 2, 1943, Jews seized what weapons they could find–picks, axes, and some firearms stolen from the camp armory–and set fire to the camp. About 200 managed to escape. The Germans recaptured and killed about half of them.