Genocides, such as the Holocaust of World War II, test their victims both mentally and physically. In surviving virtual Hell, the dehumanization process enacted upon the victims strips them of their personality, both inside and out. Through standard uniform and a robbery of one’s name, replaced with a number cruelly etched into one’s skin, the walls of a concentration camp physically make the many into one. The degradation that occurs mentally is yet even more tragic. Elie Wiesel, survivor and author of his memoir Night, recounts this experience. His core beliefs on family, faith, and humanity are drastically altered after surviving the brutal dehumanization process of the Holocaust. Family. The core belief in family shaped Wiesel’s early
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Faith in humanity is a concept closely related with faith in God. Often they may go hand-in-hand, but as Wiesel testifies, his faith in the evil of humanity increased while his faith in the good decreased. Before the war, Wiesel and the people of Sighet said, “The Red Army is advancing with giant strides… Hitler will not be able to harm us… Annihilate an entire people? Wipe out a population dispersed throughout so many nations? So many millions of people!”(8). The populous, Wiesel included, were confident that the Russian Army will come to liberate the Jews from Hitler. But they also questioned Hitler's motives, as it is impossible for one man to kill millions. Wiesel was wrong. As the days of imprisonment continued, the Russians not coming, it becomes increasingly clear the Hitlers vision was becoming reality. This view is portrayed in a conversation Wiesel had, stating, “Perhaps the Russians will arrive… We knew perfectly well they would not” (81). The decline in the faith in the good of humanity, and a renewed faith in its evil is shown when a prisoner says, “I have more faith in Hitler than anyone else. He alone has kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people” (81). Perhaps referring to the Russian Army, or that even of God, the idea of increased faith in Hitler, which is the increased faith in the evil of humanity, is insidious across the camp. Through living through such horrific conditions, it is not surprising that the faith in the good of humanity
Faith in humanity is a concept closely related with faith in God. Often they may go hand-in-hand, but as Wiesel testifies, his faith in the evil of humanity increased while his faith in the good decreased. Before the war, Wiesel and the people of Sighet said, “The Red Army is advancing with giant strides… Hitler will not be able to harm us… Annihilate an entire people? Wipe out a population dispersed throughout so many nations? So many millions of people!”(8). The populous, Wiesel included, were confident that the Russian Army will come to liberate the Jews from Hitler. But they also questioned Hitler's motives, as it is impossible for one man to kill millions. Wiesel was wrong. As the days of imprisonment continued, the Russians not coming, it becomes increasingly clear the Hitlers vision was becoming reality. This view is portrayed in a conversation Wiesel had, stating, “Perhaps the Russians will arrive… We knew perfectly well they would not” (81). The decline in the faith in the good of humanity, and a renewed faith in its evil is shown when a prisoner says, “I have more faith in Hitler than anyone else. He alone has kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people” (81). Perhaps referring to the Russian Army, or that even of God, the idea of increased faith in Hitler, which is the increased faith in the evil of humanity, is insidious across the camp. Through living through such horrific conditions, it is not surprising that the faith in the good of humanity