Work sets you free
“Arbeit Macht Frei”, words that translate to “work sets you free”, carved into signs above the entrances of both Auschwitz camps. This phrase was figuratively used by the Germans to try and trick the Jews into a hopeful mind-set where they would believe that if they worked hard enough they would set free. By implying this false hope they believed that the work ethic of the Jews would increase as they would feel they have something to work for. Regardless many Jews knew that to their despair, it was a false statement. A moderate percentage that had been captured knew the Germans would lie in their efforts to dispose of them. We could relate this to the Film “The Pianist” Directed by Roman Polanski. The film is based around …show more content…
Throughout the film Wladyslaw, located between different ghettos and work sites where the Jewish people were forced to partake in physical labour by German soldiers. During these scenes he partakes in multiple conversations where fellow Jews are aware of what is going on in their surroundings, knowing that the Germans intend on killing them and have no intentions on setting them free. In one scene Wladyslaw is being told a rumour where a man said “everyday freight trains carrying people from Warsaw branch off to Treblinka and return empty. No transports of food are ever seen on that line. The civilians are forbidden to approach the Treblinka station.” And then the man follows up by smirking stating “They’re exterminating us.” The connection we have with this movie is that those who knew the truth behind the slave and concentration camps knew just how sick and twisted the Nazis were. Considering how they couldn’t just leave it at slaughtering, beating and torturing the Jewish people, but they also had the audacity of lying to the faces of those they forced to work for them. Feeding them false hope that if they worked hard enough they would be set free. However without weaponry or any way to defend themselves the Jews were helplessly forced onto trains and
“Arbeit Macht Frei”, words that translate to “work sets you free”, carved into signs above the entrances of both Auschwitz camps. This phrase was figuratively used by the Germans to try and trick the Jews into a hopeful mind-set where they would believe that if they worked hard enough they would set free. By implying this false hope they believed that the work ethic of the Jews would increase as they would feel they have something to work for. Regardless many Jews knew that to their despair, it was a false statement. A moderate percentage that had been captured knew the Germans would lie in their efforts to dispose of them. We could relate this to the Film “The Pianist” Directed by Roman Polanski. The film is based around …show more content…
Throughout the film Wladyslaw, located between different ghettos and work sites where the Jewish people were forced to partake in physical labour by German soldiers. During these scenes he partakes in multiple conversations where fellow Jews are aware of what is going on in their surroundings, knowing that the Germans intend on killing them and have no intentions on setting them free. In one scene Wladyslaw is being told a rumour where a man said “everyday freight trains carrying people from Warsaw branch off to Treblinka and return empty. No transports of food are ever seen on that line. The civilians are forbidden to approach the Treblinka station.” And then the man follows up by smirking stating “They’re exterminating us.” The connection we have with this movie is that those who knew the truth behind the slave and concentration camps knew just how sick and twisted the Nazis were. Considering how they couldn’t just leave it at slaughtering, beating and torturing the Jewish people, but they also had the audacity of lying to the faces of those they forced to work for them. Feeding them false hope that if they worked hard enough they would be set free. However without weaponry or any way to defend themselves the Jews were helplessly forced onto trains and