Holocaust Literature : Our Hope for Understanding / Barbara C. Ganz.

Until recently the Holocaust was largely ignored in history books and literature, leaving most students without even the basic knowledge of an event that can and should have meaning for them. Nothing can really "explain" it, but literature, because it is concerned with feelings and conveys emotions, can move young people to an empathetic awareness of the subject. Through literature, students can gain both an understanding of those nearly incomprehensible events that took place between 1933 and 1945 and a sensitivity to the plight of the victims. Recently a large number of adult books about the Holocaust have appeared and this interest is now being reflected in books for children and teenagers. Although teaching students about the Holocaust can be a formidable task, possible instructional strategies include focusing on: (1) individuals, so students can meet the people who went through this experience; (2) racism and prejudice, so students can consider the origins of racism and why people dislike other people; (3) obedience to authority, so students can examine why certain people are willing to accept questionable orders without protest; and (4) the complexity of the Nazi organization, so students realize that the Holocaust was not the product of a single will. Selected bibliographies of Holocaust literature, by grade level, and a resource list are appended. (RBW)

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