The Berlin Memorial Activity made me realize that Jews were discriminated against and tortured long before the mass killings began. When I think about the Holocaust I think of Jews in concentration camps suffering and dying. But what I learned during the activity is that Jews had been suffering mentally and physically for years while the rest of the world watched silently. I learned that Nuremberg laws began with simple things like removing Jews from groups and activities but over the years went to things like not allowing Jews to buy meat, milk, and eggs. These hateful acts against the Jews made life harder and harder for them until they were killed. I had heard of The Nuremberg laws and The Nuremberg trials but hadn’t fully understood what they were and how they impacted World War II.
The Berlin Memorial was probably built to remind people of what happened there from 1933-1945. They don’t want people to forget the awful things that happened to Jews and make the same mistake again. If people forgot The Nuremberg Laws and how bad they made life for Jews people may not learn from history. This can apply to anything that happens. If it is forgotten it might happen again. The monument represents the troubles the Jewish people faced during these times and the people that put this torture onto them. The memorial is also a way to respect the Jewish people and tell them that what had been done to them will never be forgotten.
One thing I noticed was that based on the information we have from the activity the years 1938 and 1942 had the most laws passed. These groups of laws had things that linked them together. The year 1938 seemed to be the start of many of the main restrictions. Many of these laws prohibited Jews from entertainment, occupations, and freedom to go where they want. These laws seemed to be set to take away everything that let Jews live happy lives. By 1942 though they wanted to take away the things necessary for Jews to live. They also heightened the previous laws and took away their sense of freedom altogether. This was the point of no return for Jews where they could no longer flee.
The restriction that I would have the most trouble dealing with would be the restrictions prohibiting Jews from owning radios in 1939 and Jews not allowed to buy newspapers or magazines in 1942. These items were previously their only source of news and ability to know what is happening in the world around them. If I was a Jew during this time I would want most of all to know what was happening in the world around me. Without a way to know what was going on in the world you would never know who was your friend and who was your enemy. You wouldn’t know how close the war was to ending or what was going to happen next. In addition to this the radio, newspaper, and magazines would also be a form of entertainment since all other forms had already been taken away. Although there are dozens of other laws that I would have trouble with overcoming this one would probably be one of the most difficult.
