Theresienstadt by Stella, Gr. 6 ELA The article “Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and the Children of Theresienstadt” tells the story of how a famous Jewish artist and teacher battled the brutalities of Theresienstadt with art. In 1942 Friedl Dicker-Brandeis was forced to leave her life behind and pack a small bag of her possessions to take with her to Theresienstadt. Most people packed clothing, valuables, photo albums and other necessities. Friedl was different, she packed a small amount clothes and stuffed the rest of her suitcase with art supplies. Her purpose was not only to have enough for herself, but to share and teach the hundreds of fearful children she expected to meet there. Friedl Dicker-Brandeis immensely affected the lives of the children at Theresienstadt. One way that Friedl Dicker-Brandeis affected the lives of the children at the concentration camp was, by giving them art the children’s minds were distracted from the horrors of captivity. When the children painted they could let their imaginations run wild and jump into a world of creation rather than their current world of destruction. The concentration camps traumatized the children, they were ripped from their homes, families, and were sent to live in overcrowded houses. With art the children were able to run away from harsh times and run towards happiness, imagination, and most of all, hope. When the children painted they could forget the cruelty, starvation, and beatings, and just be children. They desperately needed hope, and Friedl was ready to help. Another way that Friedl affected the lives of the children was by giving them a positive outlook on their rough situation. Painting gave them something to look forward to, it brought them joy. Friedl taught the children many different styles of art, such as painting, paper weaving, and watercolor. At the Theresienstadt all of the Jewish children wore the same clothes, ate the same food, slept in the same room, had the same day, and were called by a number. So, every time a child painted a picture Friedl told he or she to write his or her name, age, and date so that the children didn’t feel like objects or things. Writing their names gave them an identity and told them that they were just as human as any non-Jewish person. Friedl not only taught children art, but hope, imagination, happiness, and to never give up. Friedl Dicker-Brandeis immensely affected the lives of the children at Theresienstadt. Japanese Internment Camps Norman MIneta v.s. Hana Brady Norman Mineta’s experience as a prisoner at the Heart Mountain Internment Camp was very different than Hana Brady’s experience as a prisoner at Theresienstadt. One way that Norman Mineta’s experience at Heart Mountain was very different from Hana Brady’s experience at Theresienstadt was by the way that the prisoners were treated. During World War II Hana was sent to a concentration camp called Theresienstadt. Theresienstadt was a camp that had intentions to hurt and weaken the Jewish people, so the could be sent to death camps to be murdered. Norman was sent to an internment camp called Heart Mountain. Heart Mountain was made to contain, but not harm, Japanese-Americans during World War II. Before the war, Hana and her family lived in Nove Mesto, Hana and her brother George went to school, their mother and father owned a general store, and the Brady family lived perfectly happy lives. Until one day, soldiers came to take Hana’s mother away, and soon after, soldiers came for Hana’s father. Then the day came for the two siblings to be deported to Theresienstadt. Upon their arrival they were separated into two cabins, the girls and the boys. Hana lived at Theresienstadt feeling sad and very alone. She had no home, little food, and most importantly no family. Hana’s life at Theresienstadt was miserable. Hana faced many brutalities at Theresienstadt, she watched people being beaten, overworked, starved, and all around her people were dying every day. On May 29, 1942 Norman and his family were taken to Heart Mountain internment camp, when he and his family got there they all stayed together and lived in one apartment for the duration of the war. Norman was treated kindly, well fed, and could go to school. He and his family led fairly contented lives at Heart Mountain. Norman and Hana’s experiences were very different. Another way that Norman Mineta’s experience at Heart Mountain was very different from Hana Brady’s experience at Theresienstadt was by the amount of freedom they were allowed. At Theresienstadt Hana was not allowed an education, so in the attic of her sleeping quarters secret painting, drawing, and educational classes were held right under the Nazi’s noeses. The Nazi’s were very strict and rude towards the Jewish people, they would call them names, treat them less than human, and destroy the Jewish people’s lives. The concentration camps were always over crowded, in terrible condition, and if you were caught trying to escape, you would be shot or deported to a death camp. Hana had to stay locked up all day with no fresh air and crammed into a room filled with her roommates. Hana had almost no freedom at all. At Heart Mountain, Norman had far more freedom, he was allowed to go to school like normal, hang out with his friends, and was treated kindly by the soldiers. One time Norman went sledding with friend and they accidentally slid under the fence and was simply scolded by a soldier and brought back inside the camp. It was really just like any other community but surrounded by barbed wire. The Japanese-Americans could go about their lives not worrying if they were going to be killed the next day, if they would be separated from their families, or if they were going to starve. Norman had a lot more freedom than Hana did. Norman Mineta’s experience as a prisoner at the Heart Mountain Internment Camp was very different than Hana Brady’s experience as a prisoner at Theresienstadt.
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