Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre



Pigeon Classroom Workshop

For grades 6-12

Docent Script

Fall/Winter School Program 2017/18

IMPORTANT: Lessons at elementary schools are typically 45 minutes long. Lesson units in secondary schools vary from school to school. They may be as short as 50 or 60 minutes, or as long as 80 minutes. If you facilitate at secondary schools, prepare your workshop for 60 minutes; however, keep in mind that you may have less time. Flexibility is required. Please do not exceed 60 minutes!

You will be informed about the exact duration of the lesson unit once you receive the final booking information from the VHEC.

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW SECTIONS

|Classroom Workshop |Section |Time (45 min) |Time (60 min) |

| | |(Elementary) |(Secondary) |

|Pigeon film and discussion |1 General introduction and basics about the Holocaust|3-5 min |5-10 min |

| |2 Introduction to Pigeon film |1 min |1 min |

| |3 Screen film - Pigeon |11 min |11 min |

| |4 Discussion |10 min |15 min |

| |5 Re-screen film |11 min |11 min |

| |6 Further discussion and conclusion |5-10 min |15-20 min |

1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND BASICS ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST

(Elementary: 3-5 min) (Secondary: 5-10 min)

Welcome, my name is _________and I am a docent at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (VHEC). Optional: Share why you became a docent.

Who of you has been to the VHEC? Do you know what the VHEC is?

The VHEC was founded by survivors of the Holocaust. It is a teaching museum devoted to Holocaust based anti-racism education. Since the Centre is currently undergoing renovations, it is closed to schools and the public. This is why I came to your class to facilitate a workshop on the Holocaust. Before we start with the workshop, I would like to take a few minutes to go over with you some foundational information about the Holocaust.

Basics about the Holocaust

- What is the Holocaust? The systematic (step-by-step) and state-sponsored persecution and annihilation (wiping out entirely) of European Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators.

- When did it happen? Start point: 1933, when Adolf Hitler came to power; end point: 1945, when the Allied forces (including Canada) liberated concentration camps and the German and Axis occupation of Europe collapsed.

- How many victims were there? Six millions Jews, 2/3 of European Jews, including 1.5 million Jewish children.

- What about non-Jewish victims? Some 5 million, including the Sinti & Roma, Jehovah’s witnesses, homosexuals, political opponents, the disabled, Soviet POWs and other people deemed “undesirables” by the Nazis.

- What were the stages of the Holocaust?

April 1933: Boycott of Jewish shops and businesses by the Nazis.

1935: The Nuremberg Laws defined Jews racially and denied Jews citizenship and protection under the law.

November 1938: On the night of November 9-10 1938 – called Kristallnacht, the “Night of Broken Glass” – Jewish homes, synagogues and institutions throughout Germany and Austria were attacked, approximately 90 Jews were murdered and 30,0000 Jewish men were arrested. Most were imprisoned in Dachau, Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen and other concentration camps. Hundreds of thousands desperately sought refuge outside of Germany.

1939: Creation of Jewish Ghettos in many cities across Europe. These ghettos were located in the poorest areas of the city and were often enclosed by walls or barbed wire fences. The inhabitants were forced to live in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions, and were subjected to violence, illness and starvation.

June 1941: Nazi invasion of the USSR. Beginning of the Final Solution. Over one million Jews were killed by killing squads (Einsatzgruppen) through mass shootings.

From 1941-1944, Jews were transported to six death camps in Nazi occupied Poland. Nearly half of the 6 million victims were murdered there.

2 INTRODUCTION TO PIGEON FILM

(Elementary: 1 min) (Secondary: 1 min)

We are now going to watch a short film that takes place in Nazi occupied France and which focuses on the theme of decision-making during the Holocaust. The film was made by a Canadian filmmaker, Anthony Green, at the age of 21, while he was a student at New York University.

Keep in mind that this is a “film” and not a “movie”. During a movie you can often relax and sit back, and passively watch the events unfold. Watching a film is different; it requires you to engage. This particularly applies to what we are about to watch. Because it is only 11 minutes long, every moment is critical.

3 SCREENING OF FILM (11 min)

4 CLASS DISCUSSION

(Elementary 10 min) (Secondary 15 min)

IMPORANT: You can choose how many questions you want to ask and in what order you want to ask them.

General Impressions

• Let us start by speaking about your general impressions. How did the film make you feel and why?

General Narrative

Together, let us unpack the general narrative:

• When do you think the story takes place? What clues in the film support this conclusion? What do you know about this period of time?

The film is set in France during 1941. Historical context: In 1939, there were approximately 300,000 Jews in France. Shortly after the Second World War began, the Nazis invaded France and quickly defeated the French military. Following their military defeat, some French citizens chose to leave France and continue to fight against the Nazis. However, the majority of French people chose to side with the government that decided to negotiate with the Nazis. They hoped that by choosing to negotiate they could secure a lenient peace. The peace treaty divided France into two different zones: the Occupied Zone in the north under Nazi occupation and the Free Zone in the south administered from the city of Vichy by the French government, headed by Marshal Pétain.

• What do you think is the main character's story?

[Answers may vary]

• Why do you think the main character is leaving northern France?

• Why do you think he is travelling to Grenoble alone? Why do you think he has only one suitcase?

• Why would he buy a one-way ticket?

In the film, the main character is trying to leave Remies, a city in the Nazi occupied zone, to go to Grenoble, a city in the Free Zone. Though the situation for Jews in the Free Zone was better than in Nazi occupied France, escaping to the Free Zone did not guarantee safety. The Vichy government of the Free Zone was deeply antisemitic. Over time, the government imposed many harsh laws aimed at isolating and dehumanizing the Jews and eventually turned many of them over to the Nazis to be killed. Of the approximately 300,000 Jews in France before the war, approximately 77,000 Jews (25%) were murdered during the Holocaust.

• What clues does the filmmaker include to show that the main character is leaving illegally?

Life in Nazi occupied Europe was heavily regulated. Special identification papers were needed to travel from place to place. Jews had their papers stamped with bright red ink and were prohibited from moving freely throughout the country. The man in the film needed false identification papers to leave Remies for Grenoble.

• How does he show his apprehension?

For example, he checks the time frequently, moves awkwardly, and has trouble putting his bag away.

• What clues about the characters can we glean from their demeanour, mannerisms, and dress?

For instance, the man has a gold pocket-watch, which suggests he is (or was) well off; the woman is well dressed and literate. The man is presented as a good person who feeds and protects a helpless pigeon.

Actions by the Protagonists

Now let us reflect on the actions in the film:

Man helping pigeon:

• Why do you think the man helped the pigeon?

• Do you think it was dangerous for the man to make a commotion with the boys and the pigeon on the day of his escape? Why do you think he did not just ignore them?

Woman helping man:

• Why do you think the woman helped the man?

• What do you think motivated her?

• How much time did she have to make her decision to assist the stranger?

• What were the potential consequences of her decision?

Students’ responses may vary. Attempt to draw out the most complete answer possible when given a vague answer.

Nazi Guards:

• Why do you think the guards believed the woman?

• What did the guard mean when he said "I can see you're the one who wears the pants in the family"? [Possibly explanation needed for younger students]

Interaction between the man and the woman:

• Why do you think the man and the woman remained silent after the guards left?

• Can you describe any kind of non-verbal interaction between the man and the woman after the guards left?

Rescue during the Holocaust

Let us talk about rescue during the Holocaust:

• Can you guess how many people rescued Jews in Europe during the Holocaust?

Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, has honoured over 26,000 individuals as “Righteous Among the Nations” – non-Jews who risked their lives to help Jews during the Holocaust. Though we don’t have exact numbers, it is estimated that only one half of one percent of the total population of Europe chose to help Jews. The “Righteous Among the Nations” comprises people from diverse backgrounds from 44 countries.

• Who do you think these rescuers are/were?

There are Christians from all denominations, as well as Muslims and atheists. They come from all walks of life: highly educated people as well as illiterate peasants; public figures as well as people from society's margins; city dwellers and farmers from the remotest corners of Europe. In many cases, rescuers acted on their own. Others were part of organized efforts, such as a group of inhabitants of Le Chambon-Sur-Lignon, a town in southern France, who protected some 3,000-5,000 Jews from the Nazis between 1941 and 1944. The rescue activities were initiated and led by the town's pastor, Andre Trocme, and his wife Magda.

• In the film, the woman helps the Jewish man even though he is a stranger to her. Thanks to her help, the man escaped the Nazi occupied territory to a less dangerous area. This is one example of an act of rescue during the Holocaust. Can you think of other forms of rescue during the Holocaust?

Some rescuers were hiding Jews in their homes or on their properties, providing food and other necessities to the Jews while they were in hiding. Others, among them high-ranking diplomats, obtained false papers and false identities for those they saved. Some rescuers saved children after their parents had been taken to concentration camps or had been killed.

• Why do you think that, relatively speaking, there were only a few rescuers during the Holocaust?

The price that rescuers had to pay for their actions differed from one country to another. In Eastern Europe, the Nazis executed not only the people who sheltered Jews, but their entire families as well. Notices warning the population against helping the Jews were posted everywhere. Generally speaking, punishment was less severe in Western Europe, although there too the consequences could be formidable and some of the “Righteous Among the Nations” were incarcerated in camps and killed. Moreover, seeing the brutal treatment of the Jews and the determination on the part of the perpetrators to hunt down every single Jew, people must have feared that they would suffer greatly if they attempted to help the persecuted. Rescuers and rescued thus lived under constant fear of being caught; there was always the danger of denunciation by neighbours or collaborators.

• What questions are you left with after viewing the film?

Let’s see if some of your questions will be answered after the second screening of the film.

5 RE-SCREENING OF FILM (11min)

Let us watch the film a second time, to see if you pick up on any other details, or if your impressions about the woman’s and man's actions and their significance change.

Be aware of symbols in the film. Often writers and filmmakers will use different things - animals, people, places, and objects – to stand for something else, usually a larger theme or truth. Keep this in mind as you watch this film.

6 FURTHER DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

(Elementary: 5-10 min) (Secondary: 15-20 min)

General Impressions after Second Screening

• What did you notice the second time that you might have missed during the first viewing?

• Did your impressions or responses to any of the questions we discussed change after the second viewing?

• Why do you think the filmmaker made this film? What do you think he wants people to take away from it?

Facing Instant Moral Decision-Making

• In the film, the woman suddenly faces a moment of moral decision-making – to help or not to help - and responds by helping the man. Do you think she was aware of the potential consequences when she made the instant decision to help?

Often, bystanders, such as the woman in the film, were faced with the need to make an instant decision. This was usually an instinctive human gesture, made on the spur of the moment, and only then followed by moral reflections. Sometimes, it was a gradual process in which rescuers became increasingly involved in helping the persecuted Jews. Agreeing to hide someone during a raid or roundup – to provide shelter for a day or two until something else could be found – would evolve into a rescue that lasted months or years.

• What are some examples of instant moral decision making that you have faced or may have to face in your own lives?

A Stranger Among You

Jews had been the subject of prejudice and persecution for nearly 2,000 years prior to the Holocaust. Having been outsiders for centuries, Jews often were the minority. From the third century until the 19th century, antisemitism was religious in nature. Jews were charged with the crime of deicide, the murder of God. In the 19th century, antisemitism became racial. Jews were seen as an alien and inferior race. The Holocaust is a telling example of how dislike and fear of strangers – xenophobia – can turn into violence and murder.

• Have you ever experienced the unexpected kindness of a stranger?

• Have you helped someone with no expectation of reward? What went into your decision to help?

• Have you ever been a stranger yourself? How were you treated? How did it feel?

• What insights can we take away from this film about the possibilities and challenges of standing up to injustice?

From Bystander to Rescuer

• If the woman decided not to help she would have been a bystander, someone who is present at an event or incident but does not take part. However, her instant decision to help makes her a rescuer.

• What makes someone a bystander? What makes someone a rescuer?

Studies about rescuers during the Holocaust have shown that most rescuers did not see Jews as Jews but simply saw human beings in need. They did not consider whether they should involve themselves and often decided on impulse. Had they carefully considered the risks, they might have remained bystanders. Many rescuers did not believe that they had done anything remarkable.

It is important to note that the categories of bystanders and rescuers are not always clearly applicable when looking at examples during the Holocaust. Most rescuers started off as bystanders. In many cases this happened when they were confronted with the deportation or the killing of the Jews. Some had stood by in the early stages of persecution, when the rights of Jews were restricted and their property confiscated, but there was a point when they decided to act.

Symbols in the Film

• Can you name a few symbols in the film and what to you think they stand for?

Pigeon: Symbol for death of millions during the Holocaust, a soul, an offering to God, or the covenant between the Jewish people and God (since a pigeon plays a central role in one of the biblical rituals by which Abraham seals the covenant [Gen. 15.9-13])

Train: Symbol for escape, survival, freedom, or systematic destruction of European Jewry

Boys: Symbol for French collaboration with the Germans

The Man’s Wedding Ring: Symbol of those who were left behind

Newspaper: Symbol for the rest of the world that watches

• What does the fact that the protagonists are nameless mean for the film?

The man represents all Jews, the woman represents rescuers in general, the Nazi Guards represent perpetrators.

• The filmmaker has said that in earlier versions of the script, the bird was actually a dove instead of a pigeon. What does a dove represent?

A dove represents love, peace and hope. In Judaism, the qualities that a dove possesses are often associated with the Jewish people. The dove dying at the end of the film would have been symbolic for the death of six million Jews during the Holocaust and for the end of peace and beginning of the war.

• What is different between a dove and a pigeon? Why do you think the filmmaker chose a pigeon over a dove?

Despite the potential symbolic resonance of using a dove, the filmmaker chose, instead, to have the man save a pigeon. The filmmaker explains that he did so as part of establishing why, after the woman witnessed the man save the bird from the two boys, she might have risked her own life to save him. Pigeons are commonly known as not being as beautiful or noble as doves. Some people consider them ugly and sometimes they are called the “rats of the sky”. The filmmaker stated that not a lot of people care for pigeons. Thus, to get in front of a slingshot for the sake of a pigeon is described by the filmmaker as “an unspoken kind of kindness”. This kind act increases the motivation of the woman to help the man.

• The filmmaker has said that in earlier drafts of the film, the bird was supposed to fly away at the end. How would that ending have changed the meaning of the film?

It could have symbolised the freedom that some Jews regained after having been rescued. It also could have represented the soul of all the Jews that lost their lives during the Holocaust.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download