Judenrat Flaws
David Nguyen
9/11/2011
World History
The Judenrat’s Mistake
During the holocaust, Jews were losing their jobs, rights, and property. In 1933, the Nazi leaders began assigning Jews to handle situations to help the jews in the Ghettos, these Jews were known as the Judenrat. The Judenrate weren’t Jewish volunteers, they were assigned and given tasks to perform: “Composed of 24 male jews … prescribed as 1) executing German orders, 2) taking an improvised census of the Jew in their area, 3) executing the Jew from rural to urban locations, 4) furnishing adequate maintenance for the evacuees en route to the cities, 5) providing quarters for the evacuees in the cities ghetto.” (Bernard 27). In many cases, the Judenrat were responsible for distributing food, water, and resources. Some Jewish council joined the Jews to resist the Nazis, such as the Vilna ghetto, where Jews insult and refuse the Ghetto police. The Nazis eventually kill the Jews one way or the other. The Judenrate’s purpose was to help the Jews endure the holocaust conditions, but ultimately the Judenrate leads the Jews to death. The Judenrat councilmen believe that being in the Judenrat was the worst possible position during the time. The Judenrat were responsible to organize which Jew to be deported to the death camp; but before Jews were sent to death camps: “ …heir of all Jewish property in the wasteland. Even cash and valuables that were confiscated from victims already in the chemo death camp were sent to the Gettoverwaltung.”(Bernard 316). The Judenrat knew that what they’re doing is wrong and decide to revolt against it, but the Nazi’s control of the Judenrate is more superior to their free will. The Judenrat believe that their job is a two-edged sword: “ the theme of the Judenrat has a double dimension: on the one hand, it represents that real history of the Jewish individual responsible for the survival of a community faced with destruction and thereby participating against
9/11/2011
World History
The Judenrat’s Mistake
During the holocaust, Jews were losing their jobs, rights, and property. In 1933, the Nazi leaders began assigning Jews to handle situations to help the jews in the Ghettos, these Jews were known as the Judenrat. The Judenrate weren’t Jewish volunteers, they were assigned and given tasks to perform: “Composed of 24 male jews … prescribed as 1) executing German orders, 2) taking an improvised census of the Jew in their area, 3) executing the Jew from rural to urban locations, 4) furnishing adequate maintenance for the evacuees en route to the cities, 5) providing quarters for the evacuees in the cities ghetto.” (Bernard 27). In many cases, the Judenrat were responsible for distributing food, water, and resources. Some Jewish council joined the Jews to resist the Nazis, such as the Vilna ghetto, where Jews insult and refuse the Ghetto police. The Nazis eventually kill the Jews one way or the other. The Judenrate’s purpose was to help the Jews endure the holocaust conditions, but ultimately the Judenrate leads the Jews to death. The Judenrat councilmen believe that being in the Judenrat was the worst possible position during the time. The Judenrat were responsible to organize which Jew to be deported to the death camp; but before Jews were sent to death camps: “ …heir of all Jewish property in the wasteland. Even cash and valuables that were confiscated from victims already in the chemo death camp were sent to the Gettoverwaltung.”(Bernard 316). The Judenrat knew that what they’re doing is wrong and decide to revolt against it, but the Nazi’s control of the Judenrate is more superior to their free will. The Judenrat believe that their job is a two-edged sword: “ the theme of the Judenrat has a double dimension: on the one hand, it represents that real history of the Jewish individual responsible for the survival of a community faced with destruction and thereby participating against