The Table By Ida Fink: Play Analysis
The Second World War began when Germany violated international law and invaded Poland in 1939. When the war began, huge amounts of human rights were violated by the major powers. “The Table,” by Ida Fink is a play that describes the recording of statements given by multiple witnesses on behalf of a war crime that occurred. The prosecutor in charge interviewed 4 people who were present during the crime and took note of their testimony. The interview seemed more like an interrogation, since the prosecutor wanted every detail from that day. Although a work of fiction, the tales of atrocity provided by the witnesses in the play represent the magnitude of brutality the Nazis implemented on civilians. Mass murders were a common act carried out by
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Civilians would be relocated from the ghettos, stripped from their possessions, sent to work, and hoped to survive. For example, “He thought we were going to labor camps, perhaps very strictly run labor camps, but surely they would not kill us” (Szpilman 993). Although hard labor sounds unpleasant, believing they would be kept alive by working was essential. Conditions were thought to be unbearable, but anything was better than being murdered by the Nazis. In addition, Szpilman describes the malnourishment the Jews faced in the ghetto when he states, “The Germans had turned off the water supply to the Umschlagplatz on purpose” (993). The leaders in charge did not care that the Jews were suffering and instead of helping them, they prolonged their suffering. Perhaps the Nazis wanted the weak to die out, while the strong survived to work until they as well perished. Furthermore, the speaker describes how crowded and dreadful the cattle cars were when he states, “People were standing in them pressed close to each other” (Szpilman 995). Even Though the people did not fit properly, they were still forced to stay in there while some were killed due to the lack of air. Similar to animals, they were sent to await death. Recalling war crimes from pure memory might have some
Civilians would be relocated from the ghettos, stripped from their possessions, sent to work, and hoped to survive. For example, “He thought we were going to labor camps, perhaps very strictly run labor camps, but surely they would not kill us” (Szpilman 993). Although hard labor sounds unpleasant, believing they would be kept alive by working was essential. Conditions were thought to be unbearable, but anything was better than being murdered by the Nazis. In addition, Szpilman describes the malnourishment the Jews faced in the ghetto when he states, “The Germans had turned off the water supply to the Umschlagplatz on purpose” (993). The leaders in charge did not care that the Jews were suffering and instead of helping them, they prolonged their suffering. Perhaps the Nazis wanted the weak to die out, while the strong survived to work until they as well perished. Furthermore, the speaker describes how crowded and dreadful the cattle cars were when he states, “People were standing in them pressed close to each other” (Szpilman 995). Even Though the people did not fit properly, they were still forced to stay in there while some were killed due to the lack of air. Similar to animals, they were sent to await death. Recalling war crimes from pure memory might have some