One Survivor Remembers Images #4, #5 and #6: Twenty Pounds

20 pounds...

A Writing Assignment

A photo, taken circa 1937, of Gerda's father, Julius Weissmann, which Gerda kept in her ski boot during her years in Nazi slave-labor camps.  Remember, Julius helped save Gerda's life by insisting that she wear her ski boots when the Nazis took her away.  She had boots on the forced death march while others were barefoot or wearing sandals in the snow.  

A photo, taken circa 1939, of Gerda's mother, Helene Weissmann, which Gerda kept in her  ski boot during her years in Nazi slave-labor camps.

A photo, taken circa 1937, of Gerda's brother, Artur Weissmann, which Gerda kept in her boot with the other photos.  Artur was the first in Gerda's immediate family to be taken away by the Nazis.  Sixty-seven of Gerda's relatives, including her mother, father, and brother, died in the Holocaust.  Only Gerda and her Uncle Leo, who had moved to Turkey, survived.  

In the film, One Survivor Remembers, Gerda Weissmann recalls being told her family had to leave their home with no more than 20 pounds of belongings, a plight shared by many Jews.

Imagine you are forced to leave your home.  You are allowed only 20 pounds of your most precious possessions.  What would you take?  What would you be forced to leave behind?  How would this make you feel?  On what would you base your choices?  Would monetary value (how much something cost) mean less or more than emotional/personal value?  Why? 

If you'd like, you may write your short response in the comment section.  If this assignment is too personal for you to publish on the blog, feel free to word process your "20 pounds" response and either attach it in an email, or print it and hand it in tomorrow morning. 

*Lesson plan courtesy of Teaching Tolerance, One Survivor Remembers teacher's guide, pg 21.