A Study Of Jewish Women In Nazi Concentration Camps

This paper studies Jewish women’s experience in Nazi Concentration Camps during the WWII.Their daily life,their resistance activities and the uniqueness of their experience are the main contents.Because Jewish women have long been at the edge of the Holocaust study,it’s my wish that through the exploration of their experiences in this paper,the tragic experience of Jewish women in Concentration Camps,the brave,strong personality and the radiance of humanity reflected in the tribulations,make people more fully understand and know the influence of the Holocaust on the whole Jewish nation.In Concentration Camps,Jewish women were the most miserable of all prisoners.Because they were thought to “give birth to the next generation of evil”,both physically and spiritually,they were treated the worst.They faced more unjustifiable punishments or murders than others.In such cases,their behaviors,coping strategies and other representative activities which were different from those of males,were directly related to their survival.Their unique experiences deserve our study.The thesis is divided into six chapters:The first chapter is the introduction of this thesis,in which,firstly,I introduce the development of the study on Jewish women’s experience during the Holocaust both in China and abroad,secondly,I offer the method and the academic importance this thesis has.The second chapter analyzes the origin of Concentration Camps.They were initially used to imprison “dissidents”,and later began mass incarceration of Jews and other social evils.The Nazis premeditated the removal of Jews from social life,and enacted a series of decrees that deprived Jews of their citizenship.They were then driven to the Ghettos to limit their activities.For the purpose of exterminating Jews,they were sent to the camps.The third chapter focuses on the daily life of Jewish women in Concentration Camps.There are four main parts: first,they faced with poor living situations.They didn’t have enough food and clothing,their living conditions were poor,and they also suffered from rolling call,toilets,shaving and tattooing.Second,they must work beyond their ability.Third,they were subjected to the lethal punishment of Nazis.Fourth,they could help each other and got help from strangers.The mutual aid and support of Jewish women in camps was an important force in their survival.The fourth chapter introduces the resistance of Jewish women in Concentration Camps.Direct resistance to Nazis was hard to succeed,and the participants were all put to death.Their resistances were mainly indirectly,mainly by maintaining identity,following tradition and entertaining activities to destroy Nazis’ attempt to destroy them spiritually.The fifth chapter explores the uniqueness of Jewish women’s experience.Compared with men,on the one hand,women had a greater chance of survival,and they could better deal with the risk.On the other hand,the experience of camps gave them more physical and mental abuse.The sexual assault and killing their children by hand became their painful memories.The sixth chapter is the conclusion.Through the study,we can see that Jewish women’ s experiences were different from men because of their collective wisdom and survival strategies.Therefore,the experience of Jewish men can not represent women,and Jewish women should have a place in the whole experience of the Holocaust.Although the camps have been liberated for a long time,its physical and psychological trauma to Jewish women will not be eliminated.Many women are still struggling to get out of the shadows,while others struggle with painful memories.Both victims and perpetrators should face up to history,activities,such as racism and denial of history,are not undesirable.