Birkenau: Elie's Prison

http://srebrenica-genocide.blogspot.com/2008/05/holocaust-remembrance-day.html

This is a picture from the death camp Birkenau, the camp that Elie stayed in as a young boy. This picture shows open air burnings of the bodies of countless Jewish prisoners who died in their struggle against Nazi oppression. This picture reminds of when Elie said he first entered the camp and their flames everywhere. He described the sight and smell of burning bodies and the horror that was unfolding around him. He described living in the presence of death himself.

Children Of The Holocaust

http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/holocaust.html

This picture is of a large group of children in one of the camps. These kids seem to be in a little bit better condition than other pictures I've seen, but you can definitly see the sadness and loss of inncocence among these children. There is no child like glimmer in there eyes, only thoughts of starvation and death. This picture reminds me of the part in the story where Elie is talking about how he became focused on just one thing and it was surviving from day to day. It would be so hard to be that young and no nothing of life besides how cruel it could be. This picture was actually taken at Auchwitz-Birkenau, the camp that Elie Wiezal stayed in.

Racial Hatred Of Jews

http://santitafarella.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/bearing-witness-to-the-holocaust-jews-in-budapest-lined-up-by-the-ss-october-1944/

The situation in this photograph is of Jews in the town of Budapest being lined up before being counted and then eventually put on the trains that would take them to the concentration camps. They would sometimes stand for hours on end having to go through roll call over and over again. I think it is a memorable photo because you hear about these things through books and news stories but to actually see them lined up being readied for there transport to certain doom is so surreal. It makes it more real.

I Have Returned

Well, I am back from winter break. Alot of things happened while I was gone, some were good, and some not so good. Heartbreak is no easy thing to deal with over the holidays, but I find that when one curls up with a book they can find comfort in its pages away from the troubles of the present. I read alot while we were gone. I was also distracted from my situation by the fact that I had to have my wisdom teeth pulled the week before new years. My Christmas went rather well. I got a few things that I had not expected but were pleasing to have gotten. I received a snuggie and a pillow pet. A dolphin pillow pet to be exact:) I named him phelix, pronounced like felix. I also got an ISU sweatshirt, which is the college I intend to study at. I was thankful to have gotten to spend time with my family. It was nice while it lasted, but I'm glad to be back at school and away from the pain of my distracting thoughts. I look forward to this weekend. I have an overnight at my church I'll be attending. Can't wait.