The Sonderkommandos (Hapoel Birkenau by ran sarig)

Vocabulary Insert the words bellow in the suitable rows next to their synonyms (or close matches).representative brigade confiscate personnel untangle valuables disposal exhume disturbing resistance smuggle depict revolt aftermath model typical representative faculty personnel staff uprising revolt rebellion brigade unit squad consequences outcome aftermath untangle detach separate from each other underground organization resistance opposition describe depict illustrate claim without justification take confiscate to export without authorization export secretly smuggle disturbing troubeling distressing possesions valuables belongings exhume dig out unbury removing clearing disposal Read the text and answer the questions.Taken from The Holocaust Memorial Museum Sonderkommandos in the Killing Centers[I] Although the situation differed among camps, the purpose and daily life of the Sonderkommandos were similar. The routine of the Sonderkommando of the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) killing center is a representative example of the larger phenomenon.[II] The Jews of this work brigade fulfilled many roles in the gas chamber complex, beginning with the arrival of victims. Sonderkommando Jews were present in the undressing area, instructing arriving victims to undress and how to arrange their clothing, which would later be confiscated by the SS.[III] After the gassing was carried out by camp personnel, men of the Sonderkommando entered the gas chamber, untangled bodies, and cleaned the, by then, ventilated room. An elevator then raised the bodies to the crematorium level. There, another group would shave the hair of the victims and search the bodies for hidden valuables, including gold teeth, which were removed and handed over to the SS. Finally, the Sonderkommando Jews would carry out the burning of bodies in the ovens and the disposal of the ashes.[IV] In camps like Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka, which lacked the more complex machinery of Auschwitz, Sonderkommando prisoners still fulfilled many of the same tasks. Further, to destroy the evidence of mass murder, Sonderkommando were forced to exhume the bodies from burial pits and burn them. The use of the Sonderkommando thus relieved SS personnel from the more disturbing tasks associated with mass murder.[V] Work in the Sonderkommando was physically exhausting and psychologically destructive. These prisoners were forbidden from warning the incoming victims of their fate and were forced to participate in the process of killing. The prisoners' days were numbered. Members of the Sonderkommando were routinely shot. Of all the prisoners in the camp, they knew the most about the Nazi "Final Solution" and could not be permitted to survive to testify. They were usually kept completely apart from the rest of the prisoners, either in the gas chamber complex itself or in separate barracks.Resistance[VI] The men forced to do the horrific work of the Sonderkommandos did not do so without resistance. Thanks to one commando worker, Greek prisoner Alberto Errara, four photos from Auschwitz documenting the Sonderkommando in action survived the war. These images, smuggled out by the Polish resistance, are some of the few photographs which are known to depict events near the gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau.[VII] Furthermore, Sonderkommandos participated in armed revolts. One example was at Auschwitz in October 1944. At Auschwitz, the Sonderkommando in all four main crematoria revolted. Crematorium IV was destroyed, and Sonderkommando members from Crematorium III managed to escape briefly. Some 250 prisoners died fighting and a further 200 were murdered in the revolt's aftermath. Three SS men were killed, while around ten were injured.Summary[Viii] The Sonderkommandos were forced to perform tasks of unimaginable horror and brutality. Usually, they were aware that they would be murdered after a few months of work. Those who made the difficult decision to resist or refuse to follow orders risked immediate death. They faced horrific circumstances and dilemmas that have been the subject of study by scholars and filmmakers. In what way do paragraphs II and III relate to paragraph I? They introduce it They describe its topic in detail They contrast it They conclude its topic Give ONE example from paragraphs II and III which you can also find in the story Hapoel Birkenau by Ran Sarig. Make sure to describe the specific incident you refer to or the words you quote. You should refer to both the text above and the story. Complete the sentence. Paragraph IV explains why Why were members of the Sonderkommando kept apart from the rest of the prisoners? What were the main acts of resistance according to paragraphs VI and VII?Choose the TWO correct answers. Destroying the evidence. Committing suicide. Documenting the horrors. Taking part in an armed rebellion. Smuggling the photos. Killing 250 SS men. Watch the video and reread paragraph VIII to answer the questions below. How did Dario Gabbai manage to deal with the job he was forced to do?Do you believe the writer of the above text would criticize him or sympathize with him? Justify your answer. Reflection and preparing for written presentation (You will not write the full essay here, only prepare for it) After reading the story, the informative text, and watching the video, what facts have had the most significant impact on you?If you had to choose to write about two characters in the story, who would you choose? Why? Please write your full name below. Thank you.