OPRAH & ELIE WIESEL "Return to Auschwitz"

Summary

In this poignant video, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel returns to Auschwitz, reflecting on his haunting memories of the camp. Walking through the grounds, he discusses the immense loss of life and the silent cries of those who perished. Wiesel speaks softly, emphasizing the invisible presence of souls still lingering in the vast cemetery of the camp. He recalls the vastness of the place in 1944, the lights, the guards, and the chilling realization of the horrors unfolding. His words evoke a deep sense of loss and reverence for the millions who vanished into history.

Takeaways

• 😀 Elie Wiesel reflects on returning to Auschwitz, a place of profound memory and silence.
• 😀 The vastness of Auschwitz is overwhelming, symbolizing the immense loss of life during the Holocaust.
• 😀 Wiesel describes trying to reconnect with the silence he experienced in 1944, emphasizing the difficulty of revisiting these memories.
• 😀 He contemplates the immensity of human suffering, imagining entire cities of people simply disappearing.
• 😀 The idea of invisibility and inaudibility emerges—Wiesel seeks to see and hear the lost souls of the victims.
• 😀 Wiesel believes the ground at Auschwitz carries its own energy, the voices of the dead still lingering in the air.
• 😀 He affirms that the cemetery at Auschwitz is not just physical but resides in the hearts of those who remember.
• 😀 The vastness of Auschwitz was designed to accommodate millions of people, intensifying its impact and the scale of the tragedy.
• 😀 The first impression of Auschwitz was an overwhelming sense of night and fear, with lights, dogs, and machine guns everywhere.
• 😀 Wiesel acknowledges that, at the time, the victims did not understand what was happening or the horrors that lay ahead.

Q & A

What is the significance of Elie Wiesel's return to Auschwitz in this conversation?

Elie Wiesel's return to Auschwitz serves as a deeply personal and emotional reflection on his traumatic experiences during the Holocaust. It highlights his struggle to process the immense loss and suffering he witnessed, as well as his need to connect with the past and the memories of those who perished.

Why does the professor speak softly during the walk through Auschwitz?

The professor speaks softly to allow for the silence of Auschwitz to be present. This silence is symbolic of the gravity of the place and the atrocities that took place there, helping create a reflective and somber atmosphere.

How does Elie Wiesel describe his experience when he first arrived at Auschwitz in 1944?

Elie Wiesel describes his first impression of Auschwitz as overwhelming, marked by the immense scale of the camp. He recalls the lights, projectors, German Shepherds, and machine guns, but emphasizes that they had no understanding of the horror they were about to face.

What does Elie Wiesel mean when he says 'how many of us did not live and simply vanished'?

Wiesel reflects on the magnitude of loss during the Holocaust. He questions how many people—among millions—died and vanished without a trace, highlighting the incomprehensible scale of the genocide and the lives that were erased.

What does Elie Wiesel try to see and hear when he returns to Auschwitz?

Wiesel mentions that when he returns to Auschwitz, he tries to see the invisible and hear the inaudible. This refers to his attempt to connect with the memories of those who perished, as well as the emotional and spiritual presence of the dead that still lingers at the site.

Does Elie Wiesel believe the ground at Auschwitz holds any special significance?

Yes, Wiesel believes that the ground at Auschwitz carries its own energy, and that it holds the voices and souls of the dead. He considers it to be the largest cemetery in recorded history, a place where the dead continue to 'speak' in a spiritual sense.

Why does Elie Wiesel refer to Auschwitz as 'the largest cemetery in recorded history'?

Wiesel calls Auschwitz 'the largest cemetery in recorded history' because of the staggering number of lives lost there. The phrase emphasizes the enormity of the tragedy and the sheer scale of the genocide that took place at the camp.

What does Elie Wiesel mean when he says 'the cemetery is in our heart'?

Wiesel suggests that the emotional and spiritual weight of the Holocaust, particularly the loss of so many lives, is something that remains within us. The memory of those who perished continues to live on in the hearts of survivors and in the collective memory of humanity.

What is the significance of the 'vastness' of Auschwitz in the conversation?

The 'vastness' of Auschwitz is symbolic of the immense scale of suffering and death that occurred there. It also represents the overwhelming reality that the survivors, like Wiesel, faced in trying to comprehend the horrors of the camp and the sheer number of people who perished.

How does Elie Wiesel describe the emotional impact of revisiting Auschwitz?

Wiesel expresses that returning to Auschwitz is difficult and emotionally overwhelming. He mentions that he tries to remain silent for days, allowing the memories and the emotional weight of the place to wash over him. It is a process of confronting and reconnecting with the trauma of the past.