What is the structure of the essay? Explain.
How was Denmark different than most other European nations in their treatment of Jews.
What happened to the Germans involved in Denmark?
How is this a persuasive essay?
What is he trying to persuade people to do?
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The essay started off with the Jewish question and how some countries folded in to the German ways. The next section had stories about the Germans and the countries that had Jews in them. The next section had stories about how the people of Denmark helped out the Jews and did not succumb to the pressures put on by the Germans. The Germans were not successful in trying to get jews from Denmark. The people of Denmark played a major role in keeping the Jews out of major harm and hiding and getting some of them were smuggled to Sweden and other places. Denmark kept to their ideals and did not do everything that the Germans wanted them to do. This essay shows that not everyone gave in to the Germans and that the people of Denmark were a great help to the Jews. I am honestly not that sure how this is a persuasive essay but it gave me a new view on the whole Jewish question and the way Germany tried to deal with it. I believe Hannah Arendt is trying to get people to not give in to certain things in life because you are pressured but to do what you think is best. Also he gave some people new information about Denmark and the Jews that not all people, like me, knew about.
ReplyDeleteThis piece started out talking about the countries that were tring to evacuate the Jewish people out of thier country. Next was the stories of countries that evacuated jews or of countries that helped or tried to help with the saving of the Jews. And the last part was the government itself and how it worked to do such horrible things and how people listened to the government. Denmark differed from most other countries in the fact that they did not always conform to the Germans and do what they were told to do they stood up for themselves. They also helped many jews exscape from German prosecution by hidding them, sending them to Sweeden, and also by standing up to the Germans and sayingThat the Jews were protected by the Denmark law. Germans were not so much involved in what went on in Denmark. I Believe he is trying to get his readers to fight for what they think is right instead of conforming to the norm and the powers that seem better or stronger than you.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure about the structure totally. I usually like pieces about the haulacaust but this piece did not intrest me one bit,I was actuallly bored with it and couln't wait for it to end. To many names and countries in this essay made it boring and i think it needed more description in it.Denmark was different because at first there was no mention or worry about Nazi or Facist people but then things suddenly changed and the jews world was changed forever.I am not sure what he is trying to persuade the reader to do but I would like to find out. I really do want to learn what other people have to say tommorrow in class, it should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteI liked the style of this piece, it was very grounded in fact, whereas some of the other pieces were more made up of personal experiences. Neither is more viable necessarily, but i particularly enjoy this style. I also liked the use of terms in other languages, such as "sui generis" and "pour de debrouiller." I appreciated his simplistic explanation when it came to the specifics of how the government of Denmark protected the Jews from the Nazis, and I think that the author is trying to say that not all Nazis were horrible monsters, although a lot of them were. I liked the point of view that this essay discussed, it is one that ought to be taught more in history class.
ReplyDeleteThe structure went from general to specific as the piece went on. At first it describes the countries and how they were related to Germany and the Jews but by the end of the piece it focuses on a specific individual. It goes from countries, to the people of those countries, a certain group of those people, to eventually one person. Denmark was one of the few countries that didn't go along with the "Final Solution" and was the only country to openly stand up to Germany and say that they weren't going to cooperate. What I found interesting is that the Germans who were stationed in Denmark began to be less hostile to Jews. They began to lose faith in their own system. I'm really not sure how this is persuasive but I think that its trying to persuade people to believe in the power of nonviolent solutions and that just standing up to something can achieve your goals. This essay shows that Denmark was able to say no to one of the greatest military machines of the time and yet they weren't completely wiped off the face of the earth. I think that that definately says something about the power of nonviolent protest.
ReplyDeleteThis piece was really rather interesting. The whole piece seemed to have this proud and matter-of-fact air to it. The conclusion was especially interesting because as the piece goes it gets less about the facts and more of the author's opinions and feelings seep into the piece. The Structure of the essay goes from the general resistance, to the Danes resistance to the insubordination of the Nazis in Denmark. Denmark didn't just pity the Jews, the King himself did what he could to defend them and save them from the Nazi cruelty. They did what they could to save the Jews intirely, not just keep them alive. The Nazis involved in Denmark became affected by the devotion to resistance that the Danes exhibited and soon became rebellious as well. They caught on to what the Danes already knew. This was wrong. It's like their ideas rubbed off on them, like no matter how warm you are when you go in, if you sit in a freezer you get cold.
ReplyDeleteI felt that this piece started out a bit dull, but it picked up after I got about halfway through it. Part of this could have been due to the fact that I fell asleep in my first attempt to read it, but I think that a lot of it has to do with the structure of the essay.
ReplyDeleteThe essay opens with a description of different countries' involvement with Germany and the Nazi movement, along with their standpoint on the issue with the Jews. Later on, the piece moves on to Denmark specifically and talks about their resistance to the Nazi movement and the actions they took to protect the Jews that were living in their country. This set Denmark apart from the other European nations, as they were the only ones who refused to cooperate with Germany to exterminate the Jews. Not only did they not cooperate, but the Danes did everything they could to work against the Nazi's cause.
As for the Germans who were involved in Denmark, they eventually converted their ways and decided that they weren't going to do what they were told anymore and refused to follow through with their orders.
This is a persuasive essay because the author is trying to persuade people to do the right thing, even when there could be severe consequences. When the people of Denmark stood up for the Jews against the Nazis, they were putting a lot at risk because Germany was a world superpower at the time and could have easily wiped them out if they felt the need.
I think that its interesting that Jon said that not all Nazis are horrible monsters. I didn't get that as the point but I can see how Jon interpreted it. There could just be so many points in this that I didn't catch that one. I don't think that anyone said how this is a persuasive essay. They say what it is trying to persuade but not how. I think that Emma had the beginning of how this was a persuasive essay in that she said it was a proud and matter-of-fact tone. I think that maybe that is what drives this essay to be persuasive instead of a report.
ReplyDeleteI didnt like this piece very much. It bored me and I had trouble reading it. I agree with Josh that the structure goes from general to specific. Denmark was different than most Europeans in the treatment of jews because they protected the jews more and didnt conform to the Germans and what they wanted to do. They were openly against it. They also helped to hide some jews and save them from the Germans. The Germans that were involved in Denmark changed their ways and went against them. This is a persuasive essay because he is trying to tell readers to do what you think is right even if it is not what others around you are doing.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this piece was very interesting to read since I don't believe many people are aware of this situation in WWII history. I found the essay insightful and amazing despite its complexity and style...
ReplyDeleteThe essay was split into seven long sections. It began with the Nazis finding Denmark and other Scandanavian countries "troublesome" since they would not easily comply with their policies. It moved forward describing the situations where other countries would cave to the Nazis while Denmark remained a strong, VOCAL opposition to Germany. For example, the country argued for its Jewish citizens all along the way, claiming the refugees that had escaped to the country for asylum as untouchable since they were stateless. It eventually ended with the Nuremburg Trials where Werner Best described his "double role" in Denmark...
Denmark was different in their treatment of the Jews because the government didn't just hand them over to the Nazis to appease Germany and save the country. On the contrary, Danish citizens helped notify the Jews of when the Nazis would be coming to apprehend them so they had time to go into hiding. It also welcomed foreign Jews into the country as a place of asylum.
Besides this unusual behavior for a country at this time in Europe, Denmark also reversed the feelings of many German soldiers. When Nazis traveled to Denmark on orders they were met with open resistence and this ultimately changed their minds and they "no longer looked upon the extermination of a whole people as a matter of course." I have never heard another account of this happening in my life...
The is author is persuasive through her extensive information. She argues for the side of "going against the grain" by showing the success of Denmark's standing up to the "bully" which was Nazi Germany. She was persuading not only countries but people to stand up for what is right and not to appease evildoers because, despite the odds, good will ultimately prevail. It's a very inspiring message and shows that mini successes can eventually lead to a greater one.
The struture of the piece is somewhat chronologically based. It uses specific dates which in my opinion is useful but distracts from an intermeaning. Denmark was different in their action of Jews from many other european countries because they didn't just tolerate their presence they actually invested a lot of time and money in the effort to protect and mobilize Jews to pretect them from the Nazis and other groups who wished the Jews harm. The Germans inhabiting Denmark were somewhat maniulpated by using the system to its full potential. The essay shows the Nazis did not have complete control of europe per say, Denmark was able to function during the War with in reason. Denmark was a country that under it circumstances withstood.
ReplyDeleteDenmark really wanted to help the Jews, at a time when they were in serious danger. They ended up shipping them to Sweden, where they wouldn't have to stay in hiding.
ReplyDeleteThe Germans involved in Denmark were met with native resistance, very openly.
This is a pursuasive essay in that it shows a side of history we may not all be familiar with, a side that will push the audience to a certain side. The reader wants the Jewish people to break free...and wants countries to help them. And we get this in the end...I think that's what the author wants- to make us want something then get it. This makes us on her side of thinking.
I think this pursuades people to help out repressed people, goes back to "treat others as you would like to be treated" ha. But through historical context we can find the message she is putting down.
The essay begins talking and explaining about the holocaust and goes into the resistance. After that it goes into information about Denmark and how the Nazi’s revolt in Denmark. Denmark is different than most other European nation in their treatment of the Jews because they gave them selfless effort to try and save them. The Germans involved in Denmark became more sensitive to the Jewish cause and tried to help them. This essay is persuasive because he is telling his opinion and trying to get us to agree along with his point of view on it all.
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