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Alexandra Hogge

Mrs. Schmidt

Honors English 9

February 26, 2018

An Annotated Bibliography: Women and Children in the Holocaust

“Children during the Holocaust.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, United States

Holocaust Memorial Museum, www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005142.

This website explains the conditions for children in the Holocaust. Not just Jewish children, but

Gypsy, disabled, and other non-Jewish residents. It also explains the ages and the chances of

survival. Unlike most other sources, this website provides information on the life of children in

multiple settings. For example, it explains their roles in the ghettos, in the camps, and the killing

centers. This website also provides multiple numbers and statistics. An example is how many

children died in the camps. Importantly, the text provides information on how the children died.

Examples are starvation and execution. This article is great for students and teachers wanting to

learn more about the roles, situations, ages, and conditions of both the Jewish and non-Jewish

children in the Holocaust. The way the article describes the horrendous conditions is amazing. It

makes one almost feel what they went through. The pictures add a visual affect, as well. Even for

the non-Jewish children. The article makes one realize that they had it as tough as the Jewish

children.

Ofer, Dalia, and Lenore J. Weitzman. “Sharing StoriesInspiring Change.” Jewish Women's

Archive, www. jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/women-in-holocaust

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This article summarizes the gender roles of women during the Holocaust. It also compares their

roles vs. the roles of men during the Holocaust. Both pre- and during the war. Next it explains

how they were treated somewhat differently by the Germans than the men were treated. How

their natural gender roles influenced their work and treatment. Then, it explains more about their

reactions during these tough times. Most women believed it was only the men who were in

trouble. They then took the women on the trains to go to the camps as well. There are many

instances where women have been treated differently than men. Both in labor and in general.

Lastly, it explains conditions for women with special needs or other issues. For example, women

in their later stages of pregnancy were put straight in the gas chamber. Other women who were

unable to work due to physical disabilities were also put in the gas chambers. Women did less

physical labor than men. They did more factory work, therefore they were at less risk for being

executed.

A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust-Children, www.fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/people/children.htm

This article is a bit different than the last. It teaches us about Jewish and Gypsy children’s life

through their point of view. It starts with cruelty at school from friends or teachers. It talks about

them moving to the ghettos and some being left alone due to their parents being deported or

killed. It then talks about how some children were used as ‘lab rats’ at the camps. Especially

twins. Next, it teaches us about Hidden Children. They hid with their families in secret places,

such as holes or sewers. The text provides information about their life inside of the camps. The

younger children being sent straight to the gas chambers. The older ones (usually aged 12+) were

used for labor. One of the saddest sections is about the Kindertransport. The kindertransport

were trains that sent Jewish and Gypsy children alone out to Britain. They did not have their

parents with them. Around 20% of these children were reunited with their families, afterwards.
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“Women During the Holocaust.” My Jewish Learning,

www.myjewishlearning.com/article/women-during-the-holocaust/.

This article was one of the most descriptive ones. It starts with talking about the camps

specifically reserved for women. An example is Ravensbrück, a women’s camp in Germany.

Women were assaulted, abused, and raped in these camps. Specific women were targeted as

well. Such as women with large amounts of children, and Orthodox women, as well. Women

who were pregnant tried to hide their pregnancies. If they were found pregnant, they would be

forced into abortion, if not executed themselves. Most women were sent to the gas chambers or

other killing centers. Women were also used as subjects for medical experiments. A common

experiment was with euthanasia. As in comparison to men, their labor was not as hard as men’s.

However, the abuse the women suffered made up for it negatively. Women were already

struggling with civil rights and some abuse back then before the Holocaust. The genocide only

made it worse and more painful.

Wiesel, Elie. Night, Elie Wiesel. Spark Publishing, 2014

Not much is mentioned about women and children in Night. The did book mention that Elie and

is father were separated from his mother and sisters. It did not say what exactly happened, but

they are soon presumed dead. It is possible that Elie Wiesel’s younger sister, who was seven

years old, was sent straight to the gas chambers. His elder sisters and mother may have done

labor before being executed. The age limit for entering the adult ward versus the children’s ward

seems to be about ages 12-13. Elie is 15 when he enters camp. However, he is told to pretend he

is 18 to avoid being gassed. Even though the book takes place in the men’s ward, there is a scene

where a boy of about age 13 is hung to death. It was also said that the younger boys weren’t

treated as well as they should’ve been. They were seen as annoyances. Another scene takes place
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in the factory. Wiesel was speaking to a French woman, whom he though did not speak German.

As previously stated, not much is said about women and children in the Holocaust. They are only

mentioned occasionally in the book.