Dictionary.com lists six definitions for the word dignity. But the definition for dignity can be expanded greatly from there. In World War II the Japanese took away dignity in their prisoner of war camps and in Germany they took away Jewish peoples dignity in the concentration camps. They learned that dignity is as essential to survival. If they made a person feel like they weren’t a human then that person would not have any reason to live and they would just give up and die. Having dignity saved many lives in World War II but losing it also helped in the demise of millions of other people. First it would be good to know where the word dignity came from. The word dignity comes from the old French word digite which meant privilege and honor. …show more content…
That mission is to exterminate all of the Jews in Europe. When the Jews are sent to the concentration camps the Germans begin the process of taking away the dignity of all of the Jewish people there. They weren’t even treated as humans. They were herded into ghettos and they had many privileges revoked. They couldn’t own valuables, they had a curfew, and they had to cram multiple families into houses built for one. But sadly these things were all before they were sent to the concentration camps. In the camps the Germans tossed babies and children into the fire as if they were simply firewood. This image haunts Elie for the rest of his life “Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky.” (22). The Germans just caused many Jewish people to give up. One of those people was Elie’s father “I looked up at my father’s face, trying to glimpse a smile or something like it on his stricken face. But there was nothing. Not the shadow of an expression. Defeat.” (69). The Germans also took away the value of a family for many people. Sons would turn against their fathers for a scrap of bread. Elie was told “Listen to me, kid. Don't forget that you are in a concentration camp. In this place, it is every many for himself, and you cannot think of others. Not even you father. In this place, there is no such thing as father, brother, friend. Each of us lives and dies alone. Let me give you good advice: stop giving your ration of bread and soup to your old father. You cannot help him anymore. And you are hurting yourself. In fact, you should be getting his rations...” (110). He can’t believe that this man is telling him to just forget about his father. The Germans were so oppressive that many Jewish people just gave