Just before February vacation, my class went to Edgartown Cinema and saw the film  Defiance. It was a movie about the Bielski brothers who survived the Holocaust by building a community in the forest. They lived in hard conditions, but they saved 1,200 people. Even though this number seems small when you consider that six million Jews died in the Holocaust, if they had only save d one person it would have been worth it. One life is still so much. “Our revenge will be our survival,” said the Bielski brothers, and this is so true. The Nazis wanted all of the Jews dead. Surviving that deadly plan is their revenge. To give in to the Nazis would have given them even more power. To stand up for what’s right even though it was so hard made them heroes. We discussed the story of the Bielskis in class, and everyone in our class has written their opinions about whether standing up to injustice makes a difference.

Kristen Parece, Editor

Reflections on Defiance

By Tova Katzman>

A few weeks ago our class as well as many other classes went to the movie Defiance. I had seen it previously and rather enjoyed it. Based on true events, the film revolves around the Holocaust. A tough subject to watch, but a beautiful story about the Bielski Brothers who eventually led 1,200 Jews to survival in Russia during World War II. The movie was fascinating for me, mostly because my grandfather was probably very near to what was going on at that time. He was also a Jewish person. I was very glad that our class was able to see this movie and that just about everyone seemed to really appreciate it. The movie really takes you into its time setting and gives you a good idea of what went on in those forests where so many people were in hiding. The conditions were brutal but each character contained enough strength to get through it and survive.

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Taking History Seriously

By Jessica Kelleher>  

Last week the entire sophomore class, plus a few other guests, visited the Edgartown Cinema to see Defiance, a movie about the Holocaust. The story was about the Bielski brothers, and how they formed a colony in the forest to avoid being captured and killed by the Nazis. The movie told about the battles they faced, the conditions they lived in, and how they survived. It was an exceptional movie and being able to visit the theater to see it with our entire class was a fun experience. Usually when watching a movie in school I end up falling asleep or getting distracted; the theater was a different setting and it kept things interesting. I hope that we will be able to do something like that again.

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Unknown Details

By Alicia Oliveira>

The movie Defiance was a great movie. It was about the Bielski brothers and their ability to save themselves and 1,200 others from extermination. The Holocaust is a common topic to study in school. We always learn about the 6,000,000 Jews who were killed. We have never heard of survivors. This detail was unknown to me until I watched this movie. It was definitely worth it to save the 1,200 people because it gave them a sence of victory. They would’ve “lost” if they were killed. During the movie, the brothers killed the German officer and that was their revenge. If I were in their shoes I probably would’ve also wanted revenge. But the best thing to do would be to not kill them. The film was showing us that Nazis and Jews are both people. I don’t really know if it was just or not to kill the German for revenge, but I do know the Jews would have proved themselves as better people than their tormenters if they didn’t kill the German. To survive would be a good enough revenge because it would go against what the Nazis wanted. Their goal was to exterminate the whole Jewish race and by surviving they didn’t let the Nazis complete their goal. The life in the forest was very cruel. The conditions and depression took a toll on the people sheltering there. The only way to survive was to act as a community. That is why we form societies today. We need each other. It was tough but it was worth it. It was better to live under these conditions because if they didn’t then they would certainly die.  

When the brother comes back to the others it proves that the society they had formed was better than the life at war. This movie was fascinating and the details that were once never told are now out for the world to see.

Students respond to discussion question “Was it worth saving 1,200 people when six million Jews died?”

“Saving any number of Jews would be worth it. With those lives saved their Jewish heritage and history was saved.” —Alex Dimovich

“Yes, it was worth saving such a small number. Saving 1,200 Jews could have saved the Jewish religion.” —Diane Reed

“Of course it was worth saving those people even though it was such a small number. It was a statement and symbol of their defiance and that they weren’t weak and wouldn’t give in.” —TJ Van Gervan

“It doesn’t matter the number of people, a life is always worth saving. And the 1,200 people that survived had children who had children and so created more than 1,200 lives” —Tova Katzman

“Yes, because saving those people meant fewer people died; six million died, but it could have been 6,001,200 if the Bielski brothers didn’t save them.” —Grant Meacham

“Yes, it was worth saving such a small number because all their lives are worth it. Everyone deserves to live. And such a small number gave hope to others.” — Nina Levin

“Yes, it was worth it; at that point it was worth it to save any number of Jews. Even though comparatively it is a small number, every one is a living person and you shouldn’t not save them.” —Sal McNamara Esposito

“I think it was worth it. At least the Bielski brothers could save some people rather having over six million die. Better to save some than none.” —Jocelyn Williams

“Yes, I think even if it was three people it would have been enough. Life counts in any circumstance, those people achieved something really great.” —Amanda Rose

“Yes, I think it was worth it because those 1,200 that were saved had children and helped the Jewish population grow.” —Rebecca Barbosa

“Surviving would prove to the Nazis that they are able to defeat them and show them that they are strong people.” —Niki Alexander

“To survive would be the Jewish peoples’ revenge on the Nazis because the Nazis wanted all the Jews to die, so their surviving would prove that they could stand up and prove the Nazis wrong.” —Camila Ferndandez

“Surviving would be the most satisfying revenge of all. The Nazis thought they were invincible and could kill any Jew they wanted. Having some of the Jews survive would completely mock their whole point.” —Collette Jordan

Reflecting on whether building the colony in the forest was worthwhile, students note:

“Yes. it was worth it, because even though they made great sacrifices and many died, out in the forest they were free. If they had stayed where they were they would have been put in a concentration camp and died anyway.” —Mary-Louise Howell

“Yes, it was worth it, because the people had a chance to live, and more importantly they retained their humanity and dignity because they weren’t forced to act as the Nazis wanted them to. If they died they could die with honor, knowing that by defying them they stood up to the Nazis, and they could try to make a difference. The conditions in concentration camps weren’t much better anyway, and they took away the Jews’ individual identities and their humanity. It was worth it to keep those, to not give in because if they didn’t give in the Germans could never really win.” —Olivia Cameron

“Survival is their revenge on the Nazis because the Nazis wanted to destroy the Jewish people and they didn’t succeed.” —Jennifer Murray

“To survive would be revenge on the Nazis because the goal of the Nazis was to kill all of the Jews. Even if they were able to kill all of them except for the 1,200 that survived in the forest, they still lose.” —Brian Montembault

“I believe that giving any small sacrifice, like being cold or sick or hungry, would be a small price to pay to live and be free and not dead or tortured.” —Alex Jernegan

“Struggling in the forest was absolutely worth it. Living in even terrible conditions is better than dying and after the Holocaust they got to live free with their families from the forest.” —Jessica Kelleher