Excerpts from NIGHT By Elie Wiesel
Spring 1944. Good news from the Russian front. No doubt could remain now of Germany’s defeat. It was only a question of time – of months or weeks perhaps. The trees were in blossom. This was a year like any other, with its springtime, its betrothals, its weddings and births. People said: “The Russian army’s making gigantic strides forward . . . Hitler won’t be able to do us any harm, even if he wants to.” Yes, we even doubted that he wanted to exterminate us. Was he going to wipe out a whole people? Could he exterminate a population scattered throughout so many countries? So many millions! What methods could he use? And in the middle of the twentieth century! -----------------------------------------------------------Anquish. German soldiers – with their steel helmets, and their emblem, the death’s head. However, our first impressions of the Germans were most reassuring. The officers were billeted in private houses, even in the homes of Jews. Their attitude toward their hosts was distant, but polite. They never demanded the impossible, made no unpleasant comments, and even smiled occasionally at the mistress of the house. One German officer lived in the house opposite ours. He had a room with the Kahn family. They said he was a charming man – calm, likable, polite, and sympathetic. Three days after he moved in he brought Madame Kahn a box of chocolates. The optimists rejoiced. “Well there you are, you see! What did we tell you? You wouldn’t believe us. There they are your Germans! What do you think of them? Where is their famous cruelty?” The Germans were already in the town, the Fascists were already in power, the verdict had already been pronounced, yet the Jews of Sighet continued to smile. -----------------------------------------------------------Saturday, the day of rest, was chosen for our expulsion. The night before, we had the traditional Friday evening meal. We said the customary grace for the bread and wine and swallowed our food without a word. We were, we felt, gathered for the last time round the family table. I spent the night turning over thoughts and memories in my mind, unable to sleep. At dawn, we were in the street, ready to leave. This time there were no Hungarian police. An agreement had been made with the Jewish Council that they should organize it all themselves
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