Kristallnacht

On November 9th nineteen thirty-eight (Kristallnacht) over ninety Jews were killed and thirty-thousand were taken away from their families and sent to concentration camps.
This night was called Kristallnacht or ‘the Night of Crystals’ (Night of the Broken Glass) because the next morning the floors were covered in glass. Kristallnacht is the night where Nazi stormtroopers smashed Jewish homes and businesses and burned down a hundred and ninety-one synagogues. All Jews were forced to sell their businesses at a bargain price to German ‘Aryans’; people with blue eyes, blonde hair and ‘pure blood’.

Kristallnacht was a horrible event caused by several smaller problems. One of the biggest things that lead to this even was fear from both the Jews and the German Nazis. Most people only obeyed Hitler because they were terrified of what may happen to them or their family if they didn’t. This fear lead to people helping and supporting the Nazis or quietly letting Hitler get away with the mass murder of Jews. Kristallnacht’s targets were the Jews and Nazis all supported this because of brainwash through propaganda. Kristallnacht was also caused by laws, scapegoating and peer pressure. Peer pressure comes in when people feel like they need to participate in destructing Jewish places because they see everyone else doing that. The main turning point that lead to this even was a seventeen year old Jewish boy; Hershel Grynszpan who shot a Nazi official because he was scared and upset that he couldn’t help his family. After this, the Nazis wanted their revenge and decided that every Jew would have to pay for this.

Many people who miraculously survived the holocaust have written stories and made video blogs about their life. When I read or listen to their stories I just can’t believe that something like the holocaust could actually happen. Sonia Weitz, a girl who survived the holocaust and was lucky enough to always have her sister with her, told us about her journey. She lived through some of the worst extermination and labour camps and witnessed some of the worst sights. After hearing Sonia’s story I was really upset to know exactly what happened to all the Jews in the concentration and death camps less than a century ago. I was shocked to hear about a Commandant who used prisoners and live targets just to practice his aim, and who would shoot anyone if he didn’t think they were working hard enough. Sonia told us about her sixteen day trip in a kettle car, how she was beat by a Nazi woman for wanting food, and how she lived through everything with a life threatening disease; typhus. I think that the most shocking thing is that many other European countries knew what was happening in Germany, but yet they did nothing to help prevent this. At the end of the holocaust over six million Jews were killed and even today, some people refuse to believe that the holocaust ever existed.

Propaganda and Prejudice

This photograph was taken in 1933 and it captures an image of many young Nazi supporters during a rally. These protesters are waving flags and marching in the shape of a swastika. It seems like this photo was taken to encourage more German citizens to support the Nazis and Hitler. I believe that rallies like this influence people in Germany to support pictures like this because they encourage people to support mass genocide.

It seems as if this photograph was created to show the German citizens how many Nazis believe in this party and to encourage

more Germans to vote for the Nazi party. The photo is of young Nazi supporters, my interpretation on this is that they didn’t choose to believe in Hitler entirely on their own. The story of the Poisonous Mushroom was read to young children so they’ll be prejudiced against all Jewish and agree with Hitler from a young age. I think that most of these young Nazi supporters participating in the rally have been brainwashed into believing in Hitler and the Nazis.

The protesters in this image are young Nazi supporters marching in straight lines in the shape of a swastika. Most rallies have screaming protesters waving signs and flags, I think that because of the strict and

controlled way things were when Adolf Hitler ruled, even rallies were organized and precise. This picture is in black and white, I think that the colour scheme was made to show how controlled and strict things were in Germany when Hitler had all the power and control.

This photo could encourage more Germans to support the Nazi party. Often people choose to do something because the majority of the people are supporting that idea. By showing so many young soldiers marching in an organized manner, more people might choose to support the Nazis and Hitler. I think that to some extent, the German citizens could feel intimidated or even threatened if they aren’t supporting the Nazis and therefore they vote for Hitler only to protect themselves and their family from harm.

Propaganda helped the Nazis influence others to believe that every single Jew is th

e same; a dangerous and bad person who took Germany’s jobs. Even though all people don’t understand the reason for hating the entire Jewish population they continue to support Hitler’s choices mostly out of pure fear. The Germans used a strategy called propaganda meaning to encourage bias and prejudice through arts and media. Hitler’s goal was to have all the possible power and he was willing to do nearly anything in order to achieve that vision.

No Man is an Island

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

These words by John Donne from the 1624 Meditation 17,
from Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions

The words of this poem show that all people are the same and everyone should be treated with equal respect. "No man is an island entire of itself...' Nobody is alone in this world, everyone is a part of something bigger. Today nobody cares about people out of their families, and some people don't even care about their family. Tomorrow everyone will be sitting in with their iPads on facebook or texting on their iPhone. "... any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind..." is what people should be thinking like. Everybody is connected some way or the other, even if you don't know it.

In the story The Island by Armin Greder, the ‘stranger’ was immediately judged because he wasn’t exactly like everybody else on the island. Greder tried to draw attention to the face that all people are the same and deserve equal respect and treatment. The ‘stranger’ is naked because it shows weakness, hopelessness and makes him seem vulnerable. He was sent to the uninhabited part of the island and kept in a goat pen, being treated like an animal. The islanders are actually scared of the stranger but they still hold their weapons high and try to keep him away from the rest of the people. Throughout the story, except for the part where the stranger is being sent away; the islanders and the stranger are never shown on the same page. Greder was trying to create an effect of isolation by keeping the stranger and the islanders on different pages. Soon even the children on the island were being taught about the stranger in the goat pen who is a savage, bone eating freak. Rumours spread and people started fearing this man.

The poet John Donne wrote a poem emphasizing on the topic of ‘all men are equal.’ Every man is just as important as another and every one’s voice should be heard. There is enough space on Earth for every human to be included. The video ‘No Man is an Island’ was shot on cell phones in Sydney and New York. This video shows that everybody deserves a friend and we all belong somewhere. Every man is a part of something bigger than their own individual lives. If something happens to one man, it effects the entire world even in the slightest ways. As John Donne said ‘And therefore never send to know for whom, the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.’

We are all a part of mankind and none of us deserve to be alone. Buddha spent his entire life trying to help other people by finding out how not to suffer. Zeus claimed that man was created to worship him. Neither of these people said that everyone has the right to belonging and happiness. Nobody should be left alone to cry, laugh, live or die. Everybody belongs somewhere, we are all a part of something bigger, no man is an island.

Nobody is alone.

The Versailles Peace Treaty

The Treaty of Versailles was created in 1919 to establish world peace. This Treaty was made to give all nations equal rights and to give them their justice. This treaty was meant to be, and is; fair to all Nations.

Although this may seem harsh on some especially the Germans I believe this Treaty was the best possible solution available at the time. Wilson forced Germany to reduce the size of her army to less than a hundred thousand men. Germany has restrictions on the types of weapons and vehicles in the military force and was made to give up land. Giving Independence to Czechoslovakia, Austria and Poland is completely fair because every nation has their right to independence. Giving France back their provinces of Lorraine and Alsace is also fair because Lorraine and Alsace belong to France and Germany would only be returning what they took. Having restrictions on what Germany can and cannot do in my mind is too harsh on Germany.

From 1939 to 1945 in Germany a huge event known as the holocaust occurred. Millions of Jews were gassed and killed because of racist acts lead by the Germans. Today we all know that every individual is equal but half a century ago the Germans obviously didn’t. As a result of this event, the other European countries established this treaty and confiscated rights from the Germans. I agree that what the Germans did was wrong, but I think that the punishment is too harsh. Punishing someone doesn’t fix what happened. Nothing can bring back the lives of all the dead Jews, and punishing the Germans makes them angrier and more likely to lead another similar event in the future.

I agree that the peace treaty is fair to all the nations even though it’s harsher on some. The League of nations and the Versailles Peace Treaty may not have worked like they were intended to but it was a start to world peace.

Like Woodrow Wilson quoted ‘I am convinced that if this peace is not made on the highest principles of justice, it will be swept away by the peoples of the world in less than a generation.’

Profile FF (Fantastically Fabulous)

I learn best when I’m sitting in the middle, slightly to the right of the classroom and facing the teacher. If I can see the board I can remember things better. When my teachers are telling me things I find it easier if I can take notes about what’s happening that way I can review the notes later on. I enjoy learning from short movies and videos so I can see and hear what’s going on. I am left brained (logical) and visual. I need a deadline for everything, that way I can actually get work done and rules and written down instructions help a lot too.

Working in small groups of two or three is how I enjoy working best. I don’t have to do all the work alone, but there aren’t too many people that I am forced to rely on. Two to three people aren’t difficult to manage and that way we can all work on a separate piece of the project and somehow when we put all our separate pieces together we can get our final project.

When I look at a painting, or read a story I usually notice and remember small details more than the big image. I can get all the ideas and every little detail in my head, but when I need to express them all on paper I feel stuck. I find it difficult to get my ideas and thoughts out of my head and into my work. I also find it difficult to manage my time and stay on task when I’m working alone. I feel like I can work in nearly any location, I don’t need a quiet desk in the corner to work… in fact I actually enjoy working in different environments.

I personally think that I’m pretty even on both sides of my brain. My gestalt and logical sides are nearly equally as strong as each other so I don’t think it’s too difficult for me to learn and work in any type of environment with all types of people. I do notice that when I’m learning or working I think first before I contribute any ideas to the discussion. I also find that when I’m under a time limit or under pressure I usually see my best work coming out then. If I’m given all the time I need and there’s no pressure I leave the work pending forever and ever.

I’m a profile FF, this means that my dominant eye is my right eye, my dominant ear is my left and so is my dominant hand and foot. I find it easiest to work and learn when I’m sitting slightly to the right of the classroom, that way my right eye is facing the board and my left ear is facing the teacher. Sitting slightly to the right of the classroom and facing the board is also great so that I don’t need to keep on turning back and forth to right because I’m right handed.

I think that I would like my teachers to know that I have trouble keeping track of how much time I’ve got and I do end up rushing most projects and assignments. I need a deadline or I’ll keep on leaving that piece of work to finish ‘later’ and I work much better if I’m given a rubric so I know what details I need to work on most. If I have a list of instructions or rules that I can read (see) I’ll be able to complete my work and learn much better.

Don't Close Our Houses of Adventure

Once upon a time there was a book, and in the book there was a nest, and in the nest there was an egg, and in the egg there was a dragon, and in the dragon there was a story...



Imagine life without ever reading a single book, not a single story. Libraries are an important part of life, even though most people don't realize that. If one public library was shut down, a few hundred people wouldn't have any place to go if they wanted to read free books. If ten libraries shut down, thousands of people wouldn't have free access to information. Imagine if every public library shut down, nobody will have free access to so much information.


People everyday use libraries for education, work and reading. If you shut down one public library a hundred kids wouldn't have a place to finish their homework, or do research for school projects. A few hundred adults wouldn't have a quiet place to go and get their work done, or research things for their work purposes. Mothers wont have a free place to get books to read their children, and children wont have a place to get stories to read to themselves. Libraries are such an important place to so many people's lives. People who don't have access to a computer depend on libraries to learn more, and people who can't buy EVERY book they want to read rely on the libraries to provide books for them.


A library isn't just a building full of books, and books aren't just pages of random words. A library is a room full of adventures. There is an adventure in every book, there are books that change lives, find you another way of seeing life. As Edward. P. Morgan once quoted "A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fearing it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. When you open a book, you aren't opening up a bunch of paper binded together, you are starting a new journey, a journey that could change your whole life.


In the libraries in Edinburgh, there were mysterious paper sculptures made out of books. It started with a 'poetree' in the Scottish Poetry Library. A mystery person left this on the table, with a note.... We know that a library is so much more than a building full of books... a book is so much more than pages full of words... This is for you in support of libraries, books, words, ideas…
More of these anonymous mystery sculptures appeared in libraries all over scotland. In August 2011 two more appeared at the Edinburgh National Book Festival; a cup of tea, and a cupcake. There was another note left with them. ...nothing beats a nice cup of tea and a good BOOK, except maybe cake as well...
This anonymous person is definitely a book addict and a library lover. If he/she can care so much as to make these amazing sculptures then there MUST be a very good reason why libraries shouldn't be shut down


A library is an adventure house, it provides people a quiet place to focus and work, educate themselves, have access to internet and brilliant stories. If public libraries around the world began shutting down, people wouldn't have access to so many things. Books have taught people so many things, that if they didn't read their life would be different. Books have opened people's eyes and helped them find a new outlook on life. Books have encouraged people to live every day to the fullest and make their dreams come true. We need our buildings full of books, without libraries, life wouldn't be the same.

Why Ashka?

My name means “A Blessing” in Sanskrit. In Polish my name means a dummy... I guess I’m sort of both. When my mother found out that she was pregnant with me, she decided she had to find the most perfect name for me. My parents thought of many names; Arianna, Annika… but didn’t think any of these names were perfect enough. My grandmother told my mother that she had been blessed to have a daughter, that’s when my mother thought of my name. A blessing. Ashka.

I like my name sometimes, but I cannot stand it at other times. When my name is written in a dark blue, turquoise, magenta or white, with swirly and twisted handwriting, I love it. I love the way the ‘S’ swirls into the ‘H’ and the way that the ‘H’ loops into the ‘K’, and finally how the ‘K’ swoops down to the ending ‘A’. For some reason though, the first A is just so impossible. The capital A isn’t a fun letter, like ‘Z’ or ‘Q’ or ‘E’ or even ‘R’. A is just a very confused triangle that refuses to cooperate when I’m trying to make a signature. I think my name looks ugly when its typed because the computer doesn’t swirl, twirl, loop and swoop the letters of my name properly.

I like how my name sounds - Its only five letters and two syllables, so it isn’t too difficult to pronounce. Yet, I also hate the way my name sounds. I’m always getting confused for Aishah, Ashika, Aksha and once I was even called Oscar. I don’t like being called somebody that I am not because I am nobody but myself. I wasn’t named for anybody, there is no role model that I am expected to follow. Ashka isn’t a very common name in India or anywhere else in the world, I don’t know any other Ashkas. I like that about my name, it makes me feel unique and special. I am Ashka.