What does the term Jewish Resistance mean? What distinguishes it from the resistance of the rest of the population? Unlike their fellow citizens, Jewish people were subject to discriminatory laws and surrounded by a population that was mostly indifferent or hostile to them. Resistance was dangerous and therefore an exceptional behavior.
The notion that Jews did not resist was already spread by the Nazis and persists to this day. But they were by no means passive victims. The most patent exemple is the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 in Poland, during which Jewish prisoners took up arms to resist their deportation to extermination camps. Even if their struggle was futile and could not stop the crimes – it is an important symbol of active Jewish resistance.
The term Jewish resistance conceals different reactions to Nazi rule. For example, when individuals stood their ground against humiliation or disobeyed regulations. Or when they helped each other to escape antisemitic policies. Because this was so difficult for Jewish persecutees, even small moments of resistance had great significance.
There is an ongoing discussion: Where does resistance begin? Some suggest that you rather speak about a behaviour that disobeys and opposes the Nazi worlview or about acts of asserting oneself – for example by maintaining cultural traditions or by encouraging each other as a group.
- Write down what behavior you would call resistance or discuss in pairs. Explain your answers.