Born Septemer 30, 1928, in the small town of Sighete, Transylvania, Elie Weisel grew up in a close, content Jewish family. His father owned a grocery store, and his mother helped there and at home, taking care of him and his sisters. He grew up studying Hebrew and his religion’s origin very diligently, fascinated with Jewish mysticism and the kabala, and his life became consumed by it. In 1944, as the second world war was beginning, Nazis invaded his town. He was fifteen years old.

            His family was deported along with their Jewish friends and relatives and were sent into tiny, confined, controlled ghettos. From there, the helpless people were transported to concentration camps. Wiesel’s family included, they boarded small cattle cars and were deprived of food and other humanities, until their arrival at Auschwitz. Immediately, Elie’s biggest fear  became reality. He was separated from his mother and sister, but luckily, he was able to stay with his father. Through out the next year, they were transported to four camps total, meanwhile being dehumanized, starved, and beaten, emotionally and physically. Amazingly, he survived, but his father was not so lucky.

            After the war, Wiesel sought psychological help, but progressed well, again burying himself in his studies and jobs.  

            This poignant story is sadly only one of the millions of tragic tales of its sort. The holocaust was one of, if not the most, terrible atrocities to ever occur. The Nazis didn’t only invade Elie’s town, they invaded thousands more. They brutally killed blameless Jews in disgusting and sickening ways, trying to follow Hitler’s command to “cleanse” the population. This was an unforgettable event in our past, that although disturbing, is very essential to be aware of, not only so that it may never happen again, but because the victims need to know that they aren’t living without purpose.