Most Suprising

The most surprising thing I learned in class concerned American Jews and it was the Trial of Leo Frank which is why I am writing my final paper on him. I never heard of this happening before this class and I was shocked that it even happened. While researching for my paper I found a video on youtube that talked about Frank and how in Marietta, Georgia if you mention Leo Frank or Mary Phagan's name not many people will know who you are talking about. There is a small plaque on the side of an office building next to the freeway that is in memory of what occured but who is going to see it. This is not just something that should be looked over, it was a serious issue. During the trial a black man accussed Frank of murdering Mary Phagan and they took his word over a white Jew. In the south during this time they would never take a black man's word over a white mans. The way the whole case was handled was ridiculous. They went the complete opposite way then where the evidence pointed them and after Frank was ruled guilty at the trial his last chance was in Governor John M. Slaton's hands. Unfortunately, he chose the right decision and payed for it by being hung by an angry group of prostestors. After the lynching of Leo Frank, 33 members of the group called the Knights of Mary Phagan formed the new Ku Klux Klan of Georgia. It is unbelievable to consider how this murder turned into a sick and twisted piece of history and sadly 3 innocent people died.

My View on Jewish History and How it has Changed

At the beginning of this class I had an idea of what Jews had gone through to get to where they are today. Especially, with my family history my grandpa would tell my brother and I stories and my mom made sure I knew where my family came from. I definitely learned a lot from this class starting from the first day.

I've always known that Jews have suffered and been persecuted throughout the years but not to the extent that we discussed. I never knew that Jews converted to escape Poland and who knows how many of those Jews stayed Christian and lost there Jewish heritage. We have always been seen as the under dogs but it makes me proud to be a Jew because we have fought to be where we are today and have earned our place.

When the Jews came to America I thought they were welcomed with open arms and did not realize that immigration of Jews was almost completely shut down. The effects that could have had would have been huge considering that my grandpa is dutch and came from Holland after the war so that bill could have been passed and my grandma was American so they never would have met and I would not be here today.

Aftermath

The Germans had recently deported the Jews of Salonica, and they had no idea of who was still living in the ghetto, which was swarmed with squatters and refugees. Hammond's testimony is a reminder that although the Jews were gone, their presence lived on in the tangible shape of empty homes, communal buildings, shops, factories, and entire quarters. In a matter of weeks nearly one-fifth of the population of a large city had been deported, leaving their property and possesions behind them.

The Germans themselves looted the villas of the elite and Jewish-owned warehouses; van took away pianos, wardrobes, furniture, carpets, electric lights, and clothing of all kinds. It was in the words of one journalist, a "general and shameless pillaging". Experience in Germany and Austria had tought the SS the importance of organizing the takeover of Jewish property properly. "Wild" looting was inefficient and dangerous and usually led to a free-for-all.

The Germans finally pulled out at the end of October 1944, and hundreds of Jews had survived and slowly headed back to Salonica. The survivors found Salonica transformed and unrecognizable. Jewish tombstones were found in urinals and driveways, and had been used to make up the dance floor of a taverna built over a corner of the former cemtery itself. The UN Relief & Rehabilitation Agency was active in the city helping Jews and Christians alike and one of its officials, Bella Mazur, who had been seconded from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee spent her spare time "trying to help organize the community so it can have an official set-up. Jewish survivors were dependent on the UNRRA for food and clothing.