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Night Study Guide
Opening Glossary:
Allies—During World War II, the group of nations including the United States, _______________, the
Soviet Union, and the Free ___________, who joined in the war against ___________ and the other Axis
countries.
Antisemitism—Opposition to and discrimination against _________________.
Aryan—a term for peoples speaking the language of Europe and India. In Nazi racial theory, a person of
pure _______________ “blood.” The term “non-Aryan” was used to designate Jews, part-Jews and others of
supposedly _______________ racial stock.
Bar-Mitzvah/Bat-Mitzvah—term referring to a religious “coming of age” in Judaism, when a Jewish boy or
girls turns ______________________. On this day, the boy or girl leads the congregation in the service and
rightfully enters the congregation as an “equal” ____________________.
Blitzkrieg—Meaning “lightning war,” Hitler's offensive ________________ using a combination of
armored attack and air __________________.
Bystander—One who is present at some event without _______________________ in it.
Communism—a concept or system of ___________________ in which the collective community shares
ownership in resources and the means of production. In theory, such societies provide for
____________________ sharing of all work, according to ability, and all benefits, according to need. In
1848, ____________ Marx, in collaboration with Friedrick Engels, published the Communist Manifesto
which provided the theoretical impetus for the Russian Bolshevik Revolution in _________.
Death Camp—Nazi extermination centers where Jews and other victims were brought out be killed as part
of Hitler’s Final Solution.
Death Marches—Forced marches of prisoners over long distances and under _____________________
conditions was another way victims of the Third Reich were _________________________. The prisoners,
guarded heavily, were treated ___________________ and many died from mistreatment or were shot.
Prisoners were transferred from one ghetto or concentration camp to another ghetto or concentration cam or
to a death camp.
Dehumanization—the Nazi policy of denying Jews basic ______________ rights such as practicing
religion, education, and adequate ______________________________.
Displacement—The process either official or unofficial, of people being ______________________ moved
from their homes because of _____________, government policies, or other societal action, requiring groups
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of people to find new places to live. Displacement is a recurring _______________ in the history of the
Jewish people.
DP—Displaced Person. The upheavals of war left millions of soldiers and civilians far from home. Millions
of DPs had been easter European slave laborers for the Nazis. The tens of thousands of Jewish survivors of
Nazi camps either could not or did not want to return to their former homes in Germany or eastern Europe,
and many lived in special DP camps while awaiting migration to America or Palestine.
Displaced Persons Act of 1948—Law passed by U.S. Congress _______________ the number of Jewish
displaced persons who could emigrate to the United States. The law contained ___________________
elements, eventually eliminated in ______________.
Eichmann, Adolph (1906-1962)--SS Lieutenant Colonel and head of the Gestapo department dealing with
___________________ affairs.
Euthanasia—Nazi euphemism (________________________________________________________) for
the deliberate ___________________ of institutionalized physically, mentally, and emotionally
______________________ people. The euthanasia program began in 1939, with German non-Jews as the
first victims. The program was later extended to Jews.
Fascism—A social and __________________ ideology with the primary guiding principle that the
________________ or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual
____________________________.
Final Solution—The final solution to the Jewish question in Europe): A Nazi euphemism for the plan to
_________________________ the Jews of Europe.
Führer/few ra/--Leader. Adolf Hitler's _____________________ in Nazi Germany.
Genocide—The deliberate and ______________________ destruction of a ________________, political,
cultural, or religious group.
Gestapo/geshtahpoh/--Acronym for Geheime Staatspolizei, meaning _______________ State Police. Prior
to the outbreak of war, the Gestapo used ____________________ methods to investigate and
________________ resistance to Nazi rule within Germany. After ___________, the Gestapo expanded its
operations into Nazi -occupied Europe.
Great Depression—A deep, ______________, economic contraction beginning in 1920 which caused
particular hardship in ________________ which was already reeling from huge reparation payments
following World War I and hyperinflation.
Guerrilla warfare—Fighting in which small __________________ bands of soldiers harass an enemy
through surprise raids, attacks on communications and the like.
Gypsies—A collective term for Romani and Sinti. A _______________ people believed to have come
originally from northwest India. They became divided into five main groups still extant today. By the
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sixteenth century, they had spread to every country of Europe. Alternately _______________________
and persecuted since the fifteenth century, they were considered enemies of the state by the Nazis and
persecuted relentlessly. Approximately __________________ Gypsies are believed to have perished in
the gas chambers.
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945)--Nazi party leader, 1919-1945. German Chancellor, 1933-1945. Called
Führer, or supreme ______________, by the Nazis.
Holocaust—Derived from the Greek holokauston which meant a ________________ totally burned
by fire. Today, the term refers to the systematic ___________________ extermination of about six
million European Jews and millions of others by the Nazis between 1933-1945.
International Military Tribunal—The United States, Great Britain, France, and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics charted this ________________ to prosecute Nazi war criminals.
Mein Kampf /mine kahmpf/--Meaning "My Struggle," it was the ideological base for the Nazi Party's
racist beliefs and murderous practices. __________________ in 1925, this work detailed Hitler's
radical ideas of German nationalism, antisemitism, anti-Bolshevism, and Social Darwinism which
advocated survival of the ________________________.
The Nazi (National Socialist German Workers') Party—The Nationalsozialistische Deutsche
Arbeiterpartei /natsional sotsialistishe doiche abaita patai/ or NSDAP was founded in Germany on
January 5, 1919. It was characterized by a centralist and authoritarian structure. Its platform was based
on militaristic, racial, antisemitic and nationalistic policies. Nazi Party membership and political power
grew dramatically in the 1930s, partly based on ____________________ propaganda, mass rallies and
demonstrations.
Nuremberg Trials—Trials of twenty-two major Nazi figures in Nuremberg, Germany in 1945 and
1946 before the International Military ________________.
Nuremberg Laws—The Nuremberg Laws were announced by ______________ at the Nuremberg
Party conference, defining "Jew" and systematizing and regulating discrimination and persecution. The
"Reich Citizenship Law" deprived all Jews of their ___________ rights, and the "Law for the
Protection of German Blood and German Honor" made marriages and extra-marital sexual
relationships between Jews and Germans punishable by _______________________.
Propaganda—False or partly false information used by a ____________________ or political party
intended to sway the opinions of the population.
Rabbi—Leader of a Jewish congregation, similar to the role of a ________________ or minister.
Resettlement—German euphemism for the _____________________ of prisoners to killing centers in
Poland.
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Revisionists—Those who deny that the Holocaust ever happened.
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano—Thirty-second president of the U.S., serving from 1933-1945.
Scapegoat—Person or group of people _________________ for crimes committed by others.
Social Darwinism—A concept based on the idea of "survival of the fittest." Based on Social
Darwinism, Nazis created a pseudo-scientific brand of ______________ which was most virulent
when directed against the Jews, but others, particularly Slavs, were not exempt.
Socialism—A theory or system of social organization that advocates the _________________ and
control of land, capital, industry, etc. by the ________________ as a whole. In Marxist theory it
represents the stage following capitalism in a state transforming to communism.
Star of David—A six-pointed ____________ which is a symbol of Judaism. During the Holocaust,
Jews throughout Europe were required to ___________ Stars of David on their ___________ or fronts
and backs of their shirts and jackets.
Stereotype—Biased generalizations about a group based on _________________, opinions, and
distorted, preconceived ideas.
Swastika—An ancient ________________ appropriated by the Nazis as their emblem.
Synagogue—Jewish house of _____________________, similar to a church.
Third Reich /raich/: Meaning "third regime or empire," the Nazi designation of Germany and its
regime from 1933-45. Historically, the First Reich was the medieval Holy Roman Empire, which
lasted until 1806. The Second Reich included the German Empire from 1871-1918.
Treaty of Versailles /versai/ -- Germany and the Allies signed a ____________ treaty at the end of
World War I. The United States, Great Britain, France, and ______________ negotiated the treaty at
the Peace Conference held in Versaille beginning on January 18, 1919. The German Republic
government which replaced the imperial administration was excluded from the deliberations. The
treaty created the Covenant of the League of ______________, outlined Germany's disarmament,
exacted massive reparation payments from Germany, and forced Germany to cede large tracts of
territory to various European nation-states.
Treblinka /tre blin ka/ --Extermination camp on the Bug River in the General Government. Opened
in July 1942, it was the largest of the three Operation Reinhard __________________ centers.
Between 700,000 and _____________________ persons were killed there. A ______________ by the
inmates on August 2, 1943, destroyed most of the camp, and it was closed in November 1943.
Underground: Organized group acting in _____________________ to oppose government, or, during
war, to ________________________ occupying enemy forces.
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Volk /folk/ -- The concept of Volk (people, nation, or race) has been an underlying idea in German
history since the early ____________________ century. Inherent in the name was a feeling of
________________________ of German culture and the idea of a universal mission for the German
people.
Warsaw ghetto-- Established in November 1940, it was surrounded by wall and contained nearly
500,000 Jews. About 45,000 Jews died there in 1941 alone, as a result of __________________, hard
labor, lack of sanitation, insufficient food, ____________________, and disease. During 1942, most of
the ghetto residents were deported to Treblinka, leaving about 60,000 Jews in the ghetto. A
______________ took place in April 1943 when the Germans, commanded by General Jürgen Stroop,
attempted to raze the ghetto and deport the remaining inhabitants to Treblinka. The defense forces,
commanded by Mordecai Anielewicz, included all Jewish political parties. The bitter fighting lasted
________________________ days and ended with the destruction of the ghetto.
Weimar Republic /vai mahr/-- The German republic, and experiment in ___________________
(1919-1933), was established after the end of World War I.
Yiddish—language that combines elements of German and ________________________.
Chapter 1
Vocabulary & Background:
Fill in blanks and study the content for understanding and testing purposes.
Beadle—a minor synagogue official who helps the clergy around the building, helps people to their seats,
and keeps ______________ during services.
Billeted—to be quartered or ________________, especially in reference to _____________.
Boche—a derogatory term for _______________ troops.
Cabala or Kabbalah—the body of mystical teachings based on esoteric interpretations of ancient
_________________ scriptures.
Firmament—the expanse of the ___________; the sky.
Ghetto—An area of a city which contains and restricts a certain portion of the ______________. The Jews
of various Easter European cities were __________________ relocated into cordoned-off areas of the city
where ______________, _________________, and forced labor were the norm. The ghettos were
eventually destroyed, as Jews were deported to _____________________.
Hasidism—the ultra-orthodox (Orthodox means_______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________) branch of Judaism that
teaches the individual to raise every _____________ in life to the level of _____________________.
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Miklos Horthy (1868-1957)—regent, or ruler, of _______________ from 1920-1944. He initially enacted
harsh laws against the Jews of _____________________ but later rejected German pressure to deport
_______________. Horthy was exiled after Germany took over Hungary.
Lorry—a _______________.
Moses Maimonides (1135-1204)—Spanish-born _______________, philosopher, and _______________
scholar who fled to Egypt to escape anti-_____________ in Spain.
Passover—a holiday celebrating the Jews’ freedom from ______________ in _____________.
Phylactery—small _______________ boxes containing strips of parchment inscribed with quotations from
the Hebrew Scriptures used by Orthodox and ________________ Jewish men during worship.
Talmud—the codified body of Jewish ______________ and religious law including rabbinical
commentaries on the _________________.
Torah—the first ____________ books of the Old Testament of the Bible.
Truncheon—a ______________.
Waif—a forsaken or _____________ child.
Zionism—a political movement concerned with founding a Jewish state in ______________.
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. Who was Mosche the Beadle?
2.What does Wiesel tell the reader of Mosche?
3.How does Wiesel describe himself as a boy of 12?
4. How does Wiesel describe his father?
5. Why did Elie’s father prohibit him from studying the Cabala?
6. How did Wiesel realize his wish to study the Cabala?
7. What happened to Moshe?
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8. Several months later, Elie saw Moshe the Beadle again. What story did Moshe tell?
9. How was Moshe able to escape?
10. How had Moshe changed as a result of his experience?
11. How did other people in the village react to Moshe’s story? AND… Why do you suppose they reacted
that way?
12. In the spring of 1944, what political changes occurred in Hungary?
13. What was the attitude of the Jews of Sighet?
14. What literary device does Wiesel employ to emphasize the foolish optimism and denial of facts of the
Jews living in Sighet? How is it used?
15. After the Germans arrived in Sighet, what was the prevailing attitude among the residents?
16. After Passover, Wiesel says, “the curtain rose.” What does this refer to? What happened?
17.What was bitterly ironic about eh comments that Wiesel’s father made regarding the wearing of the
yellow star?
18. What was the Germans’ next step?
19. How did the Jews react to this?
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20. The Germans had other plans for the Jews of Sighet, however. What were those plans?
21. The Wiesel family were among the last to leave the large ghetto. Where were they sent?
22. Where did they go?
23. Despite all that happened, even after the Germans entered the capital of the Budapest, Wiesel tells us that
people still remained optimistic about their future. How can you explain this optimism?
24. In this chapter Wiesel uses images from nature. How does he use the sun?
25. What does this imagery of night suggest?
26. Given the fact that the title of this book is Night, what do you suppose a major theme in this work will
be?
27. A memoir is a story of one’s life told by the person similar to an autobiography. Describe the tone of this
memoir, and speculate on why Wiesel chooses to use this tone.
28. Identify each of the steps in the German plan, and point out how the cunning of the German plan and the
people’s human need for optimism in the face of danger led the Jews of Sighet to the transports to
Auschwitz.
Chapter 2
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. After several days of travel, what did the prisoners finally realize?
2. Wiesel’s description of Madame Schachter, “she looked like a withered tree in a cornfield” is an example
of what figure of speech?
3. What happened to Madame Schachter, and what did she do?
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4. Madame Schachter’s hysterical screaming of “Fire! Fire” is an example of what literary device?
5. How did this affect those in the cattle car with her?
6. When the prisoners were finally unloaded from the train, where were they? What was significant about the
time?
Chapter 3:
Vocabulary and Background
Antechamber—a smaller room serving as an ____________ into a larger room
Devoid—completely ___________________, empty
Job—from the Old Testament of the Bible; Job was a deeply ____________________ man who retained his
faith even though he ________________ great illness and ______.
Leprous—resembling leprosy (condition caused by _______________ that effects nerves and has severe
skin lesions as its primary symptom.)
Lucidity—clarity
Kapo—a concentration camp ___________________ (Jew) appointed by the S.S. to be in charge of a
________________ group.
Josef Mengele—a German S.S. ________________ notorious for pseudo-scientific experiments particularly
on Gypsies and twins.
SonderKommando—S.S. or Einsatzgruppe, also refers to the Jewish _____________ labor units that
removed bodies of those who were ____________________ in extermination camps.
S.S. (Schustzstaffel)—an _______________ unit of the Nazi party that acted as political police and oversaw
the __________________ of the concentration camps.
Wizened—________________ up, withered.
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. Immediately after the Jews were unloaded from the train, what do the German officers do?
2. The men were then marched before Dr. Josef Mengele. What did he do? What was his purpose?
3. What did another prisoner say would happen to Elie’s group?
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4. When some of the younger men wanted to rush the guards, even if they died in the effort, what did the
older people counsel?
5. What did Elie witness while he was standing in line? What was his reaction to what he saw?
6. When Elie realized that he and his father may be burned, what plan did he devise?
7. The scene of Wiesel and his father approaching the inferno is particularly vivid. How is such artistry
achieved?
8. What did Elie revolt against?
9. One way an author has to effectively emphasize a point is through selective repetition of a word or phrase.
What phrase does Wiesel employ to highlight the horror of his first night in the concentration camp?
10. List the things that Wiesel says he shall never forget.
11. Another method of emphasis is through the use of imagery. What images are used frequently throughout
Night?
12. Elie and his father are spared from the flames. What happened to them next in the course of their
processing at Auschwitz?
13. This marked the end of Elie’s first night at Auschwitz. What natural sign marked the beginning of the
next day? What does Elie tell us of the change in himself?
14. Why did Elie berate himself so severely?
15. Where were Elie and his father marched to?
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16. What was Elie’s first impression of Auschwitz?
17. What was unusual about the prisoner in charge of their barracks?
18. The next day, the prisoners underwent a last step in their admission process. What was it?
19. Who did Elie meet after several days at the camp?
20. What did Stein want?
21. How did Elie respond to Stein’s request for information?
22. Since the prisoner in charge of their block was kind, and since there was no work to be done, Elie and his
father tried to avoid being transported anywhere else. How were they able to avoid being transported?
23. Why was the prisoner in charge of their block replaced? Find the ironic statement on in this passage.
24. Stein continued to visit the Wiesels, but suddenly they no longer saw him again. What happened to
Stein?
25. How did some religious Jews see their troubles? How did Elie feel about God?
26. Finally, Elie and his father were moved from their barracks. Where were they taken?
Chapter 4
Vocabulary and Background
Aryan Race—a term that referred to people of __________________________ racial background. The Nazi
aim was to preserve the _________________ of German blood. Jews and Gypsies were excluded.
Buna—operated by I.G. Farben, was one of the ____________________ labor camps that were part of
Auschwitz III. Prisoners were routinely _________________. It was found that most prisoners on the socalled “I.G. Farben Diet” lost an average of 7 – 9 pounds per _________________. The average work life of
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these slave laborers was about ____ months, after which they were too weak for any useful labor and were
_________________ at one of the nearby concentration camps.
Gallows—structure used for __________________
Himmler, Henrich—Nazi leader, ________________ in command to Hitler
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. How did the new camp appear to Elie?
2. As part of their medical examinations, prisoners were examined by a dentist. What was he looking for?
3. After several days, Elie and his father were assigned to a work detail. What was he looking for?
4. What potential problems were there in this job?
5. Why was Elie called to the dentist?
6. How did Elie avoid having his tooth pulled?
7. Why was Elie to pleased about saving his gold crown?
8. What finally happened to the dentist and why?
9. What happened to Elie one day at the factory?
10. Who cleaned the blood from Elie and soothed him with kind words? What was unusual about her?
11. Elie tells of meeting this same woman many years later in Paris. What important question did he ask her,
and what was her reply?
12. What else did Idek do to the Wiesels? How did Elie respond?
13. What did Franek, the Polish foreman, want from Elie? What was Elie’s response?
14. How did the foreman get revenge on Elie and his father for refusing to give up the gold tooth?
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15. How did Elie try to stop the beatings? Was he successful?
16. What did Elie finally do? What was the irony in all of this?
17. All of the Kapos were also prisoners, and most were Jewish. Are you surprised about how cruel and
greedy they were?
18. Why did Elie’s unit have to go to the warehouse on a Sunday, even though they were not required to
work?
19. How did Idek punish Elie for spying on him?
20. Why was a prisoner shot during an Allied air raid on the prison camp?
21. Why were the prisoners happy about the air raid even though they might have been killed by bombs?
22. One day, the prisoners were told that soup would not be distributed until after roll call. Why was this?
23. What other public execution does Wiesel write about?
24. Why was this execution particularly cruel?
Chapter 5
Vocabulary and Background
Crucible—a severe _____________, a ___________
Fortnight—________________ days
Mountebank—__________, jokester
Monochrome—in a ___________ color
Musulmann—prison camp ____________ for a ________________ who was so weakened he was not
expected to live much longer.
Red Army—Soviet Russian army, Russia was one of the _____________ powers (Britain, Free France, and
the U.S.) during WWII.
Rosh Hashanah—the ____________New Year
Yom Kippur---Day of ______________________________
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Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. What literary device does Wiesel use to illustrate his disillusionment with God?
2. Wiesel’s description of himself as “ashes” is an example of which figure of speech? What does the term
suggest?
3. Wiesel’s assertion that man (and thus Wiesel) himself is stronger than God is an example of what literary
device?
4. During Yom Kippur, what did the prisoners debate?
5. What “gift” did the Germans have for the prisoners for the New Year?
6. The head of Elie’s block gave some words of ad vice to the prisoners to improve their chances and avoid
being selected. What did he say?
7. When Elie’s number was not written down for selection what joke did his friend make?
8. What did the head of the block tell everyone after the selection process was over? Why did he say this?
9. Several days later though, some of the prisoners were told that they were not to report to work but would
instead stay in camp. Who were these prisoners?
10. What was to become of these men?
11. What did Elie’s father give to Elie, and what did Elie ironically call it?
12. What happened to Elie’s father?
13. Why was Akiba Drumer chosen for selection according to Elie?
14. What did Akiba Drumer ask of his fellow prisoners?
15. Why do you suppose they never honored the request?
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16. When winter came to the cap, what happened to Elie?
17. What was the doctor’s diagnosis?
18. Was the operation successful?
19. Two days after Elie’s operation, what rumor began circulating around the camp?
20. Why was this good news for the prisoners?
21. The prisoners had heard similar rumors in the past. Why were they particularly hopeful this time.
22. Why did Elie’s hospital neighbor refuse to be fooled?
23. What bad news did prisoners receive that day?
24. What choice did Elie and his father have to make that day? What was their decision?
25. What became of those people who stayed behind in the hospital?
Chapter 6
Vocabulary and Background
Automatons—people who act in a ________________ fashion
Petrified—____________ up
Stupefied—dazed
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. As the prisoners ran through the night, what orders were the S.S. guards under?
2. “Death wrapped itself around me…it stuck to me” is an example of what literary device?
3. Although Elie felt that he could have easily given up and died, why did he run on?
4. Given the situation and their physical condition, what was remarkable about their night’s journey?
5. Some time later, Elie was awakened by his father. Why would he not let Elie sleep?
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6. What agreement did Elie and his father reach?
7. Who was Rabbi Eliahou looking for?
8. Elie told the Rabbi that he had not seen his son, but later remembered that he had indeed seen the boy.
What else did Elie remember about the Rabbi’s son?
9. What did Elie do in response?
10. The second night’s march is different from the first in what ways?
11. When the prisoners finally reached their destination of Gleiwitz, a new danger arose. What is it?
12. Who was the boy underneath Elie?
13. Some time during the night, what did Elie hear?
14. After three days, what happened?
15. How did some of the prisoners try to distance themselves from the grim reality of their existence?
16. This chapter is about hardship, perseverance, caring and not caring. List some quotes to support this
generalization.
Chapter 7
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. After the transport train stopped in the middle of a field, what orders were given?
2. How did the prisoners respond? How did Elie save his father’s life?
3. How long did they travel?
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4. At one stop, a workman tossed in a piece of bread. What happened? How can you account for the
prisoner’s actions?
5. What happened next?
6. Why do you suppose Elie then tells the story about the woman throwing coins to the natives?
7. Throughout this chapter, how does Elie view the average German civilian?
8. What scene did Elie witness? At the end of this scene why do you suppose Elie tells us that he was
fifteen?
9. During the last day of their journey, what happened?
10. Of the 100 men who had gotten on the train with Elie, how many got out? What does the death of Meir
Kayz suggest?
11. Where did the remaining prisoners finally arrive?
Chapter 8
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. After they arrived, the prisoners were supposed to shower. What did Elie’s father want to do?
2. Why did Elie shout at his father?
3. What finally forced them inside?
4. The next day when Elie went in search of his father, what was his fleeting hope?
5. Weakened further by dysentery, the father could not get out of his bunk? What further injury did some of
the inmates do him?
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6. What advice did the block leader give Elie?
7. Of the advice, Elie says—“He was right, I though in the most secret region of my heart…” In what sense
was the block leader right?
8. After lying ill for over a week, what finally happened to Elie’s father?
Chapter 9
Study Questions: Answer in complete sentences.
1. How long was Elie’s stay at Buchenwald? What were his thoughts during this time?
2. How did the prisoners know that the end of the war was near?
3. What did the prisoners think was going to happen to them?
4. What did the Germans decide to do with the prisoners?
5. Before all the prisoners could be evacuated, though, what happened?
6. Several hours later, what happened?
7. What comments did Wiesel make about the prisoners’ actions after liberation?
8. What happened to Elie after liberation?
9. What does the last line of this book suggest?
10. Why do you suppose that Wiesel always refers to his persecutors as Germans or S.S., but never Nazis?
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