LS 5663 Module 3: 2011 Poetry Book

Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto

Janeczko, Paul B. 2011. REQUIEM: POEMS OF THE TEREZIN GHETTO. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0-7636-4727-8.

Review:

In this small, but powerful book, poet Paul B. Janeczko gives readers a haunting look into the lives of Jews imprisoned in the Terezin Concentration Camp. Terezin was proudly hailed by Hitler as a sanctuary for artistic Jews. As proof of this refuge, The Red Cross was allowed to tour the camp. Janeczko chronicles this visit in the poem titled SS Lieutenant Theodor Lang found below.

Though most of the characters in Janeczko’s poems are fictional, the poems were informed by research and based on historical events and facts. Janeczko uses the Author’s Note to inform readers on factual aspects of his book. Though not completed yet, there is a section reserved at the back of the book for “English Translations of Foreign Words”. Janeczko also provides readers with additional resources such as books, websites, and DVD’s. Artwork found at Terezin after the war is distributed throughout. These dramatic black and white drawings are a testament to the atrocities experienced by the Jews. In this advance copy, all artwork is not yet finalized.

Paul B. Janeczko provides readers with a moving, lyrical view into the hearts of the imprisoned men, women, and children of Terezin Ghetto as well as German soldiers. It’s this look into the perspective of German soldiers that makes Janeczko’s Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto one of the more unique books on Holocaust poetry. 

Highlighted Poem (excerpt):

SS Lieutenant Theodor Lang

“Because of the meddlesome king of Denmark

 we were forced

 to allow

 Red Cross inspectors to visit our town.

 We had months to prepare

 our show, a charade

 to show them that there was no truth

 to the pesky rumors about how

 we treated our Jews.”

 The poem details the preparations for the Red Cross visit, and yet, ends with the chilling truth: 

“The inspectors

 were in our town for a short time,

 only long enough to see

 what we wanted them to see.

 No more.

 They saw enough

 to know that we were treating the Jews

 in a civilized and humane manner.

 We waited a few months

 to resume the transports.

 The town was getting crowded

 and the ovens of Auschwitz waited.”

Possible Uses:

Teachers could use this poem in a study of the propaganda used during WWII and Hitler’s use of it for the express purpose of covering up the systematic slaughter of millions of Jewish citizens.