NightNightBackground InformationBackground Information

The AuthorThe Author Elie Wiesel is an author, a scholar, and a Holocaust survivor. He Elie Wiesel is an author, a scholar, and a Holocaust survivor. He

witnessed unspeakable horrors during World War II as six million witnessed unspeakable horrors during World War II as six million Jews were wiped off the face of this Earth, including his own family. Jews were wiped off the face of this Earth, including his own family. In In NightNight, Wiesel recalls his childhood before the Nazis ripped him , Wiesel recalls his childhood before the Nazis ripped him from his hometown and the daily terrors he endured inside the from his hometown and the daily terrors he endured inside the German death camps. However painful this autobiographical work is German death camps. However painful this autobiographical work is to read, to read, NightNight is a testament to memories, wounds and losses. Each is a testament to memories, wounds and losses. Each chapter raises questions that have haunted the world since Hitler's chapter raises questions that have haunted the world since Hitler's rise: How could the world allow such a staggering number of rise: How could the world allow such a staggering number of innocents to be persecuted and executed? Why does one man innocents to be persecuted and executed? Why does one man survive when his body, mind, and spirit are brutalized for months, survive when his body, mind, and spirit are brutalized for months, even years, when his neighbor—or father—does not? even years, when his neighbor—or father—does not? NightNight is is essential reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the essential reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and the legacy it left behind. Holocaust and the legacy it left behind.

Elie Wiesel, at age 15, just before being deported to Auschwitz.

Elie (short for Eliezer) Wiesel was born on September 30, 1928, in Sighet, Transylvania (a town in northern modern-day Romania near the meeting of the Hungarian and Ukrainian borders.) He was 15 years old when he and his family were deported by the Gestapo to Auschwitz and separated.

The Author-Elie Wiesel

After the war After the war After the war, Wiesel spent a few years in a French orphanage. After the war, Wiesel spent a few years in a French orphanage.

In 1948, he began his studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and In 1948, he began his studies at the Sorbonne in Paris and began to work for the French newspaper began to work for the French newspaper L'archeL'arche. Though he . Though he had become involved in journalism, Wiesel had never shared had become involved in journalism, Wiesel had never shared his own personal experiences during the war. Over time, his own personal experiences during the war. Over time, Wiesel became acquainted with the distinguished French Wiesel became acquainted with the distinguished French Catholic writer and Nobel laureate Francois Mauriac, who Catholic writer and Nobel laureate Francois Mauriac, who finally inspired Wiesel to break his self-imposed vow of silence finally inspired Wiesel to break his self-imposed vow of silence and write about surviving the Nazi concentration camps. and write about surviving the Nazi concentration camps.

The result was a nearly 900-page personal account, The result was a nearly 900-page personal account, And the World Remained SilentAnd the World Remained Silent, written in Yiddish and , written in Yiddish and published in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1956. Two years later, published in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1956. Two years later, a compressed, 127-page French version called a compressed, 127-page French version called La NuitLa Nuit ( (NightNight) ) was published. In 1960, the first English translation was was published. In 1960, the first English translation was published. Since then, published. Since then, NightNight has been translated into more has been translated into more than 30 languages. A new 2006 edition, translated by his wife, than 30 languages. A new 2006 edition, translated by his wife, Marion Wiesel, offers the most accurate English translation of Marion Wiesel, offers the most accurate English translation of the work to date. And in a substantive new preface, Elie the work to date. And in a substantive new preface, Elie Wiesel reflects on Wiesel reflects on the enduring importance of the enduring importance of NightNight and his and his lifelong, passionate dedication to ensuring that the world lifelong, passionate dedication to ensuring that the world never forgets man's capacity for inhumanity to man. never forgets man's capacity for inhumanity to man.

After the publication of After the publication of NightNight

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, Wiesel has dedicated his life to 1986, Wiesel has dedicated his life to speaking out against hatred, bigotry and speaking out against hatred, bigotry and genocidegenocide. In 1978, President Jimmy . In 1978, President Jimmy Carter appointed Elie Wiesel as Carter appointed Elie Wiesel as Chairman of the President's Commission Chairman of the President's Commission on the Holocaust. In 1980, he became on the Holocaust. In 1980, he became the Founding Chairman of the United the Founding Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and States Holocaust Memorial Council and was instrumental in the creation of the was instrumental in the creation of the United States Holocaust Memorial United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Considered one of the premier Museum. Considered one of the premier humanists of modern times, he has humanists of modern times, he has received numerous awards including the received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and the Congressional Gold Medal and the Medal of Liberty Award and the rank of Medal of Liberty Award and the rank of Grand-Croix in the French Legion of Grand-Croix in the French Legion of Honor. Honor.

In 1963, Wiesel became a U.S. citizen In 1963, Wiesel became a U.S. citizen and he has been the Andrew W. Mellon and he has been the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston Professor in the Humanities at Boston University since 1976. Wiesel and his University since 1976. Wiesel and his wife have one son, Shlomo-Elisha, wife have one son, Shlomo-Elisha, named after his father.named after his father.

ChildhoodChildhoodBefore the rise of the NazisBefore the rise of the Nazis

Wiesel was born on Wiesel was born on September 30September 30, , 19281928 in in SighetSighet, a village in the , a village in the Carpathian mountainsCarpathian mountains in in northern Transylvania, northern Transylvania, which was annexed by which was annexed by HungaryHungary in 1940. With his in 1940. With his father Shlomo, his mother father Shlomo, his mother Sarah, and his three Sarah, and his three sisters — Hilda, Beatrice, sisters — Hilda, Beatrice, and seven-year-old and seven-year-old Tzipora — he lived as part Tzipora — he lived as part of a close-knit community of a close-knit community of between 10,000 and of between 10,000 and 20,000 mostly 20,000 mostly OrthodoxOrthodox Jews. Jews.

The location of Sighet The location of Sighet

The opening of The opening of Night Night begins with begins with

When Germany invaded Hungary at midnight When Germany invaded Hungary at midnight on on March 18March 18, , 19441944, few believed they were in , few believed they were in

danger, and danger, and NightNight opens with Moshe the opens with Moshe the BeadleBeadle, the caretaker in Wiesel's , the caretaker in Wiesel's synagoguesynagogue

and the town's humblest resident — "awkward and the town's humblest resident — "awkward as a clown" as a clown" [10][10] but much loved — warning his but much loved — warning his

neighbors in vain to save themselves. neighbors in vain to save themselves.

Deportation to the Concentration Deportation to the Concentration Camps Camps

As the As the AlliesAllies prepared prepared for the for the liberation of Europeliberation of Europe in in May and June that May and June that year, Wiesel and his year, Wiesel and his family, along with family, along with 15,000 other Jews from 15,000 other Jews from Sighet, and 18,000 Sighet, and 18,000 from neighboring from neighboring villages, were being villages, were being deported by the deported by the Germans to Auschwitz Germans to Auschwitz

The Entrance, or so-The Entrance, or so-called "death gate," to called "death gate," to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the extermination camp, the extermination camp, in 2006.in 2006.

AuschwitzAuschwitz Auschwitz II (Birkenau) is a Auschwitz II (Birkenau) is a

camp that many people camp that many people know simply as know simply as "Auschwitz" (it was larger "Auschwitz" (it was larger than Auschwitz I, and more than Auschwitz I, and more people passed through its people passed through its gates than did those of gates than did those of Auschwitz I). It was the site Auschwitz I). It was the site of imprisonment of of imprisonment of hundreds of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and of the killing of over and of the killing of over one million people, mainly one million people, mainly Jews but also large Jews but also large numbers of numbers of PolesPoles, and , and GypsiesGypsies, mostly through , mostly through gassing. gassing.

To be sent to the right meant To be sent to the right meant assignment to a work detail; to the assignment to a work detail; to the left, the left, the gas chambersgas chambers. This image . This image shows the arrival of Hungarian shows the arrival of Hungarian Jews from Carpatho-Ruthenia, Jews from Carpatho-Ruthenia, many of them from the Berehov many of them from the Berehov ghetto; the image was taken by ghetto; the image was taken by Ernst Hofmann or Bernhard Ernst Hofmann or Bernhard Walter of the SS. The main Walter of the SS. The main entrance, or "death gate," is visible entrance, or "death gate," is visible in the backgroundin the background

Wiesel after liberation Wiesel after liberation

Wiesel at Buchenwald, second row, Wiesel at Buchenwald, second row, seventh from the left, April 16, 1945. seventh from the left, April 16, 1945.