Memorandum
Activity 1
- Before we can begin to research and explore the topic of “The Holocaust”, we have to have a clear understanding of the term, “Human Rights”.
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“Human rights” are the universal rights held to belong to individuals by virtue of their being human, encompassing civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and freedoms, and based on the notion of personal human dignity and worth.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopaedia
- Since World War ll Human Rights have become a universally espoused yet widely disregarded concept. Organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch promote human rights and denounce human rights abuses.
Human rights issues include
- civil rights
- feminism
- gay-rite movement
- war crimes
- For the purpose of this activity we shall be exploring “war crimes”, and more specifically, “The Holocaust”.
The holocaust
- ‘The Holocaust’ refers to the intentional systematic annihilation of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945. The Jews were killed because of supposed ‘racial characteristics’.
Why do we have to be aware of the holocaust?
- The Holocaust transcends time, space, and all lines of race or religion. Its human significance is universal and its lessons are relevant to everyone – particularly South Africans who have recently emerged from the apartheid era during which prejudice, racism and discrimination was institutionalised. Laws that are based on prejudice, racism and discrimination can lead to institutionalised violence, brutality and torture and ultimately to Genocide as happened in Nazi Germany.
- We need to learn from the mistakes that were made and make sure we do not repeat them. We also need to learn about the ultimate consequences of prejudice, racism, intolerance, discrimination, and human rights violations, and we need to strive towards the creation of a society in which these evils will not be tolerated.
Protest theatre
- The Arts is one of the mediums at our disposal to make people aware of political, social and environmental issues and serves as a platform to advocate these issues.
Protest Theatre
- It is dramas and theatre productions created to give voice to injustice.
- It aids in giving visual and oral expression in assimilating negative feelings.
- It is aimed at evoking awareness of the issues in public or for all who are observing the performance.
Exercise1: The Project
- Have the learners research the Holocaust and compile a record of their findings.
- The project must include the following
- illustrations, pictures, photographs
- Germany and the rise of Nazism
- Anti-semitism and racism
- Concentration camps
- Jewish culture
- Apartheid in South Africa and how it compares to Anti-semitism
- South African Protest Theatre
- Examples of South African Protest Theatre
- Woza Albert
- Sizwe Banzi is Dead
- District 6
- Sophia Town
- The following questions should be answered
- What is protest theatre?
- Why is protest theatre necessary?
- Is protest theatre entertainment?
Exercise 2: Improvisation
- Divide the learners into groups of six to eight.
- Have each group select an aspect from their research on the Holocaust that they would like to portray in improvisation.
- The improvisation should not be more than 2 minutes long.
- The improvisation should include the following:
- a message
- beginning, middle and end
- climax
- specific setting
- definite characterisation
- Give the learners not more than five minutes to plan their improvisation.
- Have each group perform their scene for the rest of the class.
Exercise 3: Class Discussion
- Have the learners discuss the following aspects after each performance:
- Could this scene be classified as protest theatre?
- Was the issue of human rights prominent?
- Did the scene have a climax?
- What was the message of the scene?
- Did the characters contribute to the message?
- How would you improve on the scene?
- Did everyone work together as a team?
- Did the scene evoke any emotion in the audience?
Hints / Suggestions
- Make sure you are fully prepared for this Activity in order for you to answer any questions that might arise.
- If possible, show the learners a video on the Holocaust, e.g.
Schindler’s List, Diary of Anne Frank, The Piano, Life is Beautiful
- Encourage class participation in all the exercises.
- Give a small prize to the best project and best improvisation as an incentive.
