I am a Filthy Jew: the dehumanization of the Jews

Just because Art Spiegelmen’s Maus is a graphic novel, it doesn’t mean that it’s not hard to read (meaning hard to swallow/depressing). After all, the story is based around Art’s father, Vladek, who survived the sheer terror of the holocaust. There are, however, specific examples that I in particular had a hard time with; all having nothing directly to do with Jewish extermination, but Jewish dehumanization. On page 35 there are three frames that I really had a hard time reading. The first had to do with the Nazis taking away a Jew’s business and forcing him to leave the country. Just the fact that the Jewish person had to give his business up without any profit and flee the country shows pure hatred. The next slide is one that I had the hardest time with; it depicts a Jew sitting in a wagon holding a sign that states “I AM A FILTHY JEW”. This is just pure humiliation and detestation that the Nazis put these Jews through that makes a person wonder Why? Why did this have to happen? Why to the Jews? How could a human being do this to another human being? The last frame that really depresses me is the one proceeding the “Filthy Jew” frame. This frame shows two Nazis holding and beating Jews. It also states at the bottom that these Jews disappeared and no one heard from them again. I just can’t imagine the horror and fear the Jews felt in the beginning part of the holocaust. Don’t get me wrong, the parts in the story that discuss and depict Jews being killed also shocked and depressed me. It’s just that if I put myself in a Jewish persons shoes living in this time in Germany, I would be scared wondering things such as; When will I disappear? Where will I go? What will happen to me/my family? Why is this happening to my people? And maybe even Where is God? These poor Jews not only had to worry about these things, but also after getting captured they had to worry about facing death by gassing or shooting. Those who survived the holocaust are true heroes and my heart goes out to them. It’s too bad superman isn’t real, maybe he could have saved the Jews from the holocaust.