Human Rights In Elie Wiesel's Night

Throughout history, there have been many times when human rights have been violated, but none of them compare to the Holocaust. During the Holocaust, German Communists, Socialists, Social Democrats, homosexuals, and most of all, those of Jewish descent were herded and placed in work camps. The people’s basic human rights were violated when they were enslaved by the German Army. Article Four of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” states, “no one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms” (United Nations General Assembly). Hitler’s final solution for the Jewish communities in Germany and its surrounding countries completely violated article four. In his novel, Night, Elie Wiesel describes his journey throughout the concentration camps in Europe and how Hitler’s Regime contravened his basic rights.
After people discovered the horrors of Nazi work camps and the way the Jewish people were treated, they felt the need to define the rights to which every human being is entitled. As Night progresses, Elie describes the different work Kommandos he had no choice but to work in. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines slavery as, “submission to a dominating influence.” During his trials in the concentration camps this is exactly what Elie describes he experienced. When a young Elie first entered Auschwitz/Birkenau, he was fortunate enough to be placed in the music Kommando; a job that was not strenuous compared to others; however, during his servitude in Buna, he was placed in the Construction Kommando, an arduous and grueling