Vladek Spiegelman: Unsung Hero of the 21st Century

 

Vladek Spiegelman, Artie Spiegelman’s father, was living in Poland during the period of World War 2. It was between 1930s-1944, when the war began to affect Vladek.Vladek and his family had to live under the control of the Nazis in Poland. Vladek, along with many other Jews, struggles to survive under the oppression of the Germans who spread their anti-Semitic policies. He is a Jewish survivor who has been through unimaginable escapes and witness an innumerable amount of deaths. Vladek is a hero because he stands up against institutional oppression by having the mentality to survive and trying to save others as well.

Vladek stands up to institutional power by using his intelligence to physically survive. The Nazi’s had taken over parts of Poland, and it started to become a difficult time for the Jews. They were banned from many towns, and were forced to hide from the soldiers if they wanted to survive. Vladek was drafted into the war in 1939. The Nazis takes Vladek along with many other Jews to a place near Nuremberg, where it has many war prisoners.  When Polish prisoners are placed in heated cabinets, the Jews are left in cold tents and only had blankets to keep warm. In fact, when Vladek went out to shower in the river, he says “I’ll be clean! And I’ll feel warm all day by comparison” (Spiegelman 53). In order to maintain his health, Vladek took baths and did gymnastics to keep strong. Soon there was an announcement made that “war prisoners may volunteer for labor assignments to replace Germans workers called to the front.” While many others complained about it being a trick or disagreeing, Vladek claims “I’m not going to die and I won’t die here! I wanted to be treated like a human being!” (Spiegelman 54). His determined mindset helped him as he was then sent to a big German company and was able to stay in nice wooden houses. Afterwards, Vladek was on the train after being released from the military. He knew that the Polish “were very bitter on the Germans”, so he starts saying bad things about them. Vladek asks the Polish train man to help him get back to Sosnowiec, and he made sure the man didn’t know that he was a Jew (Spiegelman 64). With the help of the train man, he was able to get back home to his family. Vladek was able to pull himself out of many situations and improbable escapes. In all of his situations, he confronts institutionalized oppression by surviving and not giving into the Nazi’s power. Overall, Vladek is a hero because not many Jews were able to survive World War 2. Many of them weren’t able to keep determined to try to survive like Vladek nor help save others.

Vladek stands up to institutional oppression by trying to save others during the Holocaust in Poland. Anja, his wife, “became completely hysterical” because of  the loss of her son ,Richieu, along with many other family members. In fact, when Anja complains about dying, Vladek responds by saying “No, darling! To die, it’s easy but you have to struggle for life! Until the last moment we must struggle together! I need you! And you’ll see that together we’ll survive” (Spiegelman 122). When Anja wants to surrender, Vladek convinces her and she was able to pull through. While they were hiding, Vladek went outside to look for food. In fact, when he brought back the food to Anja, he says “I had to get breakfast! Want some sausages?…or eggs?…or would you prefer chocolate?” (Spiegelman 139). This shows that, Vladek is capable of not only saving himself but also others, because he’s still able to provide food for his wife even when they’re having a tough time hiding from the Nazis. Finding a source of food at that time is like watching pigs fly. He also helps in hiding Anja’s grandparents, by building a bunker in the yard, when the Germans announces that “All Jews over 70 years old will be transferred to Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia on May 10, 1942” (Spiegelman 86). He didn’t let his wife forfeit to the Nazi’s power. Even though Vladek is trying to save himself, he doesn’t forget about others.

It’s important to recognize Vladek as a hero because he is a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust. He was able to endure the oppression of the Nazi’s in Poland, and make it out alive. Many other Jews weren’t able to withstand and live under the Nazi’s control, but Vladek resisted and even used his intelligence to save himself and his wife from being sent to concentration camps. Although there was once when Vladek wanted to turn away from the oppression and escape to Hungary, he’s still a hero. While it is true that many would not consider Vladek’s actions to be heroic he was, in fact, heroic because he had the mindset to persevere under the Nazi’s anti-seminic policies. He stood up to powers that tried to keep him from surviving. Nevertheless my point still stand because the Nazi’s wants all of the Jews to be dead, and Vladek stands up to that by doing the exact opposite. Vladek was “not afraid to take a stand” for himself. His intelligence and attitude allows him to liberate from the Nazi’ making him a strong candidate for an “Unsung Hero of the 21st Century.” Would everyone be able to confront institutional oppression if their country was taken over or would they relinquish?