Violations In Elie Wiesel's Night

In his book, “Night”, Elie Wiesel gives us just a glimpse into the horrors of the Holocaust. Throughout the book, Elie faces several cruel and inhumane challenges while he is in the concentration camps. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in December 1948, ensured that this atrocity would never happen again. However, during the Holocaust, many of these rights were violated, and the violation of these rights will haunt our world forever. Article 5 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that no one will be subjected to torture or cruel punishment. There are countless violations of this right throughout the book, but one that really stands out is when Elie is beaten by the SS. “I no longer felt anything except the lashes of the whip.” (Wiesel 57) No man should be able to strike out against another unless out of self defense. Also, Elie was only a child and should not have been punished in such a humiliating way.

This means no one can be taken away from their home and held captive without a proper trial. Not only were the Jews taken from their towns and homes, but they were also held in the concentration camps for years and transported like cattle. “‘The news is terrible,’ he said at last. And then one word: ‘Transports.’” (Wiesel 13) No one should be unwillingly made to go anywhere without being given a reason and being told where they are going. Article 12 states that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with their privacy, family, or home. The people of Sighet were forced to leave their houses behind and move into the ghettos. “We gave some of our rooms to relatives who had been driven out of their homes.” (Wiesel 11) Everyone was living in a small living space for weeks. People’s property is theirs, and they should be able to do as they please with it. No one should interfere with a person’s home without