Significance Of Beethoven In The Book Night

“Pitch darkness. Every now and then, an explosion in the night. They had orders on any who could not keep up.” (Page 91) In the book Night, by Elie Wiesel, this quote refers to what was known as a death march, during the time of the Holocaust. Due to the Soviet army, almost all of the concentration camps had to be evacuated. Most were by train or ship, but further into the war the Soviet army was close enough to put the German skies under their submission. This gave the Germans one choice, which was to move by foot. The only way to transport thousands of people on foot was to march, but not just any march. It was a death march. During these marches people would sing or hum to keep their spirits up. Most of the time it was Beethoven, which was ironic because Beethoven was a German. Most people in the death marches didn’t stand a chance. You either died from exhaustion or died from slowing down, then being shot by a German soldier. In the book, Elie referenced how many

This song is made up of a short-short-short-long rhythmic pattern which in morse code means the letter “V” which stood for victory. In addition to that, Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” related to this time period because the upbeat and calm tone of the music contradicted the sad parts of the book that were filled with death and depression. When Beethoven’s music was fast paced it reminded me of when they were running in the death march. When the music was slow it reminded me of an execution and the prisoners who were forced to watch. Even though Beethoven was German he was also remembered for supporting liberation and thought of himself as a symbol of resistance to dictatorship. Further into the book Elie recalls that every time that he hears Beethoven he is reminded of his friend Juliek playing Beethoven on violin. () In the end Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” was just another way to support the war