The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor

The Nazis’ campaign of extermination against the Jews was not only morally indefensible but was also a massive waste of resources—including some of the best minds, talents, and patriots of their own country. Citing examples from the text, discuss how the self-destructive seeds of antisemitism and genocide took root in such a modern, scientifically advanced nation as Germany.

In Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps, medical practice took on a grotesque new meaning and form. What inverted roles did these medical institutions and practices play in the Holocaust, and how did prisoners learn to evade them? What does the Holocaust teach us about the uses and misuses of science? 

One of the dominant motifs of Eddie Jaku’s memoir is betrayal, whether by individuals or nations. What forms does betrayal take in the memoir? How does it contrast with Eddie’s experiences of loyalty?