Refugee Blues, WWII Poetry

1-As you read in the introduction, the poem was written half a year before the outbreak of World War II. However, the reader can pinpoint the three major protagonists whose paths will cross tragically in the course of the war. Complete the following sentences:

1. The victims are the Jews
2. The perpetrators are the Nazis
3. The bystanders are the Germans / Europeans

2 -What particular factors led an individual to be defined as belonging to this or that group?

Nazis had a model of the perfect citizen: it was blond with blue eyes. However, they accepted German citizens in their mayority; and christians too. They divided the bands of war into two groups; allies and foes.  The mayor division of groups were the Jews. Jews were pursuited and executed during many years, they were sent to the concentration camps too. Other group that was considered a foe were the homosexuals; Nazis executed them without taking them to a court. Black people and the ones with another religion were also considered a threat.

3- Of the three groups, which was the largest? Is their any connection between your answer and the term ‘The Silent Majority’?


The bystanders composed the larger group, and they relate directly to the term "The Silent Majority" because many of them just watched the events without having any intervention, any opinion; and the term "Majority" is applied because they were in a larger number

4- What possible relationships could have developed between the victims and the bystanders?

It's a fact that many victims established friendship with many of the bystanders. Some bystanders betrayed de refugees, but many of them protected them; sometimes even hiding them in their houses.

5-Auden presents different situations in which prohibitions against the victims multiply and effectively turn them into refugees. Identify and list some of these prohibitions. What does it mean to have these things taken away from you?
Among this prohibitions are that Jews couldn't go to many public places, such as meetings and churchs. Besides they were pirsuited by German soldiers. This basic things that are taken away make this refugees look like animals; even worse, treatment to them is beyond cruelty.

6-State bureaucracies are crucial in the lives of ordinary citizens, not to mention threatened population groups like the homeless or people evicted from their homes. Identify the different functionaries or objects that represent bureaucracies for Auden.

In the poem there are stated each of the objects that represent bureaucracies; such as the passport (the jews are stated to have "old ones" and being denied each time they show it), the  consul (which prevented them to leave), the committe (told them to wait), and the public meeting (that accussed them of stealing the food).

7-In your opinion, who is a refugee? Can one become a refugee in one’s own home?

In my opinion, a refugee is someone; and it could be anybody, who must hide in order to save his life. Of course that one actually CAN be a refugee inside his own house; in fact many jews were found hidden in their own houses when the nazis occuppied Europe.

8-How can state bureaucracies help refugees or hinder efforts to help?
By changing the laws that bring difficulties to their living conditions, or simply removing them. They can reduce the punishments too.

9-In your opinion, should governments today have the responsibility to take care of refugees in their country? 

Yes. In my opinion, refugee are a priority such as poor people in a country. Most refugees live in a way that many people will consider miserable; some would even prefer death before living like them.