Kimberly Maher
History 133Q
January 17th & 24th, 2006

Discussion questions for Victor Klemperer's diary for the years 1933-1941, I will bear witness
(for 1939-41)

  1. Klemperer repeatedly references the language of the Nazi's, or "lingua tertii immperii". What is he referring to and why is it significant?
  2. How was it that Hitler was able to so successfully segregate and then alienate the Jewish population?
  3. To what extent was the German public conscious of the Jewish extermination? Did they understand the magnitude or severity of the situation? If so, how did they know?
  4. What is the pattern and/or effect of German sentiments/moods and where does it originate? How does the general mood of the people affect the lives of the Klemperer's?
  5. How can the behaviors/attitudes of the Nazi's who Klemperer encounters be described?

questions by Kimberly Maher, Jan. 24, 2006; prepared for web by H. Marcuse, Feb. 2, 2006; updated:
back to top, to Hist 133Q homepage