Anirudh Kodukula

Mrs. Burrows

English II

5th Period

Oct. 25th 2023

Checkpoint #1
Book Name: Auschwitz: A New History
Author Name: Laurence Rees

Identify the author. Explain why he/she authored this book? Write 1 paragraph.
Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz: A New History, intends to clarify, “confusion in the
popular consciousness about the true history of Auschwitz,” and means to present information
regarding Auschwitz to the audience because, “it offers something distinctive.” Rees conducts an
in-depth analysis on Auschwitz because it could provide insight into the Nazis, and it could
formulate the understanding of, “how human beings behaved in some of the most extreme
conditions.” Till now, Auschwitz was viewed as a place of death and nothing more. This may be
correct to a small extent. In authoring this particular novel, Rees allowed the audience to really
know what happened. Overall, Rees authored this book to further enhance knowledge the great
tragedy that occurred in Auschwitz, and how the power dynamic in Nazi society worked during
those days.

Predict what you think the purpose may be. Cite examples from the text. Write 1 paragraph.
The purpose of Laurence Rees, author of Auschwitz: A New History, when she authored
her book is to inform her audience of the horrors that happened at Auschwitz and tell them about
how one of history’s largest mass murders occurred occurred at a certain focal point only –
Auschwitz. In support of this, Rees states, “... how human beings behaved in some of the most
extreme conditions.” This quote reflects on the characteristics of the Nazis. Rees tries to
understand how the mass hysteria produced in Nazi Society was caused. The ‘Final Solution,’
also known as the mass murder of various ethnic communities in concentration camps. Rees
hoped that “Tracing how Hitler, Himmler, Heydrich, and other leading Nazis created both their
‘Final Solution’ and Auschwitz offers … the chance to see in action a dynamic and radical
decision-making process of great complexity.” Overall, Rees intends to, “analyze the strategic
decisions that led the Nazi leadership to prescribe Auschwitz as its primary site for the extinction
of Europe's Jews.”