<em>The citizens of Sighet resisted the truth about Germany's intent to exterminate Jews because Jewish people have lived in many countries and, although they have long been persecuted, nothing like mass extermination has ever occurred. They also believe that they need not fear Nazi Germany because it will be defeated in the war.
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<em>Until the state of Israel was founded, the Jewish people had no country of their own. Their history is patterned with persecution, often by those of the country in which they have lived. In fact, this persecution goes all the way back to the Crusades. Throughout European history, they have been expelled from various countries, or they have had restrictions placed upon them, such as having to live in ghettos, as were established in Venice. But, no such mass extermination ever occurred like that of Nazi Germany. This is why it is hard for the residents of Sighet to believe Moishe's warnings.
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<em>Furthermore, Elie's town of Sighet was a part of Hungary in the 1940s. At that time the Jews were integrated into Hungarian society. In the capital of Budapest, they were 23% of the population and were prominent in the arts, business, and science. Perhaps, this is why the one resident of Sighet calmly observes after the removal of the foreign Jews, "What do you expect? That's war . . . " and the others go back to their daily lives thinking that Hungarian Jews need not be afraid.
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<em>Not long after the foreign Jews were removed from Sighet, Moishe the Beadle, who was among them, returns and states that the deportation train on which he and others rode, was turned over to the German Gestapo once it reached into Polish territory. It was then that the mass murders of the Jews took place at the hands of the Gestapo. Moishe escaped death because as he was made to stand before the immense open grave, the shot to his head missed and went into his leg. When it was dark, he escaped and returned to Sighet to warn them. As they listen, the Jewish people in Sighet find it hard to believe that Hungary would turn over the train to the Gestapo. They also are convinced that Russia will defeat Germany.
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<em>The people were saying, "The Red Army is advancing with giant strides . . . Hitler will not be able to harm us, even if he wants to . . . " </em>
