Critical Thinking/Discussion Questions - Tilla Starkand
- After viewing Tilla’s film, list reasons described in her testimony which motivated Tilla to travel from her home country to a different country, culture, and home.
- From her identity card, below, we know that Tilla Starkand was a member of the Kulturbund, which allowed her to attend segregated cultural events for Jews. While she could not go to a movie and sit by side with non-Jewish Germans, she could attend a lecture by a Jewish speaker, or see a dramatic or musical performance staged and performed by Jews, and be part of an all-Jewish audience. How could clubs which are limited to a specific race or religion be helpful to their members? In what ways could they be harmful?
Tilla's identity card - Teenager, Tilla Starkand enjoyed hiking and overnight trips with other Jewish youth in Jüdische Jugenverband, the Jewish Young People’s Association, created within the Jewish religious and cultural community. Compare and contrast Tillla’s participation in this youth club to her participation in the Jüdische Kulturbund, which was created to allow Jews to continue to have an enhanced cultural life after they were barred from the German public cultural life. Can you give similar examples of clubs segregated by religion, race, sex or other factors? How are these clubs different from the Kulturbund?