Story Planning: Hell on Earth

“FORSAKE ALL HOPE, ALL YOU THAT ENTER HERE.”

That is a portion of the phrase that looms above the entrance to hell in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.  

“ARBEIT MACHT FREI” (Work will set you free; work sets you free)

That is the phrase that was displayed above the entrance to many concentration camps in Nazi Germany and other Nazi ruled countries.  

The entrance to Dachau.  Courtesy of wikipedia

 

When I look at the two phrases in context, I believe that the second phrase is much more shameful and horrific.  It was a lie.  The slogan from Dante’s Inferno would’ve been equally appropriate at the gates of the concentration camps.  Although early on, some prisoners in the work camps were set free, but most of the time, they were imprisoned again shortly afterwards.  The Nazis had no intention of releasing their prisoners, no matter how hard they worked.  At least Satan was honest… 

Like I said in my reading notes post, if I choose to write a story based on Dante’s writings and the Holocaust, I want to ensure that I’m careful.  I don’t want to be disrespectful in any way toward those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.  With that being said, here are a few ideas:

I.  Satan is trying to determine which circle of hell Hitler and his followers belong in, and they walk through each ring discussing why he may belong there.  His disgusting acts that fit each ring of hell could be briefly discussed.  Of course, he would end up being placed in the last ring, and may even end up being personally punished by the devil himself. 

II. I could take a different approach, and write a story that still includes Dante and Virgil, but instead of touring hell, they are touring Nazi Germany.  Virgil tells Dante about the groups of people who were persecuted there, and some of the atrocities that were committed.  Virgil could even discuss those who would belong in Limbo: the people that were aware of what was going on, but that did not try to help.  Though they did not “actively” sin, they did so passively, and as we see in the original source, that’s enough to deserve hell.   It could be a reunion between the two, even. 

I don’t feel strongly about either approach, and I’m still considering whether or not this is even worth attempting, because again, I don’t want to be insensitive.