Primary Sources: The Holocaust: Theater

The ATTIC ROOM is a part of BEYOND THE ABYSS, a series of six Judaica plays written between 1989, when Ronald John Vierling returned from study at Yad Vasehem Institute, Jerusalem, Israel, and 1996, when the last play in the series was staged.

BEYOND THE ABYSS is divided into two volumes. The three plays in Volume One are, in the order of their composition, ADAM'S DAUGHTER, COMMON GROUND, and SEDER. The three plays in volume Two are, in the order of their composition, THE ATTIC ROOM, THE TOWER, and THE CHILDREN OF MOSES DAVAR.

THE CHILDREN OF MOSES DAVAR is a part of BEYOND THE ABYSS, a series of six Judaica plays written between 1989, when Ronald John Vierling returned from study at Yad Vasehem Institute, Jerusalem, Israel, and 1996, when the last play in the series was staged.

BEYOND THE ABYSS is divided into two volumes. The three plays in Volume One are, in the order of their composition, ADAM'S DAUGHTER, COMMON GROUND, and SEDER. The three plays in volume Two are, in the order of their composition, THE ATTIC ROOM, THE TOWER, and THE CHILDREN OF MOSES DAVAR.

This play takes place in Warsaw, Poland, in the 1940s and tells the story of Dr.Yanush Korczak, educator and leader of the Warsaw Orphanage. Given a chance to leave his children behind and seek refuge from the Nazis, Korczak made the decision to stay with his children. He was, consequently, killed, along with the children, at the concentration camp, Treblinka. Today, a sculpture of Korczak and his children stands outside of the orphanage as a reminder of his courage and devotion to the children.

From JUNIOR SCHOLASTIC April 27, 1998, Teacher’s and Student’s Editions.
Copyright © 1998 by Scholastic Inc.