The war ended in Europe on May 8, 1945. Leaving victims with traumatic injuries. The wounds may have healed, but the victims have never been able to forget what happened over the years. In both Elie Wiesel's Night and John Menzer's interviews, the victims share different themes of survival. Themes such as strength, both physical and mental, hope, fear and luck, helped victims survive the devastating events of the Holocaust. Survival has never been easy. The victims had to fight day and night to obtain their freedom. They had to stay mentally strong. The victims hoped for the best and feared the worst. Overall, if luck was on their side, they survived. The Holocaust has left its mark on history. Each story shows the courage of those who survived. The people who choose to be strong, hopeful, fearful and lucky are the ones who later found themselves liberated from the camps in 1945, leaving the others dead behind.