HolocaustHolocaust

Basic Definitions to knowBasic Definitions to know

HolocausHolocaust: attempted genocide t: attempted genocide resulting in the murder of resulting in the murder of approximately 12 million peopleapproximately 12 million people– 6 million Jews6 million Jews

GenocideGenocide: an attempt to eliminate an : an attempt to eliminate an entire group of peopleentire group of people

Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism: hatred of or : hatred of or prejudice against people of the Jewish prejudice against people of the Jewish faithfaith

BackgroundBackground

Anti-Semitism has been very common in Anti-Semitism has been very common in historyhistory

In 1933, In 1933, NazisNazis came to power in Germany came to power in Germany– Led by Adolf Led by Adolf HitlerHitler

Nazis began to reshape German societyNazis began to reshape German society– Use Use propagandapropaganda to brainwash society and to brainwash society and

increase support for Nazi policiesincrease support for Nazi policies Nazis also use force to keep powerNazis also use force to keep power

– GestapoGestapo: secret police: secret police– SS:SS: elite Nazi soldiers elite Nazi soldiers

The Persecution BeginsThe Persecution Begins

Early 1930’s: German politicians pass a Early 1930’s: German politicians pass a series of Anti-Jewish lawsseries of Anti-Jewish laws– Examples:Examples:

Jews were forbidden from owning radios or carsJews were forbidden from owning radios or cars Jews had to abide by curfewsJews had to abide by curfews Jewish children were banned from German Jewish children were banned from German

schoolsschools Jews were banned from most jobsJews were banned from most jobs Jews were forced to register their property with Jews were forced to register their property with

the governmentthe government

19351935

1935: 1935: Nuremberg LawsNuremberg Laws were passed; were passed; one of the most famous law codes from one of the most famous law codes from Nazi GermanyNazi Germany– German Jews lose citizenshipGerman Jews lose citizenship– Jews and Germans forbidden from marrying Jews and Germans forbidden from marrying

each othereach other

Questions:Questions:

1. What impact would the loss of citizenship have 1. What impact would the loss of citizenship have on the Jews of Germany?on the Jews of Germany?

19361936

1936: Berlin, Germany hosted the 1936: Berlin, Germany hosted the summer summer OlympicsOlympics

– Germans take down their Anti-Jewish Germans take down their Anti-Jewish propagandapropaganda

Questions:Questions:

1.1. Why would Germany remove the Anti-Jewish Why would Germany remove the Anti-Jewish propaganda during the Olympics?propaganda during the Olympics?

2.2. How would this relaxation of Anti-Jewish How would this relaxation of Anti-Jewish policy affect the outlook of the Jews living in policy affect the outlook of the Jews living in Germany?Germany?

19381938

November, 1938: Anti-Jewish policy in November, 1938: Anti-Jewish policy in Germany began to escalate with an Germany began to escalate with an event known as event known as KristallnachtKristallnacht or the or the “Night of Broken Glass”“Night of Broken Glass”– Thousands of Jewish shops and Thousands of Jewish shops and

synagogues were attacked and destroyedsynagogues were attacked and destroyed– Jews were physically attacked, some killedJews were physically attacked, some killed– Tens of thousands arrested and sent to Tens of thousands arrested and sent to

concentration campsconcentration camps

19391939

WWII provided the opportunity for WWII provided the opportunity for Germany’s Anti-Jewish policy to escalate Germany’s Anti-Jewish policy to escalate even moreeven more

September 1, 1939: Germany invaded September 1, 1939: Germany invaded Poland to start World War IIPoland to start World War II

As the war expanded, Nazis would take As the war expanded, Nazis would take control of millions of Jews living in other control of millions of Jews living in other countriescountries– Germans had to develop a plan for how to deal Germans had to develop a plan for how to deal

with these “unwanted” individualswith these “unwanted” individuals

GhettosGhettos

Many large cities in Poland were Many large cities in Poland were segmented into segmented into GhettosGhettos where Jews where Jews would be fenced into small areaswould be fenced into small areas– Warsaw and Lodz had the largest ghettosWarsaw and Lodz had the largest ghettos

Very poor conditions:Very poor conditions:– Lack of sanitation, typically no electricity or Lack of sanitation, typically no electricity or

running waterrunning water– Overcrowding, disease, starvationOvercrowding, disease, starvation

Question:Question:1. What was the purpose of the Ghetto?1. What was the purpose of the Ghetto?

EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen 1941: WWII expanded with the German invasion of the 1941: WWII expanded with the German invasion of the

Soviet Union (Russia)Soviet Union (Russia)– Millions more Jews fall under German controlMillions more Jews fall under German control

With ghettos already full, Germans developed a new With ghettos already full, Germans developed a new strategy to eliminate the Jewish communitiesstrategy to eliminate the Jewish communities

EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen: mobile killing squads were used to : mobile killing squads were used to murder over 1 million Jews, Poles, and othersmurder over 1 million Jews, Poles, and others– Mass shootings and mass gravesMass shootings and mass graves

Eventually, Germans would abandon the mobile killing Eventually, Germans would abandon the mobile killing squads.squads.

Question: Why would the Germans eventually abandon the Question: Why would the Germans eventually abandon the use of Enisatzgruppen killing squads?use of Enisatzgruppen killing squads?

The Final SolutionThe Final Solution

Eventually, Nazis started to look for a Eventually, Nazis started to look for a more “efficient” way of dealing with more “efficient” way of dealing with the “undesirables” of Europethe “undesirables” of Europe

1942: Top Nazi officials developed 1942: Top Nazi officials developed the the Final SolutionFinal Solution

Question:Question:What strategies/tactics were included What strategies/tactics were included

in the Final Solution? in the Final Solution?

Death CampsDeath Camps Specialized facilities, known as Death Camps, Specialized facilities, known as Death Camps,

were constructed to carry out mass murderwere constructed to carry out mass murder– AuschwitzAuschwitz: most famous example: most famous example

Methods used at Death CampsMethods used at Death Camps– Prisoners went through selection to determine Prisoners went through selection to determine

who was strong enough to work and who should who was strong enough to work and who should die immediatelydie immediately

– A A gas chambergas chamber would be used to murder large would be used to murder large numbers of peoplenumbers of people Zyklon BZyklon B was the preferred gas was the preferred gas

– Bodies were then taken to a crematoria to be Bodies were then taken to a crematoria to be burned burned

The End of WWIIThe End of WWII

By 1944-1945, it was clear that the By 1944-1945, it was clear that the Axis PowersAxis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) (Germany, Italy, Japan) were going to lose the war.were going to lose the war.

AlliesAllies (U.S., Great Britain, Soviet (U.S., Great Britain, Soviet Union) began to liberate more and Union) began to liberate more and more territory, getting closer and more territory, getting closer and closer to Germany.closer to Germany.

Death MarchDeath March

As the As the AlliesAllies started to close in on started to close in on the Germans, prisoners were often the Germans, prisoners were often sent on a long sent on a long Death MarchDeath March– Some would march for months at a time, Some would march for months at a time,

sometimes for hundreds of milessometimes for hundreds of miles

Question: Why would the Germans send Question: Why would the Germans send prisoners on the Death March?prisoners on the Death March?

Other VictimsOther Victims

PolesPoles Gypsies/RomaGypsies/Roma Jehovah’s WitnessesJehovah’s Witnesses HomosexualsHomosexuals People with physical or mental People with physical or mental

disability or handicapdisability or handicap– T4 ProgramT4 Program was a “euthanasia” program was a “euthanasia” program

designed to carry out “mercy” killings of designed to carry out “mercy” killings of those who were deemed to be unfit for those who were deemed to be unfit for lifelife

LiberationLiberation

In the early months of 1945, Allied forces In the early months of 1945, Allied forces began to liberate many of the Nazi began to liberate many of the Nazi concentration camps.concentration camps.

When the world learned of the atrocities When the world learned of the atrocities committed against Jews, and other groups, committed against Jews, and other groups, people began to demand punishment for people began to demand punishment for those responsible.those responsible.

By that time, however, many top Nazis By that time, however, many top Nazis had either fled the country or committed had either fled the country or committed suicidesuicide– Ex: Hitler committed suicide in April, 1945Ex: Hitler committed suicide in April, 1945

Nuremberg TrialsNuremberg Trials

Following the Holocaust, surviving Following the Holocaust, surviving Nazis were put on trial for their Nazis were put on trial for their involvement. These trials were involvement. These trials were known as the known as the Nuremberg TrialsNuremberg Trials– Those who were found guilty of war Those who were found guilty of war

crimes and crimes against humanity crimes and crimes against humanity were often executed.were often executed.

Word Bank for Crossword Word Bank for Crossword PuzzlePuzzle

AlliesAllies Zyklon BZyklon BAxis PowersAxis Powers PropagandaPropagandaGestapoGestapo KristallnachtKristallnachtGas ChamberGas Chamber Nuremberg LawsNuremberg LawsPolandPoland Nuremberg TrialsNuremberg TrialsFinal SolutionFinal Solution Death MarchDeath MarchHitlerHitler NazisNazisGhettoGhetto HolocaustHolocaustGenocideGenocide EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppenAuschwitzAuschwitz T4 ProgramT4 Program