stages in the development of the “final solution”
TRANSCRIPT
Stages in the Development of the “Final Solution”
Introduction:In this teacher’s guide we trace the major steps in the development of what became the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question”. We follow the sections of our similarly named video on this topic, providing points of consideration for the teacher.
We stress these are for the teacher - as opposed to students - because the information and consideration points are not necessarily suitable for presentation as such in the classroom. Rather, the material here presented is meant as a brief overview for teachers on the major stages of the Final Solution, in order to establish the foundational historical knowledge necessary for any educational discussion of the Holocaust.
We hope this guide will spark some ideas and points you may wish to emphasize for your students when teaching the topic of the Holocaust in your classroom. We recommend also consulting the educational unit, “Teaching about the Perpetrators”, as these topics are in many points complementary.
Before You Begin
Before viewing the video, consider the following questions:
1. What do you know about the “Final Solution”? Who do you think planned it?
2. When did it begin? Was it planned early on (for instance, before the Nazis’ rise to power in 1933, towards the outbreak of the War, only during the War)?
3. Was the planning conducted carefully? Was it applied uniformly throughout Europe?
4. To what degree did the Germans carry out the murders on their own? Were they assisted by other countries?
Introduction and Historiographical Debate
Introduction and Historiographical Debate
1. Why do you think the difference between the Intentionalists and the Functionalists is significant? What does one or the other “tell us” about the Holocaust? How might Nazi ideology factor into this debate?
2. What do you think we can learn from the conflicting documents presented in the video? Are they indicative of a certain measure of disconnect or disorder between the Nazi regime and the various state institutions? Intentional misleading? Other factors?
3. Do you think the approaches are in some respects compatible? How do you think that might be?
For more, see:The Development of the Final Solution - Dr. Havi DreifussVideo - Traditional and Nazi Antisemitism
Prewar Anti-Jewish Measures
Almost from the moment of the Nazi rise to power we see severe anti-Jewish measures, not only persecuting Jews but also separating them more and more from the rest of German society. To what extent do you think this was driven by ideological Antisemitism (the imperative for “racial purity”; Jews as an “anti-race”)? Was this also perhaps to ease future measures against the Jews, a kind of “out of sight, out of mind”?
For more, see:Video - Traditional and Nazi AntisemitismAbout the Holocaust: Nazi Germany and the Jews
Potential Territorial Solutions
The invasion of Poland in September 1939 and the events that followed, including the concentration of the Jews in ghettos, led the Germans to seek out a territorial solution to the "Jewish question". They therefore developed a plan for the expulsion of Jews to specific restricted regions (Nisko-Lublin and later on Madagascar). This "territorial" stage in the development of the "Final Solution" is seen as a radicalization in German policy towards the Jews and as "potentially genocidal". Why do you think that is? How does this radicalization factor into the debate between the Functionalists and Intentionalists mentioned above?
For more, see:The Development of the Final Solution - Dr. Havi DreifussNisko and Lublin PlanMadagascar PlanThe Madagascar Plan, July 1940
Operation Barbarossa and the Initial Stages of the “Final Solution”
Operation Barbarossa and the Initial Stages of the “Final Solution”1. The Einsatzgruppen following the invading army
took part in widespread murder. In the first weeks of the invasion, the patterns of murder differed from area to area (for example, in some areas only men were murdered, in others women and children as well). What can we learn from this?
2. Researchers have shown that in most cases members of the S.S. and police would not have faced harsh penalties for opting not to partake in the murder. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority did. Why do you think this was so?
German Invasion EastwardsFor more, see:Teaching about the Perpetrators: A Case Study
“ ” “ ”Local Murders in How Was It Humanly Possible Unit
Development towards the Final Solution - Romania and Croatia; Experimental Gassings
Development towards the Final Solution - Romania and Croatia; Experimental Gassings
For more, see:Murder of the Jews of RomaniaRoots of Romanian Antisemitism - from the Report of the International Commission on the Holocaust in RomaniaIvo Goldstein - The Genocide against the Jews in the Independent State of Croatia
The Wannsee Conference
In the documents presented at the Wannsee conference (see sample below) we find a list of countries and their Jewish populations. The list includes countries not under German control at that point, some not taking part in the War. Why do you think this is so?
For more, see:The Wannsee Conference From the Wannsee Conference Protocol: Country ListThe “Final Solution” -- A Bureaucratic Process or an Ideological Genocide? Interview with Prof. Yehuda Bauer
Conclusion
After viewing the video, which points especially do you think are important to highlight when teaching about the Holocaust in your classroom?
You can find much more on these and related issues on our educational website and through our online courses.