The Holocaust: Liberation & Aftermath Mr. Davis

Death Marches As the Nazis began to lose on all fronts, their death camps and concentration camps (built on the perimeter of their empire) began to be liberated The Nazis, fearing both the discovery of their crimes, and the survival of Jews, ordered the concentration camp inmates to be marched into the interior (Germany proper) Prisoners who could not keep up on the marches were killed

Death Marches cont. 1944-1945 Largest took place Nine days before reaching Auschwitz 60,000 marched toward Wodzislaw then put onto trains One march consisted of 6,000 women 1,000 men 600 died The remainder were forced into the ocean and shot

Liberation The Soviets reached the first death camp (Lublin) to be liberated so suddenly that the Germans had little time to cover up the evidence As a result, the gas chambers had been blown apart, but the crematoria were still standing In most of the later camps liberated, both crematoria and gas chambers were destroyed/dismantled

Soon after liberation, camp survivors from Buchenwald's "Children's Block 66"--a special barracks for children. Germany, after April 11, 1945.

Nevertheless, there was a great deal of evidence Liberation (cont.) Nevertheless, there was a great deal of evidence They discovered, for example, hundreds of thousands of men's suits, more than 800,000 women's outfits, and more than 14,000 pounds of human hair. Why human hair? More than 10,000 Jews died even after having been liberated by the allies

Liberated prisoners demonstrate the overcrowded conditions at the Buchenwald concentration camp, Germany, April 23, 1945.

Estimated Number of non-combat deaths Ukrainians 5.5-7 million Jews (all countries) 6 million + Russian POW’s 3.3 million + Russian civilians 2 million + Poles 3 million + Gypsies 200 – 500 thousand Disabled 70 – 250 thousand Homosexuals tens of thousands

Aftermath of Liberation No homes to go to, all were destroyed. Weeks after many died from malnutrition. Many had louse-borne Typhus fear and had to be treated. Typhus is a disease that spreads through contaminated food and water, remember that they only had one bowl that they used for EVERYTHING!

What next? There were still about 3 million surviving European Jews (out of an original 9 million). Where to go? Do you see why the answer can’t simply be, ‘home’? Many of the survivors actually lived in the camps for a months afterwards, because they had no place to go.

Never Again! Zionism The movement to regain a Jewish country in the historical biblical land of the Jews Finally supported by the international community, who feel a bit GUILTY!!! (think- St. Louis) Jews feel like their cultural trait of ‘grinning and bearing it’ during tough times would no longer suffice. Time for change…