The Holocaust

What is the Holocaust? "Holocaust" is a word of Greek origin meaning "sacrifice by fire." The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators Groups targeted b/c of “racial inferiority” Jews Gypsies Handicapped People Slavs Poles, Russians, and others Political & Behavioral Reasons Communists Socialists Jehovah's Witnesses Homosexuals

Names to Know Adolf Hitler Leader of Germany Leader of Germany Heinrich Himmler Head of SS Head of SS 2 nd in command to Hitler 2 nd in command to Hitler Joseph Goebbels 3 rd in command 3 rd in command Reich Propaganda Director Reich Propaganda Director Adolf Eichmann SS Lieutenant Colonel implemented the system of transporting prisoners Rudolf Hess Reichsminister in charge of Hitler's day-to-day schedule

Himmler Hitler

Goebbels Eichmann Hess

More Names… Hermann Goring commander in chief of the Luftwaffe commander in chief of the Luftwaffe Lost power to Albert Speer and Goebbels Lost power to Albert Speer and Goebbels Albert Speer one of Hitler's top aids one of Hitler's top aids Believed to have prolonged war – allowing killing of more Jews Believed to have prolonged war – allowing killing of more Jews Reinhard Heydrich key member of the group that came together to discuss the final solution of Jews in 1942 was bombed, shot, and killed by two Czech citizens

Goring Speer Heydrich

NUMBERS 1933 – Jewish Population of Europe Over 9 million – prior to WWII Over 9 million – prior to WWII By 1950 – 3.5 million By 1950 – 3.5 million By 1945 – nearly 2 out of 3 Jews murdered By 1945 – nearly 2 out of 3 Jews murdered Nearly 200,000 mentally & physically disabled people

Taking away Jewish rights 1933 begin boycotting Jewish businesses begin boycotting Jewish businesses Prohibit Jews from owning land Prohibit Jews from owning land1937 Banned from participating in certain occupations Banned from participating in certain occupations1938 Jews forced to register all of their property Why? So Germans can take it! Women forced to add “Sarah” and men “Israel” to their names

Kristallnacht Night of Broken Glass November 9 & Gangs of Nazi youth roam through Jewish neighborhoods breaking windows, burning synagogues, and looting Jews attacked and beaten; rounded up and sent to camps

Burned out synagogue

Events of 1939 Jews forced to hand over property Nazis begin euthanasia on sick and disabled in Germany Yellow stars worn by Jews over age 10

Events of 1941 Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing units) begin killing “undesirables” The first test use of Zyklon-B gas at Auschwitz. Himmler summons Auschwitz Kommandant Höss to Berlin and tells him, "The Führer has ordered the Final Solution of the Jewish question. We, the SS, have to carry out this order...I have therefore chosen Auschwitz for this purpose."

Types of Camps Labor Forced the inhabitants to work Forced the inhabitants to workDeath/Extermination End result to kill the inhabitants End result to kill the inhabitantsPrison Holding the inhabitants for a prolonged period of timeTransit Inhabitants only there temporarily as they are being moved from one location to another

List of Death Camps Auschwitz-Birkenau Located in present day Poland Located in present day Poland Bełżec Located in present day Poland Located in present day Poland Majdanek Current day Poland Current day Poland Maly Trostenets Maly Trostenets Current day Belarus Current day Belarus Chełmno Present day Poland Jasenovac Current day Croatia Lwów, Janowska Street Lwów, Janowska Street Current day Ukraine Sobibór Poland Treblinka Poland Warsaw Poland

Gas chambers Victims brought in by train Victims brought in by train 1 st few believed they were leaving the country 1 st few believed they were leaving the country Told to strip naked Told to strip naked Ripped their gold teeth out Ripped their gold teeth out Shaved women’s heads Shaved women’s heads Told they needed to shower All crowded into the “showers” Gas came out of showers…killing the victims

Cremation Victims died elsewhere Taken to the ovens to burn their bodies German citizens claimed to have no knowledge of this taking place…despite the horrendous smell

View of the wooden shed containing the old crematory ovens

Dr Josef Mengele SS Doctor Performed medical experiments Often killed his “patients” and dissected their bodies

Results Death Toll of the Jewish People Country/RegionLow EstimateHigh Estimate Germany (1938 Borders)125,000130,000 Austria580,00065,000 Belgium & Luxembourg24,70029,000 Bulgaria07,000 Czechoslovakia245,000277,000 France64,00083,000 Greece58,00065,000 Hungary & Ukraine300,000402,000 Italy7,5008,000 Netherlands101,800106,000 Norway Poland & USSR3,700,0004,565,000 Romania40,000220,000 Yugoslavia54,00060,000 TOTAL4,778,6776,017,760

Images…sit quietly and observe

Human remains found at Dachau