The Holocaust An event of Human Suffering and ignorance

The Holocaust The Holocaust l Def. - Nazi Germany’s systematic murder of European Jews l 6 million Jews l 2/3’s of Europe’s Jewish population

Holocaust Cont. l 6 million others’ –Gypsies, mentally ill, physically disabled, homosexuals, homeless, Socialist, and Communist

Anti-Semitism l Persecution or hostility towards Jews

Nuremberg Laws Nuremberg Laws l 1935 l l Stripping of citizenship –Forbid marriage b/w Jews and non-Jews –Banned Jewish doctors from treating non-Jews from treating non-Jews

Nuremberg Laws Cont. l “Aryanize” Jewish business - dismissed Jewish managers and employees l carry ID cards - Star of David

Nuremberg Laws Cont l Warsaw Ghetto –Largest Jewish ghetto (Poland) –450,000 Jews –30% of population –In an area of 1.3 miles

Deportation / Concentration Camps –Put on trains for concentration camps - labor camps –Usually for POW’s and political leaders –Very harsh life –All work, very little sleep or food sleep or food

German Enforcement German Enforcement l SA - Storm Troopers l SS - Einsatzgruppen – mobile killing units mobile killing units –Kill by firing squad –Murder racial or political leaders behind the front lines

Terezin l German Concentration camp “given” to the Jews as a safe-house l Hitler used Terezin as an example for concentration camps when red Cross visited l Red Cross wasn’t permitted everywhere – Only areas in “good” conditions l Show Propaganda video clip

German Enforcement Cont. l Ghettos –Sealed off Jewish communities by barbed wire or walls –Often overcrowded –Lack of food and sanitation –Brought about disease, increase in death rate death rate l Gestapo –Secret Police

Kristallnacht Kristallnacht l November 9, 10, 1938 l “night of broken glass” l Destroyed Jewish stores, houses, and synagogues

Wannsee Conference l Plan for “Final Solution” –Mass murder of Jews –Death camps - extermination centers, ovens, gas chambers l Zyklon B

Liberation l Def. – to set free l The Russians were 1 st to liberate many camps l Americans could not believe what they saw

Nuremberg Trials l Nov l 24 leading Nazis on trial –Planning the war –Committing war crimes –Committing crimes against humanity –Conspiring to commit crimes

Nuremberg Trials Cont. l 12 received the death penalty l 7 received jail sentences l 3 were acquitted l Thousands of other Nazis were tried and jailed in other courts l Most important – ind. were responsible for their own actions

Nuremberg Trials Cont. l Escape to Latin and South America –Adolph Eichmann – architect of Jewish extermination program –Josef Mengele – Auschwitz’s “Angle of Death”