The Holocaust

Question Question What are examples in History, in which people were discriminated against, hated because of their race, religion or political ties? Discuss with a partner what it means to discriminate against?

Pyramid of Hate This pyramid shows how hate can escalate into something more than just discrimination but into extermination.

What is Genocide? The systematic and purposeful destruction of a racial, political, religious, or cultural group. Past and Current Genocides - The Holocaust - Rwanda - Armenians - Yugoslavia - Soviet Union - Dafur - Cambodia

Elements Leading to the Holocaust Totalitarianism combined with Nationalism History of Anti-Semitism Defeat in World War I Hitler’s belief in the Master Race The Final Solution

Chancellor of Germany: 30 January, 1933 Was known for his Charisma Nazi Party Adolph Hitler elected Chancellor of Germany: 30 January, 1933 Was known for his Charisma BECAME POPULAR BY USING… Propaganda, Nationalism, Anti-Semitism

Propaganda Posters, films, books Children easier to influence Hitler Youth Teaching “racial theory” in classrooms Children’s Books More than 100,000 copies sold in 1930s “Don’t Trust a Fox in a Green Meadow Or the Word of a Jew” Slogans like “Judas the Jew betrayed Jesus the German to the Jews” recited in the classroom

History of Swastika Ancient symbol >3000 years old Original word “svastika” comes from Sanskrit meaning: To be Good Used mostly with positive meanings Countries that used the Swastika as a symbol: China England Germany Greece India UNITED STATES

The Nazis & The Swastika Nazi Party formally adopted symbol in 1920. Hitler designed the flag, choosing red, black and white because those were the colors of the original German flag. Symbolized the “Aryan (Master) Race” since the mid-19th century

Totalitarianism Centralized control by an autocratic authority and the political concept that the citizens should be totally subjected to an absolute state authority

Nationalism Loyalty and devotion to a nation; and a sense of national consciousness exalting ones nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups.

Anti-Semitism Hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.

Master Race Designated a supposed master race of Non-Jewish Caucasians usually having Nordic features. Blond hair, blue eyes Known as the Aryan Race Chart Showing the Races of Germany

Kristallnacht “Night of Broken Glass” Throughout Germany November 9-10, 1938 Jewish holy texts destroyed during Kristallnacht Jewish stores destroyed

Oberramstadt, Germany Local synagogue burns during Kristallnacht while firefighters ignore it to “save” a nearby house. Bystanders watch as it is destroyed.

Boerneplatz: burning ; one wall remaining

Final Solution Ghettos Camps Transportation Gas Chambers Crematories

Ghetto An area within a city that all Jews were forced to live. Food rations and living conditions were very poor. Major Ghettos Warsaw Lodz Kovno

Systematic Deportation Boxcar 100+ people in one car Doors were bolted shut No place to sit down Often people were forced to pay for their transportation No food or water given. Transportation

WHY POLAND? Poland=highest population of Jews in Europe Easier to hide their crimes from German citizens and others Easier to transport there ~Plaque at Birkenau

Who Was Targeted? Gypsies (300,000-500,000) Mentally or Physically Handicapped Homosexuals Political Opposition Leaders Socialists & Communists Jehovah's Witnesses ANYONE who disagreed with Hitler’s beliefs or was different than their ideal

Concentration Camps Types of Camps Major Camps Concentration/Labor Extermination/Death Major Camps Dauchau-Buchenwald Auschwitz Treblinkia Bikenau Types of Camps Concentration camps Forced labor Life in the camp was terrible There was overcrowding Low food rations Prisoners underwent interrogations to discover and information Cruel medical experiments conducted

Concentration Camps 6 acknowledged German camps Located in occupied Poland 3.6-4.6 million killed 80% Jews ½ of all Jews killed during Holocaust Almost complete Jewish population of Poland. Ruins at Birkenau: chimneys

Gas Chambers Many victims did not know of their death Gas Chambers were referred to as Baths/Showers Zyklon B – was used as a poison Millions of people came to their deaths.

Crematoriums Prisoners were forced to staff the crematoriums. Their job was to remove all valuables from the victims. Click here to watch a Survivors Testimony…

Camp Death Tolls Maly Trostenets: >60,000 Chelmno: >152,000 Majdanek: 78,000-235,000 SobibÓr: >250,000 Belzec: >436,000 Jasenovac: 500,000-840,000 Treblinka: >800,000

Auschwitz: 1,400,000

Auschwitz Front gate of Auschwitz I. “Work makes one free.” Door to Gas Chamber. “Harmful Gas! Entering endangers your life!”

Auschwitz II Entrance to Auschwitz II; commonly known as “Auschwitz.” Main purpose of the camp: extermination

Execution Wall Gas Chambers & Crematorium Block 11 Loot Storage Camp Kitchen A Section of Barracks Buildings To Birkenau

Smoke from Crematoria V Execution Area Railway Cars Trenches Prisoner Formations

Photos from Auschwitz Corpses of women on Block 11 (torture block) Mountain of shoes taken from new arrivals Execution Wall: 20,000 killed

Barracks (TL)--Prisoners’ Clothes (BL)--Bathroom Facilities (TR)--Bunks (BR)

Ruins of Crematory III Ruins of Crematory II Crematory

Genocide Today

Armenian Genocide 1915 – 1923 1,500,000 men, women and children murdered 500,000 survivors expelled form their homes

Soviet Union (Famine) Peasants, government and military leaders, and members of the elite 1932 – 1933 Man made famine – Soviet troops seized all of the crops

Educated, artists, technicians, formers government officials, monks, and minorities. 1975- 1979 1,700,000 murdered – this includes those who died by slave labor Cambodia

Rwanda Tutsi and moderate Hutus 1994 Lasted only 100 days 937,000 murdered largest amounts of people to die in genocide per day

Yugoslavia Bosnian Muslims and Croats 1992 – 1995 Srebrenica Massacre – 8,000 murdered

Darfur 80 black African groups (including – Fur, Zaghawa and Massalit)‏ 2,000,000 murdered 4,000,000 displaced Currently ongoing Conflict began in February 2003 Stems from the 1980’s Estimates 200,000 killed – this is a conservative estimate

The Author…

Elie Wiesel Buckenwald4-16-1945

A7713 Arrived in Auschwitz at age 15 In Auschwitz from 1944-1945 Separated from his family Cattle cars in Wiesel’s hometown (Sighet, Transylvania)

Wiesel and Night Wouldn’t discuss his experiences Finally was convinced by Nobel laureate Francois Mauriac to write down his story Originally a 900 page account And the World Remained Silent 2 years later, it was compressed into a 127 page French version La Nuit (Night)

NIGHT 1960: First English Translation Published 2006: New Edition published (translated by his wife—most accurate version) Elie Wiesel reflects on the enduring importance of Night and his lifelong, passionate dedication to ensuring that the world never forgets man's capacity for inhumanity to man.

Wiesel Background Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, Wiesel has dedicated his life to speaking out against hatred, bigotry and genocide In 1978, President Jimmy Carter appointed Elie Wiesel as Chairman of the President's Commission on the Holocaust. In 1980, he became the Founding Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and was instrumental in the creation of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Wiesel Background Cont. He has received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and the Medal of Liberty Award and the rank of Grand-Croix in the French Legion of Honor In 1963, Wiesel became a U.S. citizen and has been the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University since 1976. Wiesel and his wife have one son, Shlomo-Elisha, named after his father.

TERMS TO KNOW…

Holocaust Literally means “Destruction by Fire” Also used to refer to Nazi’s ethnic cleansing from 1933-1945

Anti-Semitism Prejudice against Jews “Semite”=Jewish person “Anti”-Against Nazi Germany had an official policy against Jewish people

Gentile A person who is a “non-Jew” A Christian is a Gentile

Talmud The authoritative body of Jewish study

Cabbala Spelled many different ways—all refer to the same thing A combination of Jewish religion and Philosophy A mysticism Madonna brought Kabbalah publicity by taking classes and becoming a devotee

Zohar An advanced Jewish religious text of unparalleled mysticism and power

Kaddish A prayer praising God Recited by Jewish mourners

Orthodox Jews Traditional Jews who follow the Torah Eat only Kosher food Observe the Sabbath

Juden German word for “Jews”

Passover A Jewish holiday celebrating the Jews’ exodus from Egypt

Rosh Hashana The Jewish New Year Happy Celebration, a festival

Yom Kippur Day of Atonement