 Destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear war  The Holocaust was the mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime during the period 1941–45. More than 6 million European Jews, as well as members of other persecuted groups, such as gypsies and homosexuals, were murdered at concentration camps such as Auschwitz.

 All Jewish people were evil no matter what their religion, occupation, or education.  Nuremberg Laws (1935) – took away citizenship, banned marriages between Jews and other Germans, prohibited voting or holding office, took away jobs, etc.

 November 9, 1938  90 Jews killed, hundreds injured  7500 Jewish business and 180 synagogues destroyed  Why did this happen?  20,000 wealthy Jews were arrested and forced to emigrate and give up their possessions.

 Few Jews were able to flee Nazi Germany Limited money U.S. refused to grant a visa to anyone “likely to become a public charge” Immigration quotas – no exceptions SS St. Louis with 930 Jewish refugees was denied entrance to the United States  Passengers went to France, Holland, Belgium, and Great Britain – many would die at the hands of Nazi soldiers

 Concentration Camps: detention centers where healthy individuals worked until they died of disease, malnutrition, or exhaustion – Buchenwald  Extermination Camps: built in concentration camps to kill Jews more efficiently – Auschwitz 1,600,000 people killed at Auschwitz