The Holocaust

An Introduction to the Holocaust holocaust means to destroy by fire Holocaust is the Event Nazi policy of hate against various groups including: Jews, J. Witnesses, Roma (Gypsies), Slavics, Homosexuals, Trade Unionists , Communists, Socialists, Criminals and the Handicapped to name a few Nazis were a political party- not all Germans were Nazis and not all Nazis were German 1933-1945, it is a stand-alone event that happens to run partially concurrently with WWII and it ends with the defeat of Germany in WWII.

The man responsible Adolf hitler

Hitler’s Parents Alois and Klara

Rumors of Hitler being Jewish Hitler’s Grandmother (Anna Maria) was orphaned at an early age and went to work as an Au Pair for a Jewish family-the Schicklgrubers(a common Jewish name in Austria) Later she got pregnant by Johann Georg Heidler/Hilder/Himmer/Hitler He was most likely a con-man who she never saw again Son resulting was Alois who early on was known as Schicklgruber later Hitler (the name she knew the father under) After her death, Anna Maria was buried in the family plot in a Jewish cemetery Also later on, it was claimed that Alois’ real father was the son of the Schicklgruber’s (he was only 6 when Anna Maria had Alois though)

Alois Jr (Hitler’s second half brother) Paula Hitler (full sister) high School above and after WWII below Angela Hitler Raubal (half sister) William Patrick Stuart Hitler Illegitimate son of Alois Jr Geli Raubal (niece and love interest)

Willy Hitler had four sons and lived in NYC, the sons (one died in 1987, lived under different names and agreed that they would not have any children Angela had two surviving sons Heinz and Richard Paula’s children lived under assumed names since after the war and are thought to have last been living in Italy

Hitler was born 20 April 1887 He was considered very intelligent as a youngster, but before long get into trouble at school. He argued with his teachers and skipped quite often. However, it was not malicious skipping. He would be found in the local parks painting, which was his true passion in life. Eventually he graduated from HS and applied to the Vienna Academy of Art (the best art school in Europe). This caused a huge fight with his dad, who thought art was a waste. Hitler leaves to go to Vienna and basically never speaks to his father again.

Examples of Hitler’s artwork, notice that he doesn’t have people, he didn’t feel that he could draw/paint people very well because he couldn’t get the noses right

His application was accepted and he was invited for an interview He goes to interview and it goes well He is told that his portfolio was incomplete He didn’t add any portraits They couldn’t accept it incomplete/he throws a fit They offer their school of architecture He walks out Nine man board/at least 8 if not all 9 were Jewish Some historians suggest that this was the major turning point in his life and set up the Holocaust I am not in complete agreement

Hitler in Vienna possibly drawn at his request from a friend Makes ends meet by making post cards for tourists Hears his father has died He doesn’t go home Hears his mom is sick, he attempts to get home but is too late He goes to funeral and signs everything over to his younger sister. They have limited contact from there on out When he returns to Vienna, shortly after that, war breaks out and Hitler decided to enlist but goes to Germany to do that

He is a runner on the Western Front Very dangerous Deliver messages from the front, makes you a desirable target Eventually he is seriously wounded He comes quite close to dying in a gas filled shell hole Sent back to Germany to recover, takes the better part of a year By the time he gets out, Germany has lost the war Background as to what happened to what caused Germany to lose war and what happened to them after Russian Revolution US enters war Communist Uprising Armistice Treaty of Versailles

Hitler is just making it when he is found by his old commanding General He is recruited to become an spy for the government He is sent to join a small political party to keep tabs on them National Socialist Germany Workers Party Nazionale socialistiche duetschland arbeitlung partei (Nazi- from the first four letters) He joins and soon comes to believe in their talk. He takes over Nazi party begins to grow Hitler in an early party picture- note his lapel badge is an early swazstika.

Beer Hall Putsch Found out and a riot ensues Trial Sentenced for encitement and given seven years Rudolf Hess volunteers to go with him Time in jail Life inside Writes Mein Kampf First play into politics 1928 Presidential election Nazis on the rise Reichstag- Hermann Goring 1932 Presidential election Chancellorship 1933

1933 Jan 30- Hitler made Chancellor Reichstag fire (27 Feb) Mysterious State of Emergency First roundups Dachau opens to hold political prisoners (it is the first Concentration Camp and will be the largest) Law to Prevent Offspring with Hereditary Defects (July). T-4 program 1934 Continued moves toward a paranoid society 1935 Nuremberg Laws Law of German Citizenship Law for the Protection of the Purity of German Blood

1936 Germany retakes Rhineland- only France objects Olympics comes to Berlin, Huge success for Hitler (except for Jesse Owens) largely due to Goebbels 1937 Everything comes back in full force 1938 Anschluss of Austria Munich Agreement Sudetenland given to Germany Kryastallnacht (Nov 7- 9/10) Hershel Grynspan kills von Rath in Paris 1939 Germany takes rest of Czechoslovakia Allies say no more appeasement Polish Corridor August 31

1 September First Ghettos established 1940 Rabbi Ringelblum establishes the Oneg Shabbat project in Warsaw 1941 Germany attacks Soviet Union, they now have to two largest populations of Jews in Europe. What to do with them? Einsatzgruppen begin mass shootings 8 December Himmler orders Chelmno into operation (1st Death Camp- tested on Russian prisoners of war) Wannssee Conference- this is where the “Final Solution” was brought to the attention of the government, but no big wigs, Heydrich was put in charge by Himmler on Goring’s authority (Conspiracy) 1942 Sobibor, Belzec, Treblinka, Majdanek, and Auschwitz open Anne Frank begins her diary

1942 (cont) “White Rose” begins in Germany- 1st Germany resistance group 1943 Hans and Sophie Scholl are arrested/tried/executed as are several other members of their group. Warsaw Ghetto uprising begins The most successful Death Camp revolt occurs at Sobibor 1944 20 July “Valkyrie” unsuccessful attempt to remove Hitler led by von Stauffenberg Various revolts take place all over as people can sense end of Nazis 1945 All the death camps have been shut down as allies-US, UK, and France from West and USSR from East close in End of April/early May Hitler kills himself, leaves Admiral Karl Doenitz in charge. He unconditionally surrenders on 7 May

Aftermath Immediately after many inmates can’t be let go because of the health risk to them and others Nuremberg Trials Crimes against Humanity Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels committed suicide Bormann (absentia), Frank, Frick, Goring, Jodl, Kaltenbrunner, Rosenberg, Saukel, Seyss-Inquart, Streicher, and Ribbentropp sentenced to death- Goring committed suicide the night before Doenitz, Funk, Hess, Raeder, Speer, von Neurath, Schirach sentenced to several different levels of incarceration ranging up to life- Hess is the only one to serve whole sentence sort of Fritzsche, Schacht, and von Papen aquitted Later many more will be tried (Judgement at Nuremberg)