Understanding the Holocaust

Holocaust n. destruction by fire; n. the attempted destruction of the Jews by the Nazis during World War II.

Our story begins with the end of World War I...

Germany, who was on the losing side, lay in ruins and in poverty.

Two political parties began to emerge... Nazis Communists Govt. would provide food and jobs for everyone. Germany could become a world power. BUT The war debt would not be paid. Everything owned by govt. Germans could remain independent Germany would be a satellite of Russia.

But the United States saves the day... Loans money to Germany. Helps rebuild the country. Both communism and Nazism fade for the time being.

The stock market crashes! However, in October of 1929, something happens... The stock market crashes!

The Great Depression 1929-1935

Results of the Great Depression: America’s trade with other countries is affected. America’s Depression leads to a European Depression. America can no longer provide aid to Germany. Germany is once again poor and vulnerable to political parties.

Once again the Nazis began to gain power under the leadership of a man by the name of... Adolf Hitler

Hitler... was born to Klara and Alois Hitler in Austria in 1889 . Studied to be an artist but failed. wrote Mein Kampf while in prison serving time for a failed attempt at overtaking the government.

In the pages of Mein Kampf, Hitler tells of his dream of creating the perfect race: Aryan: blond hair & blue eyes No imperfections--get rid of: Jews blacks Jehovah’s Witnesses gypsies handicapped chronically ill anti-Nazis

Anti-Semitism Was not new to the world (hatred of the Jewish race) Was not new to the world Was promoted by Hitler and Nazis Stereotyped Jews Used Jews as scapegoats for the problems in the world

1939 Hitler becomes dictator of Germany and begins to put his plan for a master race into action….

Step One: Discrimination--the act of treating a group of people differently All Jews had to register. Star of David sewn to clothes No bicycles or telephones Restrictions on shopping and entertainment Boycotting Jewish businesses Taking over Jewish businesses

Step Two: Persecution--the act of doing harm to a group of people Public humiliation

Anti-Jewish riots--Pogroms

Moved to ghettos

Shootings

Step Three: Concentration camps--work camps where prisoners were detained and often killed

Step 4: Genocide: the killing off of a race of people Gas chambers Crematory ovens Too many bodies Gas chambers Cyanide gas