Chapter 16 Section 3 Notes The Holocaust

2 Definitions The Holocaust murder of 11 million civilians throughout Europe by Germany during WWII. (more than just Jews) genocide Attempting to kill of an entire group of people. Hitler tried to do this with Jews in Europe and Russia Wedding rings Taken off prisoners From one death camp

Why were Jews targeted? No definitive answer Some probabilities include Long history of Anti – Semitism (definition: discrimination against Jews) Mostly due to religious differences Hitler knew most Aryans would rally behind this idea Beliefs outlined in Mein Kampf Blamed Jewish politicians for surrendering at the end of WWI. after everything had fallen apart for signing Treaty of Versailles Germany entered Depression Jews better off during Depression Aryans resented this Sign outside business in England (1920)

1st stages of Anti – Semitism under Hitler All non – Aryans removed from govt. jobs (1933) Nuremberg Laws (1935) Jews lost German citizenship, jobs, and property Had to wear a yellow Star of David as ID. The chart above was used to explain status based on classifications in Nazi Germany. Jews were at the low end of the scale. Aryans at the high end.

2nd stage = Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass, Nov. 1938) Storm Troopers attack Jewish areas Property destroyed Homes and businesses Synagogues burned 30,000 arrested Roughly 100 killed A sign of things to come

3rd stage = Some Jews flee from Germany Hitler doesn’t mind this. Wants them out. Most European countries don’t want them Overcrowding Already a lack of jobs. Anti – Semitism in other areas U.S. was selective in accepting Jews Depression was still going on (biggest reason) Strict Immigration Quotas (remember!) Fearful some might be Nazi spies Had to show “exceptional talent” to get in Doctors, Scientists, etc… Einstein most famous. Roughly 100,000 refugees accepted This mural depicts Einstein and other Jews leaving Germany early in Hitler’s reign (1933). Most weren’t that fortunate.

The St. Louis Example of restrictions to U.S. Jews try to enter Cuba or U.S. in 1939 by ship Ship denied access to Cuba and U.S. ports Most on board legally supposed to enter Most passengers died later in Holocaust

4th stage = forced relocation to ghettos All Jews from Germany and conquered areas of Europe get moved segregated from rest of society Walls, barbed wire, guards worked in German factories Made war related materials difficult living conditions Very crowded, food rationed Most families still kept together if you resisted, you’d be shot Schutzstaffel (Security Squadron) Elite Nazi police (SS)

5th stage = concentration camps When Ghettos became overcrowded Didn’t need more factory workers brought by trains or trucks to camps outside of major cities hard manual labor Digging ditches, breaking rocks, etc... horrible living conditions Worse food rations than ghettos families were separated all valuable possessions taken away usually survived less than 3 months

6th stage = Death camps Began in 1942 (The Final Solution) Most in Poland Biggest = Auschwitz people arrived like they did at concentration camps Separated into 2 groups by Drs. strong = put to work temporarily weak = led to die immediately gas chambers most popular method at 1st, bodies were buried left behind evidence crematoriums built burned bodies other methods of death medical experiments mass hangings mass shootings Mass grave Crematorium ovens

Gas Chamber at Dachau Death Camp New arrivals to camps were separated by Drs. Immediately Those sent to the showers were really being sent to their deaths Poison gas pellets dropped from vents in the ceiling Took between 10-20 minutes to kill you (suffocation) Prisoners would have to remove dead bodies (either bury or burn them)

Around 6 million Jews died during the Holocaust roughly 2/3rds of all Jews in Europe Survivors of camps lived to tell their stories

5 million other people killed during Holocaust Nazis believed them to be inferior too (in order by most to least killed) Polish civilians Russian Communists Gypsies Origins in India and Middle East Physically Disabled Freemasons Groups of people (lodges) that believed in political freedom and individual rights Mentally Ill Homosexuals Jehovah’s Witnesses Refused to join Hitler’s army or salute him due to religion