Gerda Wiessman Klein dob May 8, 1924
Death Marches
Presidential Award of Freedom 2010
DOD: 2002
Lesson 3: The Holocaust The systematic murder of 11 million people across Europe, more than half of whom were Jews
Holocaust Victims 1939-1945
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_nm.php?MediaId=3372
A. Why the Jews? Easy target Nuremberg Laws (1935), stripped Jews of citizenship and property rights; jobs Banned intermarriage No public office or voting Change to Jewish names; easy identification
3. Kristallnacht: Crystal night (1938) a. German ambassador to France killed by a German Jew b. Nazi troops destroyed Jewish business & synagogues in retaliation c. >100 killed in one night;1000s of businesses destroyed
4. Where can the Jews go? (1933) a. Refugee problem… National Origins Act of 1929; limited immigration to 150,000 in U.S. b. U.S., depression, refugees… How are these connected? c. St. Louis Affair (1939)
German Forces German army Schutzstaffel: started as Hitler’s bodyguards. Lead by Henrich Himmler Gestapo: the Secret State police German army
B. The Final Solution: Genocide The condemned: Jews and any other seen as undesirable, i.e a. Political opponents – communists, socialist b. Religious groups c. Homosexuals d. Disabled; mentally, physically 2. Method Shot in cold blood starved ghettos sent to labor/concentration camps Used for medical experiments
Gestapo controlled concentration camps; <half of those who died here are shown
E. Concentration Camps 1. Camps in Poland Medical experiments “showers”; 6,000 a day Discarding of bodies problematic = Crematoriums
To the right, slave labor To the left, gas chamber