The Holocaust Outsiders in Germany: The Four Stages of Isolation

A History of Discrimination Long before Hitler came to power, Jews experienced discrimination in Germany (and much of Europe) In the aftermath of WWI, there were Germans looking for someone to blame “HE IS GUILTY FOR THE WAR!”

A History of Discrimination The growing Nazi movement used anti-Semitic feelings in Germany to promote their own agenda Jews, along with Slavs, Poles, Roma, Mentally Disabled and host of ‘others’ were targeted and blamed for Germany’s problems Portrayed as sub-human

“JEWS ARE OUR MISFORTUNE” “60, 000 Marks is what this person with genetic defects costs the community during his lifetime. Fellow German, that’s your money too!” “JEWS ARE OUR MISFORTUNE” PROPAGANDA POSTER 1923

4 Stages of Isolation Stripping of Rights Segregation Concentration Extermination

Stage 1: Stripping of Rights 1935 the Nuremberg Laws did the following to Jews: Citizenship Rights Stripped Employment limited or denied Banned from schools and Universities Forced to carry identification cards Forced to wear the yellow arm band – star of David Jewish places of worship destroyed

Discrimination Becomes Official Nazis were seen as liberators from “the enemy within” Nazis used hatred as a tool to manipulate and control the German people; anyone opposed would be eliminated

Kristallnacht: “Night of the Broken Glass” 1938, the murder of German diplomat in Paris triggered violent riot targeting Jewish businesses and citizens Jews across Germany were attacked and arrested on mass in an event that can be seen as the beginning of the holocaust

Kristallnacht: “Night of the Broken Glass” SOME OF THE 20, 000 JEWS ARRESTED

BADGE WORN BY JEWS IN GERMANY The Path of Genocide After Kristallnacht it’s clear Jews will no longer be protected as authorities involved in violence 1935 Nuremberg Laws strip Jews of any rights Nazis tried to force Jews to leave, but other countries wouldn’t accept them either BADGE WORN BY JEWS IN GERMANY

Stage 2: Segregation Jews were forced to live in designated areas called ghettos to isolate them from the rest of society Ghettos were dirty, filthy places with extreme overcrowding Disease was everywhere and food was in very short supply

Ghettoization Begins 1939, St. Louis left Hamburg travelled to six different countries and denied every time Jews remaining in Germany were forced into Ghettos throughout the German Empire

Life in the Ghettos 400 Ghettos created to isolate, humiliate and control Jews Unsanitary, very little food and water and violent Warsaw Ghetto: 450, 000 people in 1.3 square miles

450 000 People = Just A Bit Smaller than Scarborough 1 450 000 People = Just A Bit Smaller than Scarborough 1.3 square miles (see map)

Mobile Killing Machines Einsatzgruppen (E-Squad) developed to follow German army into villages, find Jews or “undesirables” and systematically murder them Small group of mostly educated soldiers; making “just following orders” argument difficult Made repeated trips to same location to ensure all “undesirable” eliminated Mobile Gas-vans were used to make the killing process more efficient; help lead to Gas Chambers

E-Squad Soldiers Murdering A Mother and Child

Stage 3: Concentration Camps As Nazis invaded more territory and captured more Jews, shear numbers became a problem Use of the Gas-vans lead to the development of gas- equipped chambers that could kill on mass SEPARATED AT CAMPS: Those considered too weak (elderly, children) were often killed immediately while others worked to death

Stage 4: Extermination Auschwitz As inmates began to die from starvation and illness bodies were held in large chambers Ventilation system used to vent foul smell Process helped foster the notion of using chambers to kill en mass MEMORIAL IN AUSCHWITZ GAS CHAMBER

Concentration Camps By the time the Allies found the camps many inmates were close to death Altogether six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis along with countless other “undesirables”

And I Said Nothing In Germany they first came for the communists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the union leaders, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a union leader. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.