History of the Holocaust An Overview ©Another Michele Luck Creation! Available at: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Michele-Lucks-Social-Studies

History of the Jews Never had a homeland Exile and persecution is part of their heritage Believe they prove their faith by enduring Moved from place to place as nations united with like ethnicities Became traders and bankers during Renaissance due to their always moving Money-dealing was considered a dirty job But they profited and lived well

Continued Persecution Martin Luther Blamed Jews for conflicts in the church Wrote pamphlets suggesting good Christians should “burn the synagogues” of the Jews Wars in Europe Blamed Jews for causing ethnic conflict WWI Jews blamed for German loss of war Great Depression Jews blamed for Germany’s economic fall Jews seen as manipulative b/c they were financially stable when others were economically depressed

Adolf Hitler Father is abusive; Adolf is “momma’s boy” Mother dies of cancer after being treated by Jewish doctor with high-risk experimental cancer treatment Does not get into Vienna Art school – told he does not have the talent seen in other (Jewish) applicants Fights for Germany (he is Austrian) in WWI and is wounded

Rise of Hitler/Nazi Party 1914-1918: Hitler fights for Germany in WWI and returns home an injured soldier 1919: Hitler joins an anti-Semitic group and quickly gains leadership in the party. He renames party the National Socialist Workers’ Party (NAZI) and declares the 25 Point Plan. Plan states that Jews are a threat to a PURE Germany and that Germans deserved LEBENSRAUM (Living space in their homeland) 1921-1923: Rampant inflation in Germany leaves many hungry, unemployed, and desperate for positive and encouraging leadership 1923: Hitler tries to overthrow the government and is imprisoned for treason where he writes Mein Kampf, his plan for Germany

Adolf Hitler to Power 1930s Depression worsens around the world Depression is extreme in Germany 1932 Nazis use anti-Semitic propaganda to gain power Nazis attack communist growth to gain strength 1933 Hitler is appointed chancellor Nazis take control of Germany and make immediate changes

Nazi Party Leaders Heinrich Himmler – leader of the SS, kept strict military, organized destruction of Jews, supervised mass killings in Russia Reinhard Heydrich – head of Gestapo Josef Goebbels – propaganda minister hired by Nazi Party to control radio & press Hermann Goering – Hitler’s second-in-command; in charge of Gestapo, an SS General in charge of Air Force (Luftwaffe), president of Reichstag Adolf Eichmann – engineer of Final Solution; ran camps, transportation of Jews, & death process

Control Under Hitler SA – Storm Troopers protected Nazi party by eliminating opponents SS – Enormous group that controlled Germany; originally part of SA Controlled concentration, labor & death camps Included Gestapo (Secret Police) that controlled all aspects of the Final Solution Trained to hate all enemies of the Reich, especially Jews and Communists Hitler Youth – all young children taken to camps to be trained in Nazi ways

Third Reich Civil Rights removed from all citizens Citizenship removed from Jews – Nuremberg Laws will strip all rights and protections Concentration Camps established for political prisoners or enemies of the Nazis Forced Labor Camps established to help with the war effort Death Camps established as the next step in the Final Solution Annihilation of Jews, Gypsies, Communists, Political Opponents, Other Nationalities…

Jewish Problem & Final Solution Jewish Question – “What to do with the Jews?” Separation – validated with U.S. segregation policies Expulsion from Germany – no other nation would take them in as immigrants Annihilation – the Final Solution Final Solution – planned genocide of the Jewish population in German controlled Europe Concentration camps, labor camps for use Death camps for extermination with Zyclon B Experimentation for science/medicine by Nazi doctors

Process for Jews Lost Citizenship, Jobs, Positions in Society Ordered to Wear Yellow Star of David and Register as Jews Kristallnacht – Night of Broken Glass destroyed Jewish businesses, homes, synagogues Relocated to Ghettos Forced Labor – Schindler’s factory Put on Trains to Camps Separated by gender Older & younger pulled out Stripped of possessions & clothes Hair cut for mattresses Showered with Zyclon B Bodies burned in large furnaces

Statistical Quick Overview Hitler was in power in Germany for 12 years 6 million Jews and 5 million others killed Population of Jews in Europe destroyed Jews’ homes, property, lives taken away Lasting effects into current day