The Holocaust

What we will talk about Define the Holocaust Who is Anne Frank? When Where Why How What Who is Anne Frank? The world today

The Holocaust The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. "Holocaust" is a word of Greek origin meaning "sacrifice by fire." 1

Who? Who do you associate with the Holocaust? Perpetrators: Hitler, Nazis, German law making officials Collaborators: Italy, initially the Soviet Union Bystanders: Europeans who knew it was going on Victims: Jews, Polish, handicapped, homosexuals, gypsies Liberators: Europeans who hid Jews, Allies

When did this take place? Adolf Hitler, the Chancellor of Germany (like our President), was elected in 1933 He was anti-Semitic– he was prejudice against Jews He began developing laws against and enforcing terrible restrictions on the Jewish population in Germany He was also prejudice against other groups which he saw as “racially inferior” In 1939 he invaded Poland, and began his quest to take over all of Europe (and perhaps the world) Began enforcing the same laws and restrictions on all of the European Jewry

When... In 1941, the mass deportations and killings of Jews began WWII ended in 1945. By then two-thirds of the Jewish population in Europe had been murdered

Where did this take place? What places come to mind when you think about the Holocaust? Europe Hitler and the Nazi party were from Germany They invaded Poland (to the East of Germany) Anne Frank was from the Netherlands (North and West from Germany)

Why did this take place? All over Europe there was an existing prejudice against Jewish people Hitler and the Nazis wanted to create a superior race

Pyramid of Hate2

How did Hitler create hate? How could he be so successful? How did this happen??

Propaganda Posters Children’s books Radio Groups

Law Nuremberg Laws– legislation beginning in 1933 (Germany) mandating restrictions against “enemies of the state”, particularly Jewish people Marriage Businesses Curfews Property Dress

What happened? Ghettos Final Solution Deportation Concentration Camps

Ghettos What is a ghetto? Enclosed districts of a city in which the Germans forced the Jewish population to live under miserable conditions. The Germans regarded the establishment of Jewish ghettos as a provisional measure to control, isolate, and segregate Jews.1

Ghettos, continued Where were the ghettos? Survivor Testimony

Final Solution In 1939, the Nazis came to a final decision to annihilate the Jewish population from Europe. Deportations increased More Jews were sent to concentration camps (extermination camps) at this point, where most died

Deportation

Concentration Camps

Resistance How do you resist an enemy? Why didn’t they resist more? Physically Mentally Spiritually Emotionally Why didn’t they resist more?

Anne Frank How many of you have kept a diary or a journal? There are 55 diaries which survived the Holocaust that were written by children/teens Anne Frank’s is the most famous

Background Anne Frank was born in 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany They were non practicing Jews Her family moved in 1933 to the Netherlands because Adolf Hitler came to power Father opened the Opeka Company (sold materials necessary for canning foods).

Decision to go into hiding Went into hiding in 1942 because Anne’s older sister was ordered to a labor camp Went into hiding with another family and eventually gained an eighth roommate

Members of the Secret Annex

Where did they hide?

How is this relevant today? Preventing Genocide

Sources 1United States Holocuast Memorial Museum. http://www.ushmm.org 2The Anti-defamation League. http://www.adl.org