BELLWORK 1. What was decided at the Yalta Conference? 2. What was decided at the Potsdam Conference? 3. What decisions created conflict between the “Big Three” during the conferences? 4. List Hitler’s three acts of aggression. 5. Define genocide. 6. THINKER: Why does a country, person, or government commit genocide? How can genocide be stopped?

“Once I really am in power, my first and foremost task will be the annihilation of the Jews... until all Germany has completely been cleansed of Jews.” Adolf Hitler

Nazi Creed Nazism focused on the beliefs of Adolf Hitler. These beliefs were outlined in his book, Mein Kampf You will now read summaries of Hitler’s main points in this autobiography. Be ready to discuss the following questions: 1. How does Hitler view the “German Master Race?” What are they allowed to do? 2. Why are Jews considered inferior? 3. What does Hitler think about Democracy? 4. How will Hitler use propaganda? 5. What tactics/emotions does Hitler use to control the masses?

Anti-Semitism Aryans > Semites When Hitler became leader in 1933, he made anti-Semitism (discrimination directed at Jews) the official policy of Germany. This hatred led to the Holocaust: Nazi Germany’s mass murder of “undesirable races.” Included Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, disabled, mentally challenged, communists, homeless, and dissenters. Enforced by the Gestapo: Nazi secret police Nuremburg Laws: 1935 series of anti-Semitic laws; defined the targeted races Final Solution: Goal to annihilate all Jewish people; led by Heinrich Himmler

Himmler: Chief of German Police (SS) in the Third Reich

Kristallnacht “Night of the Broken Glass” November 9, 1938: Nazi thugs in Germany and Austria destroyed Jewish stores, houses and synagogues.

Ghettos Nazi plans for dealing with Jews included establishment of ghettos: areas in which minority groups are concentrated. Nazis took 30% of Warsaw’s pop. and sealed them off in the Warsaw ghetto. Ghettos were surrounded with walls & barbed wire.

Jews move into the Kovno ghetto. Lithuania, 1941.

A sign, in both German and Latvian, warning that people attempting to cross the fence or to contact inhabitants of the Riga ghetto will be shot. Riga, Latvia,

A child eats in the streets of the Warsaw ghetto. Warsaw, Poland.

Children eating in the ghetto streets. Warsaw, Poland.

Concentration Camps 1. Labor Camps 2. Transit and Collection Camps 3. POW Camps 4. Education Camps 5. Hostage Camps 6. Extermination/Death Camps

Concentration Camps

Dachau

Use of the Railroad

German Jewish Family before the war- only two survived the Holocaust

Deportation of Jewish children from an orphanage. Lodz ghetto, Poland.

Child forced laborer in a ghetto factory. Kovno, Lithuania, between 1941 and 1944

A Jewish victim of life in a concentration camp

Mass grave of Holocaust victims

Once the people were killed, they were cremated in large furnaces like this one

Auschwitz

3 million died here by systematic starvation, forced labor, lack of disease control, individual executions, and "medical experiments". Camp was divided into three parts: Auschwitz I – administration Auschwitz II – extermination camp Auschwitz III – labor camp Soviet troops liberated the camp on January 27, 1945, which came to be known as Holocaust Remembrance day.

Medical Experimentations

Allied Help Witold Pilecki: Polish army captain who agreed to spend 945 days in Auschwitz. He gathered evidence of genocide and sent it to Britain. Two prisoners, Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler, escaped and gave a detailed report about the camp. Convinced Allied leaders about the truth of Auschwitz.

Birkenau Revolt On October 7, 1944, the Jewish Sonderkommandos of Auschwitz II staged an uprising. They attacked prison guards and blew up the Crematorium IV. Joined by other inmates who overpowered guards and broke out of the compound.

Liberation of Auschwitz In November 1945, generals ordered the crematoriums to be destroyed before the Red Army reached Auschwitz. Gas chambers were blown up to hide evidence of German crimes. The Death March: there were 60,000 prisoners left in Auschwitz. Forced them to walk to Loslau, another Polish concentration camp. 15,000 died on the way, but eventually Soviet forces infiltrated all camps.

Holocaust Comes to an End In 1944, FDR created War Refugee Board (WRB): programs and funding to help rescue Jews Nazis began abandoning camps for fear of Allied advances. In 1945, American & Soviet armies reached the concentration camps. Nuremburg Trials: Former Nazi leaders on trial for crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. 24 Nazi defendants – 12 executed

Total Deaths: 9-11 Million

Holocaust Facts 1. Jewish Population 2. Greek Origin 3. Maria Mandel 4. Amount of Z-klon B 5. Nazi Escape 6. Grave Discovery 7. Berlin Olympics 8. Chocolate

Where was America? Did Americans know the Holocaust was happening? If so, why didn’t they do anything earlier? Why did they wait so long to help? Similar stories during WWI Thought it was an exaggeration Major news sources downplayed its importance New York Times reported the victims as “refugees” Were timid about mixed Jewish – German readership Never highlighted its importance

CLOSURE What fact/term/concept/idea about the Holocaust sticks out the most to you? Explain! Many German citizens knew about the Holocaust as it was happening but chose to do nothing. Do you think this makes them just as guilty? What could they have done to help? What might have happened if they decided to speak out against the government?