Holocaust PowerPoint #5 “The Ghettos” Holocaust PowerPoint #5

Why no Jewish Resistance? Ghettos were not a new invention Existed back in Middle Ages Been confined several times before in history Hitler believed Jews were a “cancer” that needed to be destroyed Strong Jews who could survive and spread Judaism must be killed Jews were not fighters by nature; few owned guns

Community and family were very strong in Jewish culture Thought reason was a way to convince the Nazis Thought by cooperating the SS would ease up Jews were too scattered in isolated towns to put up resistance.

The Order to Move Little warning, came early in the morning Could only take one suitcase Homes and valuables had to be left behind; scavengers came in and stole unattended property At the ghetto, family was assigned a room (12 to 20 people in one room) No privacy, few toilets, little food, streets filled with beggars

Underground libraries sprang up; ghetto orchestras secretly performed Jews began to develop a system of schools, newspapers, and cultural and religious organizations Underground libraries sprang up; ghetto orchestras secretly performed Religious life went on despite Nazi efforts to stop it Rabbis had to alter some of the rules concerning non-Kosher food or clothing options

Government Judenrat was the Jewish government that took orders from the Nazis People were the only thing not in short supply in the ghetto Lodz Mordechai Rumkowski (leader) wanted to keep Nazis happy at all costs Believed if ghetto was productive the Nazis would leave them alone In 1942 Nazis began “resettling” Lodz Jews, sending them to Chelmno death camp Rumkowski told parents to give him their children He was killed in August 1944

Warsaw, Poland The largest ghetto (400,000 Jews) Adam Czerniakow (leader) Made little effort to stop smuggling Begged the Nazis to let children go free; this was denied and he killed himself Kovno Located in Lithuania 30,000 Jews left in this ghetto after many were killed beforehand; 10,000 Jews were killed by Anti-Semitic Lithuanians Dr. Elchanan Elkes (leader) Tried to protect his people In 1943 he was taken away and by 1945 only 2,000 Jews were still alive By 1943, the Nazis were determined to bring the Final Solution to a close

Daily Life in the Ghettos Forbidden to leave the ghetto without a permit Worked 10-12 hours of hard labor a day Starvation Bread (14 oz.) Meat Products (4.5 oz.) Sugar (1.75 oz.) Fat (.9 oz.) Approximately 220 calories a day Killed approximately 500 a week

The Cold Disease Temperatures could drop to 20 below (Warsaw, Poland) Warm clothing was taken away Did not provide them with enough kerosene, coal, or wood Disease Breeding grounds for bacteria Limited sanitary facilities Sewage pipes froze and burst Little soap and water available Typhus, a disease directly connected with overcrowding and filth, took by far the greatest number of people