1. Poland

2. Poland
“If you can not prevent your enemies from swallowing you at least prevent them from digesting you” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau
What do you think this means? Write your response in your notes.

3. Physical Characteristics
Poland is covered by North European plain
Trees were cut down
2/3 of Poland is now open fields
Poland has SEVERE winters
South of the Baltic Sea

4. Geography
How has Poland’s geography contributed to its history of foreign domination???
Write the correct answer in your notes
Hint #1: Think about where Poland is on the map
Hint #2: Think about what would attract invaders

5. Geography
How has Poland’s geography contributed to its history of foreign domination???
Write the correct answer in your notes
Answer: No natural barriers to prevent invasion from east and west and abundance of natural resources that attract invaders

6. WWII 95% of people who live in Poland now are Roman Catholic
Before WWII Poland was multi-ethnic
What could have changed this?

7. The Nazi Party Wanted the “perfect” race
Blamed the Jewish religion for Germany’s hard times.
The Nazi Party either scared the various races out of Poland or they killed those who were different

8. Auschwitz

9. Location
Olwiecim, Poland
Date Aushwitz opened:
- June 14, 1940

10. The camp was used for… There were 3 main camps within Auschwitz:
Auschwitz 1: Administrative Center
Auschwitz 2: Extermination Camp
Auschwitz 3: Labor Camp

11. Types of Executions Used
Gassing
Lack of disease prevention
Starving
Individual executions
Medical experiments (sterilization, twins, dwarfs)‏

12. Five Years Later… Death toll: -estimated 2.5-4 million people died
Liberated by the Soviet Union:
-January 27, 1945

13. After Liberation… Auschwitz 1 (Administration Camp)‏
-Made into a museum to tell the tragic story of what happened.
Auschwitz 2 (Extermination Camp)‏
-Made into a grave site for the many that died there.

14. End of WWII Communist government takes over Poland.
What does communism mean?
What are the negatives? What are the positives of communism?
Positives – Free health care, low taxes for the poor, everyone is equal, classless society
Negatives – Censorship, hunger, political repression, work environment

15. Communism Ends In 1989 Poland did not experience instant prosperity
Change was difficult, however by the mid 1990s economic growth was up and unemployment improved