1. The Holocaust
End of Innocence

2. Anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism – the hatred or feeling of superiority to the Jews
This was not a new concept in Europe or globally
Egyptian Empire enslaved the Jews
Roman Empire persecuted and killed Jews
Medieval Christians arrested and persecuted Jews because of their faith
Jewish culture and faith is one of the most persecuted in history
Nazi Anti-Semitism – Where did it come from?
Germany was humiliated by the Treaty of Versailles
Germany was in an economic crisis
Hitler presented the Jews a scapegoat for their problems

3. Why the Jews? Why were the Jews a target?
Many Jews began investing in Germany during the Depression and saw the potential for their economy to rebuild.
They moved in with money and stability that Germans coveted
They started up businesses and began having success because they had goods to sell
They became an easy target because of their success and the jealousy of a once proud German Empire that was suffering.
How were the Jews initially persecuted?
Nuremberg Laws – passed in 1935 created a separate legal status for Jews
Led to Jews being deported – forced to leave the country
Kristallnacht – the Night of Broken Glass – saw the destruction of Jewish businesses and the beating and murder of Jewish families

4. The Final Solution What is the Final Solution?
The deliberate mass execution of the Jews under the control of Germans
Step 1 of the Final Solution: Creation of Ghettos
What is a ghetto?
It was a confined location within a city were the Jews were forced to go to isolate them from the rest of the population, which were surrounded by walls or barbed wire fences to keep them inside and contained
Most famous ghetto
Warsaw, Poland – housed more than 400,000 Jews of which most died from starvation or were murdered

5. The Final Solution Step 2 of Final Solution: Concentration Camps
What were concentration camps?
They were forced labor camps constructed outside of cities that completely removed the unwanted from society and kept them in a prison setting where they were forced to do hard and meaningless work to survive
Life in the Camps:
Subjected to slave labor
Starvation and disease were common
Subjected them to cruel medical experiments
Dr. Josef Mengele – also called the “Angel of Death”
Headed up a medical/science team that carried out cruel experiments on Jews
Known for injecting dye into eyes to try to make them turn blue
Conducted experiments on twins to see if one sibling could feel the pain of the other

6. The Final Solution Step 3 of Final Solution: Mass Shootings/Executions
Used more in the invasion of the Soviet Union
Mobile killing units were established to execute all pockets of Jewish population they came across in Soviet Territory
Nazis got locals who also hated the Jews to help in these executions
These were known as Collaborators
Example:
September 1941 – nearly 35,000 Jews were executed in a 2-day period near a place called Babi Yar near the city of Kiev (modern day Ukraine).
Many felt that this was leaving too much evidence behind – led to the final step of the Final Solution

7. The Final Solution Step 4 of Final Solution: Death Camps
The purpose of Death Camps was to give a place for the execution of Jews and the destruction of their bodies to cover up crimes.
Many of these were set up in Poland
Most infamous Death Camp:
Auschwitz
Death Camps:
Contained gas chambers designed for killing 1000s per day
Furnaces were built for the destruction of the bodies of those who were gassed

8. Victims of the Holocaust
Who did the Germans execute?
Over 6,000,000 Jews were executed
Referred to as the Holocaust
Holocaust - Mass murder of Jews
Another 5,000,000 of different groups were also executed
Other groups:
Poles – people from Poland
Slavs – people from the area of Czechoslovakia
Homosexuals
The disabled – those with physical and mental disabilities
The Romany – an ethnic group made up of Gypsies

9. Global Reaction to Holocaust
Many were aware of the Anti-Semitic feelings of Germany
Anti-Semitism was a global issues and the United States was no different
Many turned a blind eye to Anti-Semitism because they were consumed with problems in their own nations with the Great Depression
By 1942 – reports of brutality was reaching Great Britain and U.S. but many felt they were too brutal to be true
They made no decision on how to handle the issue in meeting of Allies
What was done?
1944 – The United States sets up War Refugee Board – mission was to rescue European Jews
Saved nearly 200,000 Jews
Allied leaders though refused to bomb the rail lines from cities to camps
By 1944 and 1945 – Allies realized the did too little – found death camps that were left behind as Germans retreated – images of death and destruction scarred those who liberated the camps

10. Questions 1 of 2
What is Anti-Semitism? Was this a new concept? Explain your answer.
What was the root of German Anti-Semitism prior to World War II?
Why were the Jews targeted in Germany?
What were the Nuremberg Laws? What was Kristallnacht?
What was the Final Solution? What were the four steps of the Final Solution?
What was a ghetto? Where was the most infamous ghetto?

11. Questions 2 of 2
What is a concentration camp? What was life like in a concentration camp?
Who was Dr. Josef Mengele?
What made a death camp different from a concentration camp? What was the most infamous death camp?
What is the Holocaust? What other groups, besides Jews were victimized by the Germans?
What was the Global Reaction to the Holocaust prior to 1944? What was the reaction after 1944? What caused the change?