1. Ms. Humes Contemporary American History
The Holocaust
Ms. Humes
Contemporary American History

2. What is Race?
race does not exist biologically; we are only of the “human race”
race has been social constructed (created by society) to categorize people
there is nothing racist about people of color using race as a self-empowering identity (ie. “Black Power”)
racial categories are racist when used to discriminate and oppress

3. What is racism?
Racial Prejudice: judging a person without knowing him / her simply based on negative and inaccurate racial stereotypes
Institutional Racism: a system of advantage based on race; in U.S., this system privileges whites and disadvantages people of color.

4. What does it mean to be Jewish?
To be Jewish can involve the following:
Ancestry: Jewish people trace their ancestry back to the ancient Hebrew people
Culture: unique traditions, holidays, celebrations, foods and language (Hebrew, Yidish…)
Religion of Judaism, which goes back to Abraham, Isaac and Joseph and believes the “Children and Land of Israel” are uniquely chosen by God

5. Nazis and anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism: hatred of Jews
Nazis believed Jews were a “bastard” race, “tainted” offspring of “mixed blood” ancestry
Nazis hated Jews because:
they were different
it helped them define “Aryan” by isolating the “other”
they were an easy “scapegoat” for Germany’s problems
Fascism desires a homogenous “nation”
Nazis could claim coveted resources

6. Classifying the “Races”

7. Nazi Race Posters

8. “The Evil Jew”

9. Nazi anti-Semitism “Race” Poster

10. “The Evil Jew”

11. “The Jew is a Bastard”

12. “The one who wears this is the enemy of the German people”

13. “Mixed Race” vs. “Pure Race”

14. Timeline of the Holocaust
1933:
Hitler becomes Chancellor, then later Furher of Germany
Nazis pass sterilization laws
1935:
Nuremburg laws define and discriminates against Jews
1938:
Kristallnacht – pogrom against Jews in Germany and Austria
1939:
Invasion of Poland – Jews imprisoned for forced labor in concentration camps

15. Timeline of the Holocaust cont.
1940:
Jews and others in ghettos when camps are too full
1941:
Nazis invade Soviets; use shooting death squads on Jews in former Soviet territory
Nazis experiment with gas vans
1942:
Final Solution: Nazis begin full elimination of Jews in gas chambers
1943:
Allies invade German controlled Europe through Italy

16. Timeline of the Holocaust cont.
1944:
D-Day - Allies invade Nazis controlled Europe in Normandy, France
1945:
Allies discover first Concentration Camps as they close in on Berlin
May 8: VE Day - Victory in Europe, Nazis surrender
Aug. 15: Victory in Japan, Japan surrenders