The HolocaustThe Holocaust

HolocaustHolocaustby Barbara Sonekby Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughedWe played, we laughedwe were loved.we were loved.We were ripped from the arms of ourWe were ripped from the arms of ourparents and thrown into the fire.parents and thrown into the fire.We were nothing more than children.We were nothing more than children.We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, for we were the to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away. children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.

The Holocaust is the term used to The Holocaust is the term used to describe the persecution and mass describe the persecution and mass murder of millions of Jewish people in murder of millions of Jewish people in Europe during World War II.Europe during World War II.

While the Nazis killed nearly 6 million While the Nazis killed nearly 6 million Jews they also persecuted Gypsies, Jews they also persecuted Gypsies, Homosexuals, and Slavic peoples, along Homosexuals, and Slavic peoples, along with other groups they saw as inferiorwith other groups they saw as inferior

Hitler’s PoliciesHitler’s Policies

Once Hitler gained power in Germany he Once Hitler gained power in Germany he began to institute many of the idea’s he began to institute many of the idea’s he had presented in his book had presented in his book Mein KampfMein Kampf

Discrimination against Jews was very Discrimination against Jews was very common in Europe-often Jewish people common in Europe-often Jewish people were forced to live in secluded ghettos and were forced to live in secluded ghettos and had many restrictions on land ownershiphad many restrictions on land ownership

However the Nazi’s would take these However the Nazi’s would take these policies much further-To them all Jews policies much further-To them all Jews were EVIL no matter what their religion, were EVIL no matter what their religion, occupation or educationoccupation or education

Hitler’s PoliciesHitler’s Policies

The Nazis under Hitler began to take away basic rights that The Nazis under Hitler began to take away basic rights that had been granted to Jewish people for centurieshad been granted to Jewish people for centuries

The The Nuremberg Laws Nuremberg Laws took citizenship away from Jewish took citizenship away from Jewish Germans and banned marriage between Jews and other Germans and banned marriage between Jews and other Germans. Other laws defined Jews as any one with at least Germans. Other laws defined Jews as any one with at least one Jewish grandparent (Hitler) and prohibited them from one Jewish grandparent (Hitler) and prohibited them from holding public office or voting.holding public office or voting.

Jews with German sounding names were forced to change Jews with German sounding names were forced to change them to Jewish names and there passports were marked them to Jewish names and there passports were marked with large red J’s to signify their ethnicity.with large red J’s to signify their ethnicity.

By 1938 at least half of the German Jewish population was By 1938 at least half of the German Jewish population was unemployed-they were not allowed to own businesses, be unemployed-they were not allowed to own businesses, be doctors, lawyers or any other type of service positiondoctors, lawyers or any other type of service position

Despite these conditions many Jews remained in Germany, Despite these conditions many Jews remained in Germany, unwilling to give up their lives they had fought so hard to unwilling to give up their lives they had fought so hard to establish-little did they know the terror that was to come.establish-little did they know the terror that was to come.

KristallnachtKristallnacht

In response to an enraged Jewish man killing a German official In response to an enraged Jewish man killing a German official in Paris-Hitler and his minister of propaganda-Joseph Goebbels in Paris-Hitler and his minister of propaganda-Joseph Goebbels organized a series of attacks on Jewish people that seemingly organized a series of attacks on Jewish people that seemingly appeared to be public acts of retaliationappeared to be public acts of retaliation

German storm troopers invaded Jewish homes in Poland and German storm troopers invaded Jewish homes in Poland and Germany destroying property attacking families-these actions Germany destroying property attacking families-these actions were also carried out by roving bands of thugs.were also carried out by roving bands of thugs.

The destruction and violence would become known as The destruction and violence would become known as Kristallnacht Kristallnacht or the night of broken glassor the night of broken glass

At the nights end 7,500 businesses were destroyed, 180 At the nights end 7,500 businesses were destroyed, 180 synagogues and 90 people were killed with hundreds of injuredsynagogues and 90 people were killed with hundreds of injured

Nazi interior minister Herman Goering added insult to injury by Nazi interior minister Herman Goering added insult to injury by stating that Jewish people had to pay for the damages stating stating that Jewish people had to pay for the damages stating they were the reason for the destruction and violence-he they were the reason for the destruction and violence-he would state-”I would like to say that I would not like to be a would state-”I would like to say that I would not like to be a Jew in Germany.”Jew in Germany.”

After these violent events many German After these violent events many German Jews would leave the country-as many as Jews would leave the country-as many as 350,000 Jews escaped Nazi controlled 350,000 Jews escaped Nazi controlled Germany-including scientist Albert EinsteinGermany-including scientist Albert Einstein

Thousands applied for visas everyday, but Thousands applied for visas everyday, but most were deniedmost were denied

Most countries were not willing to take in Most countries were not willing to take in these immigrantsthese immigrants

The United States had immigration quotas The United States had immigration quotas and was not willing to raise them for people and was not willing to raise them for people that were literally leaving their homes with that were literally leaving their homes with nothingnothing

Jewish people tried to escape to many Jewish people tried to escape to many destinations in Central and South Americadestinations in Central and South America

One example was the SS St. Louis that One example was the SS St. Louis that carried 930 Jewish passengers to Havana, carried 930 Jewish passengers to Havana, Cuba-there the immigration director-fueled Cuba-there the immigration director-fueled by Nazi propaganda refused to let the by Nazi propaganda refused to let the people stay-most of these people were people stay-most of these people were returned to European countries that shortly returned to European countries that shortly fell under Nazi rule-most of them would die fell under Nazi rule-most of them would die in the Nazis FINAL SOLUTION in the Nazis FINAL SOLUTION

THE FINAL SOLUTIONTHE FINAL SOLUTION

On January 20, 1942 Nazi leaders met at On January 20, 1942 Nazi leaders met at the the Wannsee Conference Wannsee Conference held in a Berlin held in a Berlin suburb to determine the “final solution for suburb to determine the “final solution for the Jewish question”the Jewish question”

Previous solutions had included rounding Previous solutions had included rounding up undesirable people, shooting them and up undesirable people, shooting them and pilling them in mass gravespilling them in mass graves

Another solution was loading them in trucks Another solution was loading them in trucks and pumping in toxic fumes-both methods and pumping in toxic fumes-both methods were considered to slow and inefficientwere considered to slow and inefficient

Joseph GoebbelsJoseph Goebbels

Dr. Paul Joseph GoebbelsDr. Paul Joseph Goebbels was a was a German politician and politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in in Nazi Germany from 1933 to from 1933 to 1945. As one of 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's 's closest associates and most closest associates and most devout followers, he was devout followers, he was known for his zealous known for his zealous oratory and and anti-Semitism. He played . He played a hand in the a hand in the Kristallnacht attack on the attack on the German Jews, , which historians consider to be which historians consider to be the beginning of the the beginning of the Final Solution, leading towards , leading towards the the genocide of of the Holocaust..

http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/ww2era.htm

Josef MengeleJosef Mengele

Josef Rudolf MengeleJosef Rudolf Mengele also known as also known as the the Angel of Death Angel of Death was a was a German SS officer and a physician in the Nazi officer and a physician in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. He earned doctorates in Birkenau. He earned doctorates in anthropology from Munich University anthropology from Munich University and in medicine from Frankfurt and in medicine from Frankfurt University. He initially gained notoriety University. He initially gained notoriety for being one of the SS physicians who for being one of the SS physicians who supervised the selection of arriving supervised the selection of arriving transports of prisoners, determining transports of prisoners, determining who was to be killed and who was to who was to be killed and who was to become a forced labourer, but is far become a forced labourer, but is far more infamous for performing grisly more infamous for performing grisly human experiments on camp inmates, human experiments on camp inmates, including children, for which Mengele including children, for which Mengele was called the "Angel of Death".was called the "Angel of Death".

THE FINAL SOLUTIONTHE FINAL SOLUTION

The new plan called for The new plan called for concentration camps concentration camps that that were detention centers were detention centers were those that were able were those that were able would work until they died would work until they died of malnutrition, disease or of malnutrition, disease or fatiguefatigue

The others including the The others including the elderly, women and elderly, women and children were sent to children were sent to extermination campsextermination camps to be to be executed in massive gas executed in massive gas chamberschambers

THE FINAL SOLUTIONTHE FINAL SOLUTION

The first concentration camps were The first concentration camps were established in 1933 to jail political established in 1933 to jail political enemies. enemies.

Buchenwald was one of the first and Buchenwald was one of the first and largest-here men worked 12 hour largest-here men worked 12 hour shifts as slave laborers in factories.shifts as slave laborers in factories.

Hundreds died every month as a Hundreds died every month as a result of exhaustion and terrible result of exhaustion and terrible conditions.conditions.

THE FINAL SOLUTIONTHE FINAL SOLUTION

Extermination camps were built mostly in Extermination camps were built mostly in Poland to kill Jews more efficientlyPoland to kill Jews more efficiently

Two of the more famous camps include Two of the more famous camps include the infamous Treblinka and Auschwitzthe infamous Treblinka and Auschwitz

Auschwitz housed 100,000 people in 300 Auschwitz housed 100,000 people in 300 prison barracks. It had gas chambers built prison barracks. It had gas chambers built to kill 2,000 people at a time. Sometimes to kill 2,000 people at a time. Sometimes as many as 12,000 would be killed a day.as many as 12,000 would be killed a day.

1,600,000 people would be killed at 1,600,000 people would be killed at Auschwitz aloneAuschwitz alone

THE FINAL SOLUTIONTHE FINAL SOLUTION

Healthy prisoners would be sent to labor Healthy prisoners would be sent to labor camps-disabled people, sick, elderly, camps-disabled people, sick, elderly, mothers and children were sent straight to mothers and children were sent straight to the gas chambersthe gas chambers

The sights, sounds and the smell of burnt The sights, sounds and the smell of burnt human flesh from the crematoriums used human flesh from the crematoriums used to burn dead bodies will forever haunt to burn dead bodies will forever haunt those that survived or witnessed the those that survived or witnessed the horror horror

The Impact on Jewish SocietyThe Impact on Jewish Society

In only a few years Jewish culture, which had In only a few years Jewish culture, which had existed for over 1,000 years was almost existed for over 1,000 years was almost entirely destroyed by the Nazis in the lands entirely destroyed by the Nazis in the lands they conquered. Over 6 Million Jewish they conquered. Over 6 Million Jewish people would die.people would die.

There is still great debate on how something There is still great debate on how something so terrifyingly horrible could have happened-so terrifyingly horrible could have happened-many point to Germany’s humiliation after many point to Germany’s humiliation after World War I, The Germans peoples fear of World War I, The Germans peoples fear of the secret police, Hitler's ability to the secret police, Hitler's ability to manipulate information and a long tradition manipulate information and a long tradition of anti-Semitism in Europeof anti-Semitism in Europe

"... in spite of everything, I still believe that people "... in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquillity cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquillity will return again." - Anne Frankwill return again." - Anne Frank