Holocaust Overview

An Overview of the Holocaust

Using the link, http://www.ushmm.orp/wlc/en/article.php?Moduleld=10007262 (the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website), go to “Education” at the top of the page, scroll down and click on “for teachers”, then go to the left side of the page and click on “essential topics to teach”. Then click on each topic area, read the entire section then answer the question that corresponds to that particular section.

1933-1939

Dictatorship under the Third Reich

In the first months of Hitler's chancellorship, the Nazis instituted a policy of "coordination"--the alignment of individuals and institutions with Nazi goals. Which were the four goals that came under Nazi control?

The four goals that came under Nazi control was culture, the economy, education.

Early Stages of Persecution

The Nuremberg Laws did not identify a "Jew" as someone with particular religious beliefs. Instead, the first amendment to the Nuremberg Laws defined a “Jew” as?

The first amendment to the Nuremberg laws defined a “Jew” as anyone who had three or four Jewish grandparents as a Jew, regardless of whether that individual recognized himself or herself belonged to the Jewish Religious community.

The First Concentration Camps

Define the term “Concentration Camp”

Concentration camp refers to a camp in which people are detained or confined, usually under harsh conditions and without regard to legal norms of arrest and imprisonment that is a constitutional democracy.

1939-1945

World War II in Europe

What happened on September 1, 1939, that starts WWII? Explain.

On September 1, 1939 Germany started World War II by invading Poland.

Murder of the Disabled (Euthanasia Program)

The Euthanasia Program murdered children, young adults, and adults that were considered “physically” and “mentally” disabled. They were put in gas chambers and then burned to ashes. These were not “Jews” but Germans. The families were told that their family membered died from what?

After being murdered their families were told that it was from Enterprise T4.

Persecution and Murder of Jews

Others than the Jewish people, name three other populations that were targeted under Hitler’s Regime.

Three other populations that were targeted under Hitler’s Regime was the Roma (gypsies), the disabled, and some of the Slavic peoples.

Ghettos

What were the three types of ghettos?

Three types of ghettos were closed ghettos, open, ghettos and destruction ghetto.

Mobile Killing Squads (Einsatzgruppen)

The “Einsatzgruppen” were mainly German soldiers and Secret Service German men that would go and kill Jews and anyone who was against Hitler. How did they kill these people? At first they only killed men, but as the war continued, did they kill women and children?

They would shoot people, rob homes, kill women, children, and old people.

Expansion of the Concentration Camp System

The goods extracted or produced by prisoner labor in the concentration camps were sold to what two German Reich through SS-owned firms?

The two German Reich through SS-owned firms was the Krakow (Cracow) and Trawniki.

Killing Centers

What was the name of the first “Killing Center”? Where and when did it open?

The first killing center was Chelmno which opened in the Warthgeau (Part of Poland annexed to Germany) in December 1941

Additional Victims of Nazi Persecution

Among the earliest victims of Nazi discrimination in Germany were political opponents -- primarily Communists, Socialists, Social Democrats, and trade union leaders. What was the name of the concentration camp that these political enemies were placed?

Given overall responsibility for the security of the Nazi empire, Hitler was the key and senior Nazi official, responsible for conceiving and overseeing implantation of the so called final solution which was the Nazi plan to murder the Jews of Europe.

Jewish Resistance and Non-Jewish Resistance

Jewish prisoners rose against their guards at three killing centers. Name two of these center and include the month and year.

April-May 1943- Treblinka Killing Center

October-1943- Sobibor Killing Center

Rescue

What is “Zegota” and when did it begin?

The Zegota was a Polish underground organization that provided for the social welfare needs of Jews and this began in September 1942.

United States

After reading this section, why do you think that the United States refused to help the people that were being murdered?

I think when it came down to it the reason the U.S Authorities didn’t help rescue was because they wanted the war to be settled already so I’m guessing they wanted to really show that they wanted something to be done about it already.

Death Marches

The evacuations of the concentration camps had three purposes, what were those reasons?

(1)SS authorities did not want prisoners to fall into enemy hands alive to tell their stories to Allied and Soviet liberators

(2)The SS thought they needed prisoners to maintain production of armaments wherever possible

(3)Some SS leaders, including Himmler, believed irrationally that they could use Jewish concentration camp prisoners as hostages to bargain for a separate peace in the west that would guarantee the survival of the Nazi regime

Liberation

The Germans tries to destroy the evidence by destroying the concentration camps. However, what evidence was found that proved the Germans had killed an unimaginable number of Jewish peoples?

They found some personal belongings, hundreds of thousands of men’s suits, more than 800,000 women’s outfits and more than 14,000 pounds of human hair.

Post- 1945

Postwar Trials

The International Military Tribunal (IMT) defined crimes against humanity as?

The IMT defined crimes against humanity as "murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation...or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds."

Displaced Persons Camps and Emigration

 Define Zionism a worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state of Israel.