Holocaust:Holocaust: The systemic The systemic slaughter of Europe’s Jews by the slaughter of Europe’s Jews by the Nazis during World War II.Nazis during World War II.

The Nazis tortured and murdered The Nazis tortured and murdered 6,000,000 European Jews & 6,000,000 European Jews & 5,000,000 non-Jewish civilians in 5,000,000 non-Jewish civilians in concentration camps.concentration camps.

Gas chambers and massacres Gas chambers and massacres were used to murder thousands were used to murder thousands of victims at one time.of victims at one time.

Topic: Topic: The Holocaust The Holocaust - WWII (1939-- WWII (1939-1945) The Holocaust refers to the 1945) The Holocaust refers to the period of time from 1933 when period of time from 1933 when Hitler became Chancellor of Hitler became Chancellor of Germany to May 8, 1945 (VE Day) Germany to May 8, 1945 (VE Day) the end of World War II in Europe.the end of World War II in Europe.

Aim: Aim: What was the Final Solution? What was the Final Solution?

Do now: Do now: List everything you know List everything you know about the Holocaust.about the Holocaust.

As WWII progressed, Hitler and the As WWII progressed, Hitler and the Nazis built concentration camps for Nazis built concentration camps for the express purpose of detaining Jews the express purpose of detaining Jews and others considered as opposition and others considered as opposition to the Nazis.to the Nazis.

The Nazis persecuted Jews, Polish The Nazis persecuted Jews, Polish intellectuals, Gypsies, homosexuals, intellectuals, Gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally challenged and other the mentally challenged and other anti-socials and forced them into anti-socials and forced them into concentration camps.concentration camps.– Prison camp for those considered enemy Prison camp for those considered enemy

of the stateof the state– Prisoners of war and people considered Prisoners of war and people considered

unfit were also victimsunfit were also victims– Nearly 6 million Jews were murderedNearly 6 million Jews were murdered

Hitler in powerAnti-semitic Laws

Nuremburg Race Laws

Aryanization

Kristallnacht

War begins.Ghettos established in Poland

Mobile killing squad Massacres

Deportation to Killing centers

Deportation from Hungary

Germany surrenders

What were the first measures taken by the Nazis against the Jews?

April, 1933.

• A boycott of Jewish businesses by Nazis.• A law which expelled Jews from the civil service.• A law prohibiting Jews from becoming lawyers & judges.• A law restricting Jewish enrollment in schools.

When was the first concentration camp established?•In March, 1933, Dachau opened primarily for political prisoners, Communists or Social Democrats, criminals, homosexuals and other anti-socials.

•The decision to exterminate the Jews was reached in1941.

Why were Jews singled out for extermination and Why were Jews singled out for extermination and what does the term “Final Solution” mean?what does the term “Final Solution” mean?

The explanation of the Nazis’ hatred of the Jew rests on The explanation of the Nazis’ hatred of the Jew rests on their distorted world view which saw history as a racial their distorted world view which saw history as a racial struggle. struggle. The Nazis considered the Jews a race whose The Nazis considered the Jews a race whose goal was world domination and who would obstruct or goal was world domination and who would obstruct or oppose the Aryan race from dominating the worldoppose the Aryan race from dominating the world. They . They believed that all of history was a fight between races believed that all of history was a fight between races which should culminate in the triumph of the superior which should culminate in the triumph of the superior Aryan race. Therefore they considered it their duty to Aryan race. Therefore they considered it their duty to eliminate the Jews. eliminate the Jews. This antisemitism started with the This antisemitism started with the centuries-old tradition of Christian antisemitism which centuries-old tradition of Christian antisemitism which propagated the Jew as the killer of Christ. propagated the Jew as the killer of Christ. These These combined reasons pointed to the Jew as a target for combined reasons pointed to the Jew as a target for persecution and ultimate destruction by the Nazis. persecution and ultimate destruction by the Nazis. The The Final Solution Final Solution refers to Germany’s plan to murder all the refers to Germany’s plan to murder all the Jews of Europe. The term was used at a conference Jews of Europe. The term was used at a conference where German officials discussed its implementation.where German officials discussed its implementation.

Every Jewish community in occupied Europe suffered losses during the Holocaust.

Death Camps (or mass murder) camp is a concentration camp with special apparatus specifically designed for systemic murder. Six death camps existed. Auschwitz, Belzec, Chelmno, Majdanek, Sobibor and Treblinka. All six were located in Poland. The Jews were the only group singled out for total systemic annihilation by the Nazis. Every single Jew was to be killed according to the Nazis’ plan. This was the “Final Solution” to the Jewish question.

How many death camps were there and where were they?

Kristallnacht.1938

The response of the Allies to the persecution and destruction of European Jewry was inadequate. Countries restricted immigration of Jews. In 1938, with the exception of the Dominican Republic, the nations assembled, including the U.S. and Great Britain refused to change their stringent immigration laws. This decision prevented hundreds of thousands of Jews from escaping Europe.

While the Pope had received news of the genocide taking place in concentration camps, he only pleaded for kinder treatment of people, but did nothing to condemn the Nazis.

How did the world respond prior to the war and during it?

Selection process. Who would be killed immediately? Who would be sent to labor camps? Who would be sent for medical experimentation?

Zyklon B-Poison Gas. Killed thousands at a time.

The The Liberation of Liberation of the Death the Death Camps. 1945.Camps. 1945.

Survivors at Dachau cheer as Allied troops approach to liberate them.

An Allied soldier holds wedding rings taken from Holocaust victims by the Nazis.

Liberation at Dachau Camp. Nearly 30,000 set free.

Liberation at Auschwitz-1945.

Young survivors at Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

Survivors at Auschwitz greet Allied troops.

Liberated women walking in snow at Auschwitz.

After WWII, the Allies put Nazi After WWII, the Allies put Nazi leaders on trial in Nuremberg, leaders on trial in Nuremberg, GermanyGermany

Nazi leaders were accused of war Nazi leaders were accused of war crimescrimes– 12 Nazi leaders were sentenced to 12 Nazi leaders were sentenced to

deathdeath– Others were found guilty and Others were found guilty and

imprisonedimprisonedWhen Hitler realized he had lost World War II, he committed suicide.