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The Holocaust: Critical Questions

The Holocaust: Critical Questions

Background: The Holocaust was the systematic genocide of six million Jews, Gypsies, Poles, communists, homsexuals, and many others at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. Anyone caught helping those targeted were persecuted as well. The Nazi goal of exterminating all the Jews was nearly successful -- two-thirds of European Jews were killed during the Nazis' realm of power.


Boycott of Jewish Businesses

  1. What did Hitler blame Jews for?

Hitler publicly blamed the Jews for Germany’s loss in WWI and its failing economy.


  1. What were two goals of the boycott?

The two goals of the boycott were to isolate Jews from German society socially and economically, and to show the world that Adolf Hitler was firmly in control of Germany.


  1. What were some results of the boycott?

Some results of the boycott include the spread of hatred, the firing of Jewish people from their jobs, the banning of Jews from universities, and the fact that businesses owned by Jews had to be marked by the Star of David. Some businesses were attacked and terrorized.


The Nuremberg Laws

  1. Between 1933 and 1935 many laws were passed restricting the freedom of Jews.  What are some examples of what Jews were forbidden to do?

Some examples of what Jews were forbidden to do were entering houses, restaurants, public swimming pools, and other recreation sites. 


  1. What was the primary goal of the Nuremberg Laws?

The primary goal of the Nuremberg Laws was to separate and introduce the subjects of state and the citizens of the Third Reich. It essentially made the Jews inferior to the people of German blood.


  1. What were three restrictions the Nuremberg Laws placed on Jews?

Three restrictions the Nuremberg Laws placed on Jews were the forbidding of marriage between Jews and those of German blood, the prohibition of Jews from flying the Third Reich flag, and the fact that all Jews had to register with the government and wear a yellow Star of David so they could be identified. 


Kristallnacht

  1. What fraction of Jews left Germany by 1938?

Nearly ½ of Jews who lived in Germany left by 1938.


  1. What happened during Kristallnacht?

During the Kristallnacht, or “the night of shattered glass”, thousands of Nazi soldiers and non-Jewish German sympathizers armed themselves and went on an anti-Jewish rampage and massacre. They looted and smashed Jewis stores, destroyed synagogues, and arrested and killed Jews.


  1. Why did Nazi leaders plan Kristallnacht?

Nazi leaders planned Kristallnacht because they wanted to retaliate and get their revenge for the assassination of a German official by a Jewish student. It was also intended to escalate the Nazi effort to dehumanize and hurt the Jews.


Ghettos

  1. What were ghettos?

Ghettos were small areas within a city that were sealed off by high walls or barbed wire. Inhabitants couldn’t leave the compound, and no one could enter from outside.


  1. Why did the Nazis put Jews into ghettos?

The Nazis put Jews into ghettos under the guise that they were trying to prevent the typhus epidemic from getting worse, but the actually did so to concentrate the Jews until they could reach their goal of eliminating and killing them.


  1. Where did Nazis establish ghettos?  What did that mean for northern and western European Jews?

The Nazis established ghettos in eastern Europe, in regions where Nazi Germany had conquered and occupied. This meant that northern and western European Jews were transported to eastern European ghettos.


  1. Describe life in the ghettos.

Life in the ghettos was difficult, and was flooded with anxiety and chaos. People didn’t have a lot of resources, they were sick and malnourished, and they lived in very crowded and tight spaces. Since they couldn’t earn money by working, some Jews turned junk into useful products that some Germans were willing to trade for food and other goods. Many people died from overcrowding, starvation, disease, hard labor, unsanitary conditions, etc. Jews who survived the ghettos would be transported to concentration camps to be murdered. Eventually, all ghettos were destroyed.


Deportation

  1. By 1942 why had many Jews who had left Germany earlier found themselves facing the same fate as those who had stayed behind?

The many Jews who had left Germany earlier found themselves facing the same fate as those who stayed behind because the Nazis had already killed off nearly all of the Jews in northeastern Europe, and they were turning their attention to the other Jews living in other parts of Europe.


  1. What happened to Dutch Jews in the Netherlands?

The Dutch Jews in the Netherlands were rounded up and deported to Auschwitz, a killing center in Poland. 107,000 of the 140,000 Jews living in the Netherlands had been deported.


  1. From what other European countries did the Nazis try to take Jews?

The Nazis also tried to take Jews from France, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Greece.



Camps

  1. What different types of camps were established by the Nazis?

The different types of camps established by the Nazis were prisoner-of-war camps, forced labor camps, concentration camps, and mass extermination camps.


  1. Why did Hitler establish the camps?

Hitler established the camps to control and terrorize the people of Europe, and show everyone how powerful and scary he was.


  1. In addition to Jews, what other “criminals” did the Nazis put into the camps?

In addition to Jews, the other ”criminals” the Nazis put into the camps were socialists, clergy members of various faiths, Jews, and the physically & mentally handicapped. These were seen as enemies. Homosexuals, gypsies, prostitutes, and beggars were also sent to the camps for detainment.


  1. Why were many families broken up when they arrived at a camp?

Many families were broken up when they arrived at a camp because they were broken up into two groups: those that could be used for hard labor, and those who would just be put to death. Young children were often separated and sent to their deaths right away, as they could not work.


  1. What were the conditions inside a camp?

The conditions in the camps were horrific. The moment they entered, they were likely separated from their families. People living in the camps had no legal rights or defense. Their lives were in the hands of the camp’s staff and command. Torture and death were common for any offenses. Hunger, exhaustion, disease, and filthy living conditions very deeply affected prisoners, and the breakup of families, loss of home, and bad livelihood demoralized the prisoners intentionally.


The Final Solution

  1. What were the Einsatzgruppen?  What did they do?

The Einsatzgruppen were special units of the security police and the SS Security Service. They followed German armies into Russia, and killed Jews, Soviet officials, handicapped people, and gypsies by mass shootings. Nearly 1.5 million Jews were killed by the group.


  1. What was the “final solution” to the “Jewish problem”?

The “final solution” to the “Jewish problem” was to mass execute Jews all around Europe. The Nazis planned to do this by deporting them to death camps.


  1. How was the Holocaust different from other human tragedies?

The Holocaust differs from other human tragedies by the fact that this was the first time technology and the use of the modern, industrial world was used to murder defenseless people.


Liberation

  1. What did Hitler do with the Jews as his armies were defeated?

As his armies were defeated, Hitler kept operating concentration camps, and deported Jews to their deaths still. The extermination of the Jews continued, and the remaining 300,000-400,000 Jews were forced to march to camps further east in Hitler’s territory. Some Jewish prisoners were also forced to burn the remains of millions of Jews in an attempt to cover up the evidence and atrocities.


  1. What evidence of the Holocaust did the Allies find when they liberated concentration camps?

The evidence of the Holocaust the Allies found when they liberated concentration camps were the half-starved piles of dead bodies, and likely the shoes, eyeglasses, children’s toys, clothing, and other human remains that weren’t burnt and destroyed fast enough. They also found evidence of rampant malnutrition and disease. Many inmates died after being liberated, despite the efforts of a British medical team.


The Holocaust: Critical Questions

Background: The Holocaust was the systematic genocide of six million Jews, Gypsies, Poles, communists, homsexuals, and many others at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. Anyone caught helping those targeted were persecuted as well. The Nazi goal of exterminating all the Jews was nearly successful -- two-thirds of European Jews were killed during the Nazis' realm of power.


Boycott of Jewish Businesses

  1. What did Hitler blame Jews for?

Hitler publicly blamed the Jews for Germany’s loss in WWI and its failing economy.


  1. What were two goals of the boycott?

The two goals of the boycott were to isolate Jews from German society socially and economically, and to show the world that Adolf Hitler was firmly in control of Germany.


  1. What were some results of the boycott?

Some results of the boycott include the spread of hatred, the firing of Jewish people from their jobs, the banning of Jews from universities, and the fact that businesses owned by Jews had to be marked by the Star of David. Some businesses were attacked and terrorized.


The Nuremberg Laws

  1. Between 1933 and 1935 many laws were passed restricting the freedom of Jews.  What are some examples of what Jews were forbidden to do?

Some examples of what Jews were forbidden to do were entering houses, restaurants, public swimming pools, and other recreation sites. 


  1. What was the primary goal of the Nuremberg Laws?

The primary goal of the Nuremberg Laws was to separate and introduce the subjects of state and the citizens of the Third Reich. It essentially made the Jews inferior to the people of German blood.


  1. What were three restrictions the Nuremberg Laws placed on Jews?

Three restrictions the Nuremberg Laws placed on Jews were the forbidding of marriage between Jews and those of German blood, the prohibition of Jews from flying the Third Reich flag, and the fact that all Jews had to register with the government and wear a yellow Star of David so they could be identified. 


Kristallnacht

  1. What fraction of Jews left Germany by 1938?

Nearly ½ of Jews who lived in Germany left by 1938.


  1. What happened during Kristallnacht?

During the Kristallnacht, or “the night of shattered glass”, thousands of Nazi soldiers and non-Jewish German sympathizers armed themselves and went on an anti-Jewish rampage and massacre. They looted and smashed Jewis stores, destroyed synagogues, and arrested and killed Jews.


  1. Why did Nazi leaders plan Kristallnacht?

Nazi leaders planned Kristallnacht because they wanted to retaliate and get their revenge for the assassination of a German official by a Jewish student. It was also intended to escalate the Nazi effort to dehumanize and hurt the Jews.


Ghettos

  1. What were ghettos?

Ghettos were small areas within a city that were sealed off by high walls or barbed wire. Inhabitants couldn’t leave the compound, and no one could enter from outside.


  1. Why did the Nazis put Jews into ghettos?

The Nazis put Jews into ghettos under the guise that they were trying to prevent the typhus epidemic from getting worse, but the actually did so to concentrate the Jews until they could reach their goal of eliminating and killing them.


  1. Where did Nazis establish ghettos?  What did that mean for northern and western European Jews?

The Nazis established ghettos in eastern Europe, in regions where Nazi Germany had conquered and occupied. This meant that northern and western European Jews were transported to eastern European ghettos.


  1. Describe life in the ghettos.

Life in the ghettos was difficult, and was flooded with anxiety and chaos. People didn’t have a lot of resources, they were sick and malnourished, and they lived in very crowded and tight spaces. Since they couldn’t earn money by working, some Jews turned junk into useful products that some Germans were willing to trade for food and other goods. Many people died from overcrowding, starvation, disease, hard labor, unsanitary conditions, etc. Jews who survived the ghettos would be transported to concentration camps to be murdered. Eventually, all ghettos were destroyed.


Deportation

  1. By 1942 why had many Jews who had left Germany earlier found themselves facing the same fate as those who had stayed behind?

The many Jews who had left Germany earlier found themselves facing the same fate as those who stayed behind because the Nazis had already killed off nearly all of the Jews in northeastern Europe, and they were turning their attention to the other Jews living in other parts of Europe.


  1. What happened to Dutch Jews in the Netherlands?

The Dutch Jews in the Netherlands were rounded up and deported to Auschwitz, a killing center in Poland. 107,000 of the 140,000 Jews living in the Netherlands had been deported.


  1. From what other European countries did the Nazis try to take Jews?

The Nazis also tried to take Jews from France, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Greece.



Camps

  1. What different types of camps were established by the Nazis?

The different types of camps established by the Nazis were prisoner-of-war camps, forced labor camps, concentration camps, and mass extermination camps.


  1. Why did Hitler establish the camps?

Hitler established the camps to control and terrorize the people of Europe, and show everyone how powerful and scary he was.


  1. In addition to Jews, what other “criminals” did the Nazis put into the camps?

In addition to Jews, the other ”criminals” the Nazis put into the camps were socialists, clergy members of various faiths, Jews, and the physically & mentally handicapped. These were seen as enemies. Homosexuals, gypsies, prostitutes, and beggars were also sent to the camps for detainment.


  1. Why were many families broken up when they arrived at a camp?

Many families were broken up when they arrived at a camp because they were broken up into two groups: those that could be used for hard labor, and those who would just be put to death. Young children were often separated and sent to their deaths right away, as they could not work.


  1. What were the conditions inside a camp?

The conditions in the camps were horrific. The moment they entered, they were likely separated from their families. People living in the camps had no legal rights or defense. Their lives were in the hands of the camp’s staff and command. Torture and death were common for any offenses. Hunger, exhaustion, disease, and filthy living conditions very deeply affected prisoners, and the breakup of families, loss of home, and bad livelihood demoralized the prisoners intentionally.


The Final Solution

  1. What were the Einsatzgruppen?  What did they do?

The Einsatzgruppen were special units of the security police and the SS Security Service. They followed German armies into Russia, and killed Jews, Soviet officials, handicapped people, and gypsies by mass shootings. Nearly 1.5 million Jews were killed by the group.


  1. What was the “final solution” to the “Jewish problem”?

The “final solution” to the “Jewish problem” was to mass execute Jews all around Europe. The Nazis planned to do this by deporting them to death camps.


  1. How was the Holocaust different from other human tragedies?

The Holocaust differs from other human tragedies by the fact that this was the first time technology and the use of the modern, industrial world was used to murder defenseless people.


Liberation

  1. What did Hitler do with the Jews as his armies were defeated?

As his armies were defeated, Hitler kept operating concentration camps, and deported Jews to their deaths still. The extermination of the Jews continued, and the remaining 300,000-400,000 Jews were forced to march to camps further east in Hitler’s territory. Some Jewish prisoners were also forced to burn the remains of millions of Jews in an attempt to cover up the evidence and atrocities.


  1. What evidence of the Holocaust did the Allies find when they liberated concentration camps?

The evidence of the Holocaust the Allies found when they liberated concentration camps were the half-starved piles of dead bodies, and likely the shoes, eyeglasses, children’s toys, clothing, and other human remains that weren’t burnt and destroyed fast enough. They also found evidence of rampant malnutrition and disease. Many inmates died after being liberated, despite the efforts of a British medical team.