The Holocaust

The Holocaust… : 

The Holocaust… …a presentation of the, history, victims, concentration camps and liberation…

What is the Holocaust? : 

What is the Holocaust? “Holocaust” was originally a Jewish term that meant "a burnt sacrifice offered to God“. The term currently refers to the systematic removal of European Jews and other minority groups by Nazi Germany.

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Picture from the USHMM, courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, College Park.

History : 

History Photograph from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, courtesy of USHMM Photo

Timeline : 

Timeline The Holocaust is considered to have taken place between the years 1933-1945. It is important to note that World War II officially took place between 1939-1945. The Holocaust existed six years prior to the start of World War II.

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In 1933, Hitler comes to power, along with his Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers). In the same year, “Nuremberg Laws” declare Jewish people second class citizens and Jewish businesses are boycotted.

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Between the years 1933-1935, plans were made to reduce genetic inferiors by sterilization. In 1933-1939, minorities were sent to concentration camps after being forced to live in ghettos. Starting in 1937, Jews were no longer allowed to attend public schools, theatres, or restaurants. Soon, Jewish people could not live or even walk within certain sections of town.

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In 1938, during Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), Jews are arrested and their homes and synagogues were destroyed. Germany invades Poland in 1939, thus the start of WWII. Germans view Polish as subhuman. Between 1942-1944, Polish Jews sent to extermination camps. In May of 1945, Nazi Germany was defeated.

Victims : 

Victims Photograph from the Franz Amicale Collection, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives

Slide 10: 

“While not all victims were Jews, all Jews were victims.” - Elie Wiesel, Holocaust Survivor

Other victims… : 

Other victims… Physically handicapped Mentally handicapped Gypsies Homosexuals

The youngest of victims… : 

The youngest of victims… One and a half million Jewish and minority children were murdered. Photograph from the Main Commission for the Investigation of Nazi War Crimes, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives

Concentration and Labor Camps : 

Concentration and Labor Camps

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Although many people refer to all Nazi camps as "concentration camps," there were actually numerous camps including concentration camps, extermination camps, labor camps, prisoner-of-war camps, and transit camps. While concentration camps were meant to work and starve prisoners to death, extermination camps (also known as death camps) were built for the sole purpose of killing large groups of people quickly and efficiently.

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Women and children were usually seen as weak and therefore, useless. As a result, they were usually the first killed. Only those individuals who could work or perform jobs were kept alive. Those who were allowed to live were disinfected and their heads were shaved to prevent illness. Many were killed in the “poison gas” showers.

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A crematory A mass grave

Liberation : 

Liberation

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At the conclusion of the war, survivors had few living family members. As a result, most left the area or were placed in “displaced persons” camps. It is estimated that 11 million people were killed during the Holocaust. Six million of these were Jews. The Nazis killed approximately two-thirds of all Jews living in Europe.

Resources : 

Resources All photos are courtesy of the USHMM (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). (n.d.) Photo Archive. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://www.ushmm.org/research/collections/photo/