Background information
Holocaust
Quickwrite:
Write about anything you already know or
have heard/read about the Holocaust.
What would you like to know about
during the study of this unit? Questions you have?
Holocaust
literally “burnt sacrifice”
A great or complete devastation or
destruction, especially by fire.
The systematic mass slaughter of
European Jews in Nazi concentration
camps during World War II
Dictator
a person exercising
absolute power, especially
a ruler who has absolute,
unrestricted control in a
government
Fuhrer
the leader: title of Adolf Hitler.
Nazi Ideology Lebensraum = living space. His
goal to conquer the world.
Hitler’s Early Years
Early Years:
-Hitler was born in Austria, the son of a custom’s official. He grew up
wanting to be a poet and an artist. He did well in school, but
dropped out at 16 (the equivalent of 8th grade).
-Two years after he dropped out, he moved to Vienna where he tried
unsuccessfully to be an artist
-Hitler and his father did not get along, but he was close to his mom;
she died of cancer in 1907; Hitler blamed the Jewish doctor who
treated her.
Hitler Enlists:
-He joined the army to fight for Germany in WWI; he earned an Iron
Cross of honor for fighting, but always had a low military rank.
-He began to love the military at this point in time
Nazi Party
national socialist German
workers' party
the political party founded in
Germany in 1919 and brought to
power by Hitler in 1933
Hitler’s Early Years Continued:
• Hitler Turns to Politics:
– Post war he was hired by the German government to keep
watch over groups that may be a threat to democracy;
Hitler found one, but instead of reporting it, he became its
leader
– The National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi party)
was a nationalist, anticommunist, anti-Semitic party. Hitler
chose its symbol: the swastika:
. He became well known
in Bavaria (s. Germany), renting beer halls and giving
speeches that were anti-communist and anti-Semitic
*to note: never, never doodle the swastika- it’s extremely
offensive!
Swastika
This figure was the official emblem of the Nazi
party and the Third Reich.
The term "Swastika" was originally the name for
a hooked cross in Sanskrit, and swastikas have
been found on artifacts, such as coins and
pottery, from the ancient city of Troy.
Throughout its history, the swastika represented
life, sun, power, strength and good luck.
German nationalists chose to use the swastika in the
mid-19th century because it was associated with the
Aryan race and Germanic history.
a common symbol used in Germany to represent
German nationalism and pride
Swastikas also were used, however, in anti-Semitic
periodicals.
The swastika officially became the emblem for the Nazi
Party on August, 7, 1920, at the Salzburg Congress.
Hitler said the swastika symbolized the victory of the
Aryan man.
Third Reich “Third State”
Hitler claimed that under his leadership, Germany
would have a new beginning – its third – and that
the Third Reich would last for a thousand years.
Hitler’s Early Years Continued:
Nazi Party Grows:
-Hitler blamed Germany’s economic problems on
the Jews.
-He claimed that Jewish business owners prolonged
the war for profit, and said Jews had not fought for
Germany (they HAD- and had a casualty rate 11x higher than
the general German pop.!)
-His messages played on the wounded German
pride, and his Nazi party grew from 6k in 1921 to
50k by 1923!
Hitler’s Early Years Continued
• Jail and Mein Kampf:
– In Nov. of 1923, Hitler and a group of followers
entered a Munich beer hall where German
government officials were meeting. Hitler jumped on
a table, fired his pistol into the air, and yelled that the
“National Revolution” had begun; he was arrested and
served 8.5 mos in jail.
– It was here, in jail, that he wrote Mein Kampf (= My
Struggle); this book was the blueprint for the Nazism.
In the book he claims that German people were part
of the “superior” “Aryan” race, and he names the
greatest ememy of all as the Jews; he continues to
blame them for all of Germany’s economic troubles.
Hitler Rises to Power (cont.):
• Hitler Named Chancellor:
– Germany’s aging President Hindenburg appointed
Hitler chancellor in Jan of 1933.
– Soon after, Hitler seized power in all areas-- he put his
men in key positions: head of police (= secret police
called Gestapo), judges etc.
• Hitler Tightens Control:
– Pushed by Hitler, the German Supreme Court rules
that the Gestapo was above the law
– He eliminated military leaders who he thought
opposed him- over 400 were executed.
Gestapo
Geheime Staatspolizei, "Secret State Police") was
the official secret police of Nazi Germany and
German-occupied Europe. The Secret Police- the
most ruthless section of all the Nazi-organized
groups.
SS
The Schutzstaffel, translated to Protection Squadron
or defense corps, abbreviated SS. Elite section of
officers, bodyguards for the party leaders. 50,000
men who were selected for their “Aryan” looks and
their commitment to Nazi teachings.
Hitler Rises to Power (cont.):
• Hitler Becomes Dictator:
– In Aug of 1934 Hindenburg died and Hitler combined the
office of Chancellor with President and simply declared
himself Fuhrer (leader).
– The following day he had all members of army take oath to
obey him
– He then took control of everything: he outlawed any/all
political opposition, censored media etc.
– Within one year, Germany was a complete Fascist state…his
racial and military plans can now be implemented
– The end result? World War and The Holocaust, where over
six million (!!) Jewish people were “exterminated”
Scapegoat
a person or group made to bear the
blame for others or to suffer in their
place.
The Jews of Europe were made to be
scapegoats for Germany’s economic
depression.
Anti-Semitism
“Negative qualities of Jews
discrimination against or prejudice
or hostility, hatred toward Jews.
Children’s Book
sign says “Jews are
not wanted here.”
"You can't see his face,
but he can see you."
Playing upon our fear of
the unknown
Aryan Race
Tall, Blond, Blue Eyes
a member or descendant of
the prehistoric people who
spoke Indo-European.
(in Nazi doctrine) a nonJewish, Caucasian, especially
of Nordic stock.
How did the Nazis construct an Aryan identity? (poster Racial Identity)
Hitler argued that the German race was superior to all others.
Hitler was obsessed with 'racial purity'. He used the word 'Aryan' to
describe his idea of a 'pure German race' or Herrenvolk.
“Volk” means people in German.
The 'Aryan race' had a duty to control the world.
The Nazis believed that the Aryans had the most "pure blood" of all
the people on earth. The ideal Aryan had pale skin, blond hair and
blue eyes.
Non-Aryans came to be seen as impure and even evil. Hitler believed
that Aryan superiority was being threatened particularly by the
Jews. But a league table of 'races' was created with the Aryans at the
top and with Jews, Gypsies and black people at the bottom. These
'inferior' people were seen as a threat to the purity and strength of
the German nation.
Nuremburg Laws
Laws which were introduced in 1935 to define Jews as
non-Aryan and therefore not German citizens.
“Enemies of the State” Stripped them of their civil
rights.
Labeling Jews, to separate
Jews from their non-Jewish neighbors.
To show their “racial” type.
Ghettos
A part of a town
separating Jews from the
rest of the citizens. Walled
off with gates and armed
police and guards. No one
was allowed to leave
without a permit.
Conditions: extreme
poverty, overcrowding,
little sanitation
Concentration Camps-slave labor
A prison system for keeping large numbers of inmates.
Harsh conditions. Limited food, water, diseases raged in
the overcrowded conditions.
Hitler Orders the Final Solution to the
Jewish Problem
1942 two million Jews had already been killed.
Use modern factory process to put the remaining
Jews to death. Death camps were the solution.
Transport Jews from the ghettos by trains to the
camps. On arrival, some prisoners would be
selected for slave labor, most were led to the
“showers” and gassed. The bodies would be
burnt in the crematoria.
Gas chamber
Invention to kill large numbers of people by poisonous gas.
They were rooms disguised as showers.
Crematorium
Death Camps
Genocide
the deliberate
and systematic
extermination
of a national,
racial, political,
or cultural
group.
How could people let the Holocaust
happen?
• We know the end result of Hitler’s reign was war and
genocide on a massive scale.
• How was this allowed to happen? How could so
many look the other way?
• One answer = heavily circulated propaganda.
• Video 11 min Nazis used Jewish Musicians=
Lady in number 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oxO3M6rAPw
Nazi Propaganda:
Propaganda
helped to promote the Nazi party’s
strength and message. These posters
advertise Nazi rallies at Nuremberg.
The poster reads “one people, one Reich, one
fuhrer.”
Hitler used the Berlin Summer Olympics
in 1933 for Propaganda purposes.
Hitler said “It will be the task of the nation, it will be a
testament to German ingenuity, and to its growing power.
Hosting the Olympics gave Hitler the opportunity to portray
Germany to the world as a civilized and modern state.
A friendly but powerful nation.
Nazi propaganda promoting Hitler’s
book Mein Kampf (my struggle) and
Hitler Youth.
•
The poster on the right was issued after regulations were
introduced requiring all Jews still in Germany to wear a visible
yellow star. The caption reads "He who wears this symbol is an
enemy of our people.”
The poster on the left advertises an anti-Semitic film
On the left: the cover of the children’s book The Poisonous
Mushroom. On the right, a page from the book. It reads: "Just as it
is often hard to tell a toadstool from an edible mushroom, so too it
is often very hard to recognize the Jew as a swindler and
criminal..."
Also from The Poisonous Mushroom: the page on the right
says “Just look at these guys! The louse-infested beards!
The filthy, protruding ears..” The page on the left says:
“The Jewish nose is bent. It looks like the number six..."
With the help of a children's opera,
"Brundibar," the Nazis managed to
deceive the Red Cross and delay the
world's knowledge of the Holocaust.
Nazi Ruse Covered Up Holocaust
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/nazi-rusecovered-up-holocaust/
Nazi 'perfect Aryan' poster child was Jewish
Hessy Taft recently presented the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel with a
Nazi magazine featuring her baby photograph on the front cover, and told the story of
how she became an unlikely poster child for the Third Reich
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/10938062/Naziperfect-Aryan-poster-child-was-Jewish.html
Ladder of Prejudice
How does prejudice start?
“Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has.”
To save one life is as if you have saved
the world,
One person can create change.
Show Recue 1:39
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20759709,00.html
Holocaust survivor tells
a story the world must
hear
Holocaust survivor Ela
Stein Weissberger, 83,
holds up the star she
was forced to wear by
Nazis as she speaks to
students Thursday at
Juanita High School.
“You should not forget
my story, and please do
not forget my friends,”
Ladder of Prejudice
When prejudice and discrimination take control
5th step Final Solution=death camps, extermination of
all “undesirables” slave labor, medical experiments.
4th step Physical attacks “Death Squads” organized
massacre of Jews from Poland to Russia. Slave labor
camps.
3rd step instruments of terror, Gestapo & SS eliminate the
opposition, Kristallnacht, Jews moved to ghettoes enclosed
by high walls=overcrowding, starvation, disease.
2nd step Nuremburg Race Laws=stripped Jews of their
citizenship, took away “ALL” civil rights, propaganda=Hitler
Youth organizations.
1st step, boycott Jewish business, anti-Semitism,
propaganda=Enemy of the state, book-burning of Jewish writers,
any opposition to Nazi party would result in violence.
Holocaust
aftermath =
six million
Jews
perished at
the hands of
Nazis
Why is it important to
remember the Holocaust?