Anti-Semitism and Anti-Semitism and the Holocaustthe Holocaust

We must always remember…We must always remember…

we must never forget…we must never forget…

“First, they said we cannot live among them as Jews…Next, they said we cannot live among them…Finally, they said we cannot live.”

Roots of Anti-SemitismRoots of Anti-Semitism AncientAncient

– Between 1200 – 1400 BCE; biblical; DiasporaBetween 1200 – 1400 BCE; biblical; Diaspora MedievalMedieval

– Jews scattered throughout former Roman EmpireJews scattered throughout former Roman Empire– Played a key economic rolePlayed a key economic role– Used as a scapegoatUsed as a scapegoat

Modern – many issues in the present-dayModern – many issues in the present-day– Wilhelm Marr aka Wilhelm Marr aka ““Mr. Anti-SemitismMr. Anti-Semitism””

Coined the term in 1879Coined the term in 1879– Hitler used the already deep-seeded anti-Hitler used the already deep-seeded anti-

Semitism and put a race dimension to it Semitism and put a race dimension to it ““defined defined by biologyby biology””

HilbergHilberg’’s Stepss Steps According to historian Dr. Raul Hilberg, According to historian Dr. Raul Hilberg,

there were five steps used for Jewish there were five steps used for Jewish destruction: destruction: – 1. Definition: determine and define the 1. Definition: determine and define the

target grouptarget group– 2. Expropriation: take away their livelihood2. Expropriation: take away their livelihood– 3. Concentration: place the target group in 3. Concentration: place the target group in

a centralized locationa centralized location– 4. Slave labor: force them to work without 4. Slave labor: force them to work without

paypay– 5. Annihilation: kill and destroy the entire 5. Annihilation: kill and destroy the entire

groupgroup

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/08/07/us/07hilberg.190.jpg

Laws and Actions Against Laws and Actions Against JewsJews Nazi Book BurningNazi Book Burning

– May 10, 1933May 10, 1933– Burned Burned ““unsuitableunsuitable””

booksbooks 1933, Jews banned 1933, Jews banned

from certain jobsfrom certain jobs Nuremberg Laws aka Nuremberg Laws aka

““Law for the Protection Law for the Protection of German Blood and of German Blood and Honor,Honor,”” 1935: 1935: – Jews could not be Jews could not be

German citizens or voteGerman citizens or vote– ID cards (before yellow ID cards (before yellow

stars)stars)– Children prevented Children prevented

from going to public from going to public schoolschool

http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/41/67841-004-21BD0894.jpg

Laws and Actions Against Laws and Actions Against JewsJews

1. Germany – over 400 1. Germany – over 400 regulations against Jews; regulations against Jews; violence violence 

2. Austria – Jews targeted; 2. Austria – Jews targeted; beaten, humiliated, riots beaten, humiliated, riots 

3. Poland – Hitler saw the 3 3. Poland – Hitler saw the 3 million Jewish Poles as the million Jewish Poles as the worst:worst:– HimmlerHimmler’’s idea: limit their s idea: limit their

education and kill intellectualseducation and kill intellectuals ““sort out those with valuable blood sort out those with valuable blood

and those with worthless bloodand those with worthless blood”” ((““survival of the fittestsurvival of the fittest””))

4. Children: 1.5 million kids 4. Children: 1.5 million kids killed during the Holocaustkilled during the Holocaust– first had restrictions (no swimming first had restrictions (no swimming

pools, school, rationed)pools, school, rationed)– had to help parents (ex: smuggling had to help parents (ex: smuggling

in food)in food)

http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blpkrakow27.htm

Evian Conference, 1938Evian Conference, 1938 Significance:Significance:

– 1. Called to address the Jewish refugee 1. Called to address the Jewish refugee problemproblem

– 2. Hitler willing to let Jews go to other countries2. Hitler willing to let Jews go to other countries– 3. World shut out the Jews3. World shut out the Jews

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/stlouis.html

KristallnachtKristallnacht Night of the Broken Night of the Broken

Glass, November 9/10, Glass, November 9/10, 1938:1938:– October 27, 1938 October 27, 1938

Hitler expelled 18,000 Hitler expelled 18,000 Jews from GermanyJews from Germany

– Son of a victim took Son of a victim took revenge by killing a revenge by killing a GermanGerman

– Murder sparked a rumor Murder sparked a rumor about a Jewish-takeoverabout a Jewish-takeover

Result: night of Result: night of violence against Jews violence against Jews across Germanyacross Germany– destruction of stores, destruction of stores,

synagogues, people synagogues, people arrested/killed arrested/killed

http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/holocaust/essaypics/kristallnacht.jpg

http://www.amuseum.org/shoah/brokewin.jpg

The The ““Final SolutionFinal Solution”” July 1941, the July 1941, the ““Final Final

SolutionSolution”” to the to the ““Jewish Jewish QuestionQuestion””::– Reinhard Heydrich (and Reinhard Heydrich (and

Adolf Eichmann); Adolf Eichmann); Wannsee ConferenceWannsee Conference

– earlier thought of earlier thought of creating ghettos (walled-creating ghettos (walled-in neighborhoods)in neighborhoods) exterminated through exterminated through

killings or deportationskillings or deportations– planned to annihilate 11 planned to annihilate 11

million Jewsmillion Jews development of development of

Auschwitz and TreblinkaAuschwitz and Treblinka Dachau the first Dachau the first

Concentration Camp Concentration Camp (1933)(1933)

1941 – mass usage of 1941 – mass usage of campscamps

Development of Gas Development of Gas ChambersChambers

Einstazgruppen (mobile Einstazgruppen (mobile killing units) did mass killing units) did mass shootingsshootings– ex: Babi Yarex: Babi Yar

Himmler (head of killing Himmler (head of killing orders) appalled by orders) appalled by mistakes at shootings mistakes at shootings led to mobile gas unitsled to mobile gas units

Zyklon B – pellets that Zyklon B – pellets that gave off cyanide fumes; gave off cyanide fumes; rat poison/disinfectant; rat poison/disinfectant; used in gas chambers in used in gas chambers in CampsCamps

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/images/auschw-crematorium-gas-chamber.jpg

Concentration CampsConcentration Camps

Selection processSelection process Meals: watered-down Meals: watered-down

soup and 1 ounce of soup and 1 ounce of breadbread

Lodging: barracks; Lodging: barracks; 800/barrack; many to 800/barrack; many to a bed (planks of a bed (planks of wood); no pillow and 1 wood); no pillow and 1 cover (thin sheet)cover (thin sheet)

After gassed, bodies After gassed, bodies burned and buriedburned and buried

http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blmajdanek1.htm

http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blbergenbelsen1.htm

A Picture is Worth a Thousand A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words…Words…

http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/blpictures.htm

Acts of ResistanceActs of Resistance 3 kinds: active armed, passive unarmed, spiritual3 kinds: active armed, passive unarmed, spiritual 1. Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (April and May 1943)1. Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (April and May 1943)

– Led by Mordecai AnielwiczLed by Mordecai Anielwicz– Held Nazis for 28 daysHeld Nazis for 28 days

2. First death camp rebellion 2. First death camp rebellion Treblinka, August Treblinka, August 2, 19432, 1943

3. Warsaw Uprising 3. Warsaw Uprising Act of resistance; August 1, Act of resistance; August 1, 19441944– Lasted 63 days (surrendered October 2, 1944); 250,000 Lasted 63 days (surrendered October 2, 1944); 250,000

killedkilled 4. Auschwitz-Birkenau revolt, October 6, 19444. Auschwitz-Birkenau revolt, October 6, 1944

– Ala Gertner (one of the revolt organizers) Ala Gertner (one of the revolt organizers)

http://www.alabamaholocaustcommission.org/images/AHCpic08518.jpg

Righteous GentilesRighteous Gentiles Righteous Gentiles Righteous Gentiles

those who helped Jews those who helped Jews (rescued, hid, gave (rescued, hid, gave false papers, false papers, employed, etc.)employed, etc.)– Righteous criteria: act on Righteous criteria: act on

own discretion; in own discretion; in territories under German territories under German or German collaborating or German collaborating control; at risk to control; at risk to themselves; without themselves; without reward or precondition; reward or precondition; substantiated by survivor substantiated by survivor testimony or documentstestimony or documents

– 17,433 recognized 17,433 recognized Righteous Gentiles as of Righteous Gentiles as of January 1, 2000January 1, 2000

Oskar SchindlerRaoul Wallenberg

And It Comes to an End…And It Comes to an End…

Who knew what…………………..?Who knew what…………………..?– Many key leaders and reporters knew, but….Many key leaders and reporters knew, but….

ignored evidence and informationignored evidence and information refused to publish/broadcast information because refused to publish/broadcast information because

it was it was ““too upsettingtoo upsetting”” and and ““could not be could not be corroboratedcorroborated””

Camps Liberated by the AlliesCamps Liberated by the Allies– Soldiers could not believe what they sawSoldiers could not believe what they saw

Send to Displaced PersonsSend to Displaced Persons’’ Camps Camps– Relocated to start over (America, Israel, etc.)Relocated to start over (America, Israel, etc.)

Nuremberg TrialNuremberg Trial

Nuremberg Trial, November 20, 1945; Significance:Nuremberg Trial, November 20, 1945; Significance:– 22 high-ranking Nazis investigated for war crimes22 high-ranking Nazis investigated for war crimes– conducted by joint American, British, French, and Russian conducted by joint American, British, French, and Russian

military tribunalmilitary tribunal– 4-count indictment including conspiracy, crimes against peace, 4-count indictment including conspiracy, crimes against peace,

war crimes, and crimes against humanity (like murder, war crimes, and crimes against humanity (like murder, extermination, enslavement, persecution on political and/or extermination, enslavement, persecution on political and/or racial grounds, involuntary deportment, and inhumane acts racial grounds, involuntary deportment, and inhumane acts against civilians)against civilians)

– 7 given lengthy prison terms, 3 acquitted, rest sentenced to 7 given lengthy prison terms, 3 acquitted, rest sentenced to death by hanging (hung October 16, 1946)death by hanging (hung October 16, 1946)

– 12 other Nuremberg Trials from 1946-1949; most pardoned12 other Nuremberg Trials from 1946-1949; most pardoned