The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Part Two: History and Context

What happened to Germany after World War One?

Germany lost World War One 2 million German soldiers died They were forced to pay reparations to the Allies The country went into economic crisis The Kaiser (leader) resigned so they had no strong

leader The people were poor and humiliated

Jews in Germany Jews in Germany

lived side by side with other Germans and took part in Germany society

Many Jews had fought for Germany in World War One

The Nazis blamed the Jews for all of Germany’s misfortunes

Nazi attitudes to the Jews The Nazi Party came to

power in 1933 They believed that Germans

were ‘the Master Race’, and superior to everyone else in the world

They believed that other races were inferior, and that Jews were the worst of all

They spread their ideas through propaganda such as films and books

Anti-Jewish Laws

1933: Jewish people are not allowed to take part in sports clubs

1936: Jewish people must hand over their bikes and radios to the police

1938: Jewish children are not allowed to play with non-Jewish children

1940: Jewish people are not allowed to use telephones

1941: All Jews over 6 years old must wear a yellow star

1942: Jewish people are not allowed pets

Imagining the impact Activity: Choose

one of the laws you just learned about, and create a still image of it.

What would you most miss if it was taken away from you?

Warsaw Ghetto , 1943

This picture shows children and their families being marched out of the Warsaw Ghetto. They had been pulled out of hiding places by the soldiers.

Activity: Choose one of the characters in the picture. Imagine you are that person. How are you feeling at this moment?

Concentration camps Most of those killed in the Holocaust

were Jews from across Europe

Who were the other victims of the Nazis?

Roma (Gypsies) Gay people People with mental and physical

disabilities Political opponents (e.g. Communists)