THE HOLOCAUSTTHE HOLOCAUSTHistorical InformationHistorical Information

HolocaustHolocaust

Holocaust: Holocaust: The persecution and The persecution and murder of approximately six million murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime. Jews by the Nazi regime.

““Holocaust” is a word of Greek origin Holocaust” is a word of Greek origin meaning “sacrifice by fire.”meaning “sacrifice by fire.”

The Nazis, who came to power in The Nazis, who came to power in Germany in 1933, believed that Germany in 1933, believed that Germans were Germans were “racially superior” “racially superior” and that the and that the JewsJews werewere “unworthy of life.” “unworthy of life.”

During the Holocaust, the Nazis During the Holocaust, the Nazis also targeted other groups also targeted other groups because of their perceived “racial because of their perceived “racial inferiority”: inferiority”: Gypsies, the Gypsies, the handicapped, Slavic people handicapped, Slavic people (Poles, Russians and others), (Poles, Russians and others), Communists, Socialists, Jehovah’s Communists, Socialists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and homosexuals.Witnesses, and homosexuals.

In 1933, the Jewish population of In 1933, the Jewish population of Europe stood at over Europe stood at over nine millionnine million. .

By 1945, almost By 1945, almost two out of every two out of every three European Jews had been killedthree European Jews had been killed..

How did this happen?How did this happen?

The leader of the German National The leader of the German National Socialist (Nazi) Party, Socialist (Nazi) Party, Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler, came , came to power in to power in 19331933, using , using campaigncampaign propagandapropaganda that blamed the Jews for that blamed the Jews for Germany’s depression after World War Germany’s depression after World War I. I.

Germany embraced Hitler’s argument Germany embraced Hitler’s argument

for the superiority of the Nordic peoples, for the superiority of the Nordic peoples, which Hitler called the which Hitler called the Aryan raceAryan race. .

Germany soon implemented a set of Germany soon implemented a set of laws, including the infamous laws, including the infamous Nuremberg Laws of 1935Nuremberg Laws of 1935, designed , designed to dehumanize German Jews and to dehumanize German Jews and subject them to violence and subject them to violence and prejudice. prejudice.

As World War II continued, Hitler and As World War II continued, Hitler and his followers developed the his followers developed the “Final “Final Solution”Solution”--the Nazi policy the Nazi policy to murder to murder the Jews of Europe. the Jews of Europe.

Soon after Hitler was appointed Soon after Hitler was appointed chancellor in 1933, the Nazis chancellor in 1933, the Nazis established established concentration camps concentration camps to to imprison Jews, and other victims of imprison Jews, and other victims of ethnic and racial hatred.ethnic and racial hatred.

DachauDachau was the first concentration was the first concentration camp, located on the camp, located on the grounds of an grounds of an abandoned factory.abandoned factory.

The term “concentration camp” was The term “concentration camp” was aa form of propaganda to hide the form of propaganda to hide the extermination and forced labor of the extermination and forced labor of the prisoners. prisoners. The prisoners wereThe prisoners were “concentrated” or placed in a camp; “concentrated” or placed in a camp; they were sometimes told it was for they were sometimes told it was for their safety during the war. their safety during the war.

During the war years, the Nazis During the war years, the Nazis created created ghettos, transit camps, and ghettos, transit camps, and forced-labor camps.forced-labor camps.

EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen were were mobile killing mobile killing units, or death squads units, or death squads which carried which carried out mass-murder operations (more out mass-murder operations (more than one million Jews were killed in than one million Jews were killed in this way).this way).

Between 1942 and 1944, Nazi Between 1942 and 1944, Nazi Germany Germany deporteddeported millions more millions more Jews to Jews to extermination campsextermination camps, where , where they were murdered in specially they were murdered in specially developed killing facilities.developed killing facilities.

In the final months of war, SS guards In the final months of war, SS guards forced camp inmates on forced camp inmates on death death marches marches in an attempt to prevent the in an attempt to prevent the Allied liberation of large numbers of Allied liberation of large numbers of prisoners. prisoners.

As Allied forces moved across Europe, As Allied forces moved across Europe, they they found and liberated concentration found and liberated concentration camp prisonerscamp prisoners, many of whom had , many of whom had survived the death marches.survived the death marches.

World War II ended in Europe in World War II ended in Europe in 19451945.. The The AlliesAllies were advancing to the heart were advancing to the heart

of Germany, liberating camps as they of Germany, liberating camps as they went. went. Hitler and his bride, Eva Braun, Hitler and his bride, Eva Braun, killed themselves on April 30, 1945.killed themselves on April 30, 1945.

Germany officially surrendered on Germany officially surrendered on May 7, 1945.May 7, 1945.

After the Holocaust, many of the survivors After the Holocaust, many of the survivors found shelter in found shelter in displaced persons (DP) displaced persons (DP) campscamps set up by the Allied powers. set up by the Allied powers.

Between 1948 and 1951, almost Between 1948 and 1951, almost 700,000 700,000

Jews emigrated to PalestineJews emigrated to Palestine; others came ; others came to to AmericaAmerica. .

The crimes committed during the The crimes committed during the Holocaust Holocaust devastated most of the devastated most of the European Jewish communitiesEuropean Jewish communities..