THE THE HOLOCAUSHOLOCAUS

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THE THE HOLOCAUSTHOLOCAUST

““We Shall Never Forget”We Shall Never Forget”

THE HOLOCAUSTTHE HOLOCAUST Roots = all + to burnRoots = all + to burn

The systematic annihilation of The systematic annihilation of six million Jews and five six million Jews and five

million others by the Nazi million others by the Nazi regime during World War IIregime during World War II

Lives lostLives lost

In 21 European Countries:In 21 European Countries:

1933: 9,000,000 Jews1933: 9,000,000 Jews

1945: 3,000,000 Jews1945: 3,000,000 Jews

(6 million killed)(6 million killed)

LIVES LOSTLIVES LOST

5,000,000 OTHERS:5,000,000 OTHERS:

Gypsies, mentally or physically Gypsies, mentally or physically disabled, Soviet prisoners, Slavic disabled, Soviet prisoners, Slavic

people, political and religious people, political and religious dissidents, communists, dissidents, communists,

socialists, trade unionists, socialists, trade unionists, Jehovah’s WitnessesJehovah’s Witnesses

Segregation in GHETTOESSegregation in GHETTOES

GHETTOGHETTO: “Jewish residential : “Jewish residential quarters,” a euphemistic name for quarters,” a euphemistic name for walled-off sections of a city for Jews walled-off sections of a city for Jews to live into live in

*A euphemism is a “good” way of *A euphemism is a “good” way of describing something baddescribing something bad

Segregation in GHETTOESSegregation in GHETTOES

3,000,000 Polish Jews forced into 400 3,000,000 Polish Jews forced into 400 ghettoesghettoes

Warsaw ghetto: Warsaw ghetto: 2% of city’s land—30% of population2% of city’s land—30% of population 10-15 people put in a space built for 410-15 people put in a space built for 4

Received less than 1,100 calories a day, Received less than 1,100 calories a day, dwindling to 400 per daydwindling to 400 per day

Starvation, overcrowding, exposure to Starvation, overcrowding, exposure to cold, and contagious diseases (typhus) cold, and contagious diseases (typhus) killed tens of thousands of people in the killed tens of thousands of people in the ghettoesghettoes

Jews Rounded UpJews Rounded Up

Ghetto WallsGhetto Walls

einsatzgruppeneinsatzgruppen

MOBILE KILLING SQUADS that killed MOBILE KILLING SQUADS that killed about 1.2 million Jewsabout 1.2 million Jews

Their job was to carry out mass Their job was to carry out mass executions of Jews they found.executions of Jews they found.

Jews were rounded up, marched to Jews were rounded up, marched to the outskirts of town, forced to the outskirts of town, forced to undress, hand over valuables, and undress, hand over valuables, and then shot. Their bodies were buried then shot. Their bodies were buried in mass graves—hastily dug ditches in mass graves—hastily dug ditches filled with layers of bodies.filled with layers of bodies.

Mass KillingsMass Killings

the final solutionthe final solution

At the Wannsee Conference in 1942, At the Wannsee Conference in 1942, 15 Nazi officials developed the 15 Nazi officials developed the “Final “Final Solution to the Jewish Problem”: Solution to the Jewish Problem”: killing every Jew in Europekilling every Jew in Europe

““Evacuation of the Jews to the East” Evacuation of the Jews to the East” was a euphemism for death camps was a euphemism for death camps and systematic murder.and systematic murder.

DEATH CAMPs in polandDEATH CAMPs in poland

1,100,000 deaths

Germans operated 23 main camps, with 900 subcamps

825,000 deaths

DEATH CAMP TRANSPORTDEATH CAMP TRANSPORT

•Transported people Transported people in cattle cars (used in cattle cars (used to transport to transport livestock). livestock). •Trains came every Trains came every day, three times a day, three times a day, hundreds in day, hundreds in each car.each car.

AUSCHWITZAUSCHWITZ

•Largest killing center (19 Largest killing center (19 sq. miles)sq. miles)•Employed 6,000 SS men Employed 6,000 SS men •Had electrified fences all Had electrified fences all around the camparound the camp•The entrance gate said The entrance gate said “Arbeit Macht Frei,” which “Arbeit Macht Frei,” which means “Work will set you means “Work will set you free”free”

Witnesses AT AUSCHWITZWitnesses AT AUSCHWITZ

AUSCHWITZ AUSCHWITZ selektionselektion

THEN SORTED BY FATE: THEN SORTED BY FATE: Nazi officer points left or right with Nazi officer points left or right with

thumb:thumb:

LIFE--RightLIFE--RightAble to WalkAble to Walk

Healthy AdultsHealthy Adults

FIRST SORTED ON THE TRAIN FIRST SORTED ON THE TRAIN DEPOT:DEPOT:

MEN were SEPARATED from MEN were SEPARATED from WOMENWOMEN

Last time mothers saw husbands and sonsLast time mothers saw husbands and sons

Last time husbands saw wives and Last time husbands saw wives and daughtersdaughters

AUSCHWITZ AUSCHWITZ selektionselektion

THOSE CHOSEN FOR LIFE THOSE CHOSEN FOR LIFE (RIGHT):(RIGHT):•Surrendered all valuablesSurrendered all valuables

•Surrendered clothingSurrendered clothing•Given uniforms, other clothingGiven uniforms, other clothing•Heads shavenHeads shaven•Numbers tattooed on armsNumbers tattooed on arms•Worked in local German Worked in local German factories or in the campfactories or in the camp

Witnesses AT AUSCHWITZWitnesses AT AUSCHWITZ

AUSCHWITZAUSCHWITZ

PrisonerPrisoner

Shoes andShoes and

SuitcasesSuitcases

AUSCHWITZAUSCHWITZ

Prisoner Hair—used Prisoner Hair—used to make socks for to make socks for submarine crews, submarine crews, ignition mechanisms ignition mechanisms of bombs; ropes and of bombs; ropes and cords for ships, cords for ships, stuffing for stuffing for mattresses; 2.2 lbs. mattresses; 2.2 lbs. worth $1.09worth $1.09

AUSCHWITZAUSCHWITZ

Prisoner Barracks—Prisoner Barracks—six people per plank six people per plank of wood—no of wood—no mattressmattress

At Birkenau, the At Birkenau, the barracks were built barracks were built to hold 48 horses; to hold 48 horses; they housed 800 they housed 800 peoplepeople

AUSCHWITZAUSCHWITZ

Latrine (bathroom):Latrine (bathroom):•No privacyNo privacy•Little waterLittle water•Many prisoners had Many prisoners had diarrhea-producing diarrhea-producing illnessesillnesses•This latrine serviced This latrine serviced 17 barracks (7,000 17 barracks (7,000 prisoners)prisoners)

SELEKTIONSSELEKTIONS““We first needed to get undressed. We had to run—We first needed to get undressed. We had to run—

not walk—in front of SS officers to show that we still not walk—in front of SS officers to show that we still had strength left…I recall some women, as the hair had strength left…I recall some women, as the hair grew back, were beginning to get gray hair. And grew back, were beginning to get gray hair. And they would take a little piece of coal from one of the they would take a little piece of coal from one of the pot-bellied stoves that was in a barrack. They would pot-bellied stoves that was in a barrack. They would use the coal to color their hair with, so they would use the coal to color their hair with, so they would look a little younger. One grayed at the age of look a little younger. One grayed at the age of maybe eighteen or nineteen under those conditions. maybe eighteen or nineteen under those conditions. “If one had a scar, a pimple, if one didn’t run fast “If one had a scar, a pimple, if one didn’t run fast enough, if one didn’t look right for whatever reason enough, if one didn’t look right for whatever reason to the particular person that was doing the to the particular person that was doing the selection…They would stand there with a stick [to selection…They would stand there with a stick [to the right or to the left] as you ran by them. One the right or to the left] as you ran by them. One never knew if they were in the good line or the bad never knew if they were in the good line or the bad line. One line would go to the gas chambers. The line. One line would go to the gas chambers. The other line would go back to the camp and to the other line would go back to the camp and to the barracks to live another day.”barracks to live another day.”

MEDICAL EXPERIMENTSMEDICAL EXPERIMENTS

Josef MengeleJosef Mengele““Angel of Death”Angel of Death”•Conducted experiments Conducted experiments on prisoners, especially on prisoners, especially twins, infants, and dwarfs: twins, infants, and dwarfs: sterilization, hypothermia, sterilization, hypothermia, limits of the human bodylimits of the human body•Mengele escaped to South Mengele escaped to South America and died in 1979America and died in 1979

DEATH CAMP WitnessesDEATH CAMP Witnesses

AUSCHWITZ AUSCHWITZ selektionselektion

POINT OF THUMB TO THE LEFT:POINT OF THUMB TO THE LEFT:

DEATH--LeftDEATH--LeftUnable to WalkUnable to Walk

Old (looked 55 or older)Old (looked 55 or older)

Young (looked 15 or younger)Young (looked 15 or younger)

Pregnant WomenPregnant Women

SickSick

AUSCHWITZ AUSCHWITZ selektionselektion

THOSE CHOSEN FOR DEATH:THOSE CHOSEN FOR DEATH:

Surrendered all valuablesSurrendered all valuablesSurrendered clothingSurrendered clothingHeads shavenHeads shavenGassed to death in gas Gassed to death in gas chamberschambers

GAS CHAMBERSGAS CHAMBERS

•Disguised as Disguised as showersshowers•Prisoners asked Prisoners asked to undressto undress•Given towelsGiven towels•Took 20 Took 20 minutesminutes

GAS CHAMBERSGAS CHAMBERS

Insecticide Insecticide Zyklon B Zyklon B was used was used in the gas in the gas chamberschambers

crematoriacrematoria

Krema 4Krema 4

Ovens to burn Ovens to burn bodies of bodies of those who those who were killed, were killed, up to 2,000 up to 2,000 per dayper day

crematoriacrematoria

Ovens Ovens worked worked day and day and night--night--

LIBERATIONLIBERATION

•Soviet troops Soviet troops liberated liberated Auschwitz on Auschwitz on January 27, 1945January 27, 1945

•Other camps Other camps were liberated were liberated through April of through April of 19451945

NUREMBURG TRIALSNUREMBURG TRIALS

November 1945:November 1945:

22 high-ranking Nazi 22 high-ranking Nazi officials were brought to officials were brought to trial; one-half were trial; one-half were sentenced to deathsentenced to deathThe individual is responsible The individual is responsible for crimes carried out under for crimes carried out under superior orders. superior orders. The leaders and organizers The leaders and organizers were guilty of crimes carried were guilty of crimes carried out by others in executing the out by others in executing the criminal plan. criminal plan.

SIMON WIESENTHALSIMON WIESENTHAL

For your benefit, learn from our For your benefit, learn from our tragedy. It is not a written law tragedy. It is not a written law that the next victims must be that the next victims must be Jews.Jews.

““Hatred can be nurtured anywhere. If Hatred can be nurtured anywhere. If hatred and sadism combine with hatred and sadism combine with modern technology, the inferno modern technology, the inferno could erupt anew anywhere. The could erupt anew anywhere. The combination of hatred and combination of hatred and technology is the greatest danger technology is the greatest danger threatening mankind.”threatening mankind.” (1989) (1989)

Fear is the only true enemy,

born of ignorance and the parent of

anger and hate.

-Edward Albert