GERMANY 1918-45

ANTI-SEMITISM

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEORY

It was NOT new. Pre-WWI: formation

of the idea in Vienna. 1920: racist policy

published in “25 Points.”

1924: “Mein Kampf” promoted racism & anti-semitism further.Crusaders massacre German Jews and loot property

in the 11th century

GOVERNMENT PERSECUTIONFROM THE START IN 1933

April: SA organises boycott of Jewish shops & professions.

April: non-Aryan civil servants are dismissed.

April: non-Aryan doctors are forbidden to work in hospitals.

The Reichstag & democracy in flames in 1933

GOVERNMENT PERSECUTIONCONTINUES IN 1933

Sept: only farmers with proven Aryan backgrounds to 1880 could inherit land.

Sept: Jewish lawyers are forbidden to practise.

Result: 38,000 Jews emigrated to Palestine in 1933; at least 25,000 p.a. left thereafter.

PERSECUTION WORSENS

Boycotts continue. Jews forbidden from

pools, parks, etc. 1935: Nuremberg

Laws. 1938: Jewish factories

had to mark goods with a distinctive trademark.

THE NADIR OF PERSECUTION

1936: persecution is less public due to Olympics & Schacht.

1938: Jews had to carry special id cards.

1938: Kristallnacht 1939: Hitler promised

“destruction of the Jewish race.” Himmler & the SS organised Crystal Night, an

allegedly spontaneous outburst of national anger

PERSECUTION BECOMES GENOCIDE

Conquests in WWII (eg Poland & western USSR) brought many Jews under Nazi control.

1941: Wannsee Conference formulated the “Final Solution.”

Poland was prepared as an extermination centre.

1942: the plan was implemented at 6 centres & speeded up when its threat failed to keep USA neutral.

1945: methods changed and speeded up when defeat was imminent.

Himmler stated 6M Jews had died.