HOLOCAUSTHOLOCAUST

THE THREE STAGES OF NAZI THE THREE STAGES OF NAZI PERSECUTION OF THE JEWSPERSECUTION OF THE JEWS

BackgroundBackground

Anti-Semitism (words or actions that are Anti-Semitism (words or actions that are anti-Jewish) goes back thousands of years anti-Jewish) goes back thousands of years to the times of the Israelitesto the times of the Israelites

During the Middle Ages, Jews in Europe During the Middle Ages, Jews in Europe were restricted to certain sections of cities were restricted to certain sections of cities called ghettoescalled ghettoes

Anti-Semitism was not limited to Nazi Anti-Semitism was not limited to Nazi Germany during the 20Germany during the 20thth century century

The Nazi government used anti-Semitic propagandaThe Nazi government used anti-Semitic propaganda

such as posters and even children’s bookssuch as posters and even children’s books

Stage I: Stage I: Anti-Semitic measures and lawsAnti-Semitic measures and laws

Propaganda minister Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels Joseph Goebbels (above right) (above right) orchestrated these orchestrated these measures which also measures which also included book burnings included book burnings by Jewish writers, by Jewish writers, boycotting Jewish boycotting Jewish stores, prohibiting stores, prohibiting Jewish athletes from Jewish athletes from German teams and German teams and banning Jews from banning Jews from many professions many professions

1936 Olympics1936 Olympics

BoycottsBoycotts

The Nuremberg Laws were passed in The Nuremberg Laws were passed in 1936 which denied Jews any rights to 1936 which denied Jews any rights to German citizenshipGerman citizenship

Mixed marriages between Jews and Mixed marriages between Jews and “Aryans” also became illegal at this point“Aryans” also became illegal at this point

KristalnachtKristalnacht

In 1937, the Nazi In 1937, the Nazi storm troopers (SA) storm troopers (SA) destroyed many destroyed many Jewish shops and Jewish shops and synagogues in an synagogues in an event called event called Kristalnacht (Night Kristalnacht (Night of the Broken Glass)of the Broken Glass)

Stage II: DeportationsStage II: Deportations

At the beginning of At the beginning of World War II, the World War II, the Nazis developed a Nazis developed a territorial solution territorial solution by deporting Jews by deporting Jews to Nazi occupied to Nazi occupied countries in countries in Eastern Europe Eastern Europe (mostly in Poland)(mostly in Poland)

Jewish families were Jewish families were forced to live in forced to live in ghettoes such as the ghettoes such as the Warsaw Ghetto (above Warsaw Ghetto (above right)right)

Jews were forced to Jews were forced to wear the yellow star wear the yellow star (Star of David) (Star of David)

Some executions Some executions were being ordered were being ordered such as the Babi Yar such as the Babi Yar Massacre near Kiev Massacre near Kiev where 30 000 Jews where 30 000 Jews were killed in two were killed in two days and buried in a days and buried in a ravine (1941) ravine (1941)

Stage III: The Final SolutionStage III: The Final Solution

The decision to The decision to proceed with the proceed with the elimination of all elimination of all European Jews was European Jews was made at the Wansee made at the Wansee Conference in 1942Conference in 1942

SS officer Adolf SS officer Adolf Eichmann (right) was Eichmann (right) was put in charge of this put in charge of this tasktask

A euthanasia program A euthanasia program was established to was established to dispose of the physically dispose of the physically and mentally disabledand mentally disabled

Executions began in Executions began in experimental gas vans experimental gas vans which used a cyanide which used a cyanide gas called Zyklon Bgas called Zyklon B

Many concentration Many concentration camps were camps were converted to death converted to death camps such as camps such as Auschwitz (right), Auschwitz (right), Treblinka, Belzec and Treblinka, Belzec and others; most of these others; most of these were in Polandwere in Poland

European Jews were European Jews were rounded up told they rounded up told they were being deported were being deported by trainby trainThe trains would The trains would arrive at Auschwitz for arrive at Auschwitz for example where the example where the selection process selection process would begin (lower would begin (lower right) right) The fit would be put to The fit would be put to work and the others work and the others would be sent for would be sent for special treatmentspecial treatment

Their hair was cut and Their hair was cut and they were told to they were told to undress before they undress before they showeredshowered

The gas chambers The gas chambers (lower right) were (lower right) were disguised as showersdisguised as showers

The doors were The doors were closed and the gas closed and the gas was poured in; within was poured in; within 30 minutes, they had 30 minutes, they had suffocated to deathsuffocated to death

The dead bodies The dead bodies would be transported would be transported to the crematoriums to the crematoriums where they would where they would incineratedincinerated

Some camps were Some camps were killing factories that killing factories that could gas thousands could gas thousands of people per dayof people per day

Other images of Other images of AuschwitzAuschwitz

Jews were not the Jews were not the only victims; others only victims; others included Poles, included Poles, Gypsies and Gypsies and HomosexualsHomosexuals

Some camps had Some camps had doctors such as Josef doctors such as Josef Mengele (right) who Mengele (right) who did medical did medical experiments, mostly experiments, mostly on twinson twins

There were some There were some sympathizers who sympathizers who helped Jewish helped Jewish families such as families such as Oskar Schindler (top) Oskar Schindler (top) and Raoul and Raoul Wallenberg (bottom), Wallenberg (bottom), Wallenberg helped Wallenberg helped 700 Hungarian Jews 700 Hungarian Jews emigrate to Swedenemigrate to Sweden

Towards the end of Towards the end of the war in 1945, the the war in 1945, the Soviet Red Army Soviet Red Army liberated the death liberated the death camps and found a camps and found a small number of small number of survivors such as survivors such as Simon Wiesenthal Simon Wiesenthal (right)(right)

Following the war, Following the war, dozens of Nazi dozens of Nazi officials were officials were prosecuted for war prosecuted for war crimes and crimes crimes and crimes against humanity in against humanity in the Nuremberg Trialsthe Nuremberg Trials

Images: United States Images: United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumHolocaust Memorial Museum