Taking the Stand

Eyewitness to the Holocaust and Nazi Tyranny

16 October 2015The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Why Study The Holocaust?

Why/How Did It Happen?

1933

1934

1935

1936

1937

1938

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

10 Stages of Genocide1. Classification: People are divided into "us and them".2. Symbolization: People are forced to identify themselves.3. Discrimination: People begin to face systematic discrimination. 4. Dehumanization: People equated with animals, vermin, or diseases.5. Organization: The government creates special groups (police/military) to

enforce the policies.6. Polarization: The government broadcasts propaganda to turn the

populace against the group.7. Preparation: Official action to remove/relocate people begins.8. Persecution: Beginning of murders, theft of property, trial massacres.9. Extermination: Wholesale elimination of the group. It is “extermination”

and not murder because the people are not considered human.10. Denial: The government denies that it has committed any crime.

Stanton, Gregory (2012); 10 Stages of Genocide, Genocide Watch

It’s Not About The Numbers…Victims Killed

Jews 5.93 million

Soviet POWs 2–3 million

Ethnic Poles 1.8–2 million

Serbs 300,000–500,000

Disabled 270,000

Romani 90,000–220,000

Freemasons 80,000–200,000

Slovenes 20,000–25,000

Homosexuals 5,000–15,000

Jehovah's Witnesses 2,500–5,000

Spanish Republicans 7,000

Donald L. Niewyk, Francis R. Nicosia (2000). The Columbia Guide to the Holocaust.Columbia University Press. p. 49.

It’s About The People

Who Took Part?

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. – Edmund Burke

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

German customs officials supervise the packing of a moving van containing the belongings of a Jewish family preparing to emigrate. Part of the officials’ job was to prevent the smuggling of valuables that law prohibited Jews from taking with them. Bielefeld, Germany, 1936. Stadtarchiv Bielefeld

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

A member of the Lithuanian auxiliary police auctions off property of Jews who were recently executed in the nearby Rase Forest. Lithuania, July–August 1941.US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Saulius Berzinis

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

A police official distributes Jewish badges after German occupation orders require Jews residing in the northern occupied zone of France to wear badges. Paris, 1942. Nationaal Archief/Spaarnestad Photo/Cl. Aveline

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

SS officers and female assistants at an SS resort 18 miles from Auschwitz. July 1944. Many of those depicted were involved in processing the Jewish deportees who arrived at Auschwitz from Hungary in summer 1944. US Holocaust Memorial Museum

PHOTO ACTIVITY: DECONSTRUCTING THE FAMILIAR

Was It Only Against Jews?

Why Didn’t Anyone Do Anything?

• Anti-Semitism was widespread throughout the world and many countries didn’t want to help.

• The Great Depression made many countries feel that they could not support Jewish immigrants.

• Many people did not believe the reports of the Holocaust, thinking that no one could commit such atrocities.

Why At The Reagan Library?

Good and decent people must not close their eyes to evil, must not ignore the suffering of the innocent, and must never remain silent and inactive in times of moral crisis. – Ronald Reagan

Who Are The Speakers?Renée Firestone Hermine Liska

Renée at 21 Hermine at 10

APLC <Your Response>

From a text message

Participating with Poll EverywhereHow to vote via web/text messaging

22333

Pollev.com/APLC

From any browser

Questions To Ask

Big Picture Questions• How did this experience cause you to think differently

about…• What did you learn about…

Connection Questions

Thematic Questions• What did this teach you about (citizenship, bravery,

etc…)?

Questions To Avoid

Right There QuestionsAnything you can find easily in a biography or online

• What year did you…• Where did you…

Yes/No Questions

Inappropriate Questions

Speaker Series for StudentsLogistics Information and Expectations for Teachers, Chaperones, and Students

Student Name

Teacher Name

School Name

Lunch

1) Each student should label his/her lunch with FIRST and LAST NAME

2) Please place all of your group’s lunches in a box that has:

a. SCHOOLb. TEACHER LAST NAME

3) When you arrive at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, please designate two students to help load lunches onto carts. Carts will be stored until designated lunch time.

4) Please work with your chaperones to ensure all waste is disposed of following lunch.

5) Students will NOT be able to purchase lunch in the café.

State of Civics TodayAttire

Think Business CasualBoys

We ask that boys wear slacks and a shirt with a

collar

Girls

We ask that they wear skirts, dresses or slacks below the knee, and a

blouse or collared shirt equivalent

State of Civics TodayExpectations for Behavior (during conversation)

1) Please position your chaperones so that they are evenly distributed throughout your student population.

2) During the panel, students are allowed to text or tweet their questions, comments, and reactions to the discussion, but they should not do so in such a way that it becomes distracting.

3) Students should sit quietly and give their full attention to the panelist(s) and the discussion taking place.

4) All texts, tweets, or questions should be respectful in nature.

5) Students should remain with their group.

State of Civics TodayExpectations for Behavior (in Museum)

1) There is no food, drink, or gum allowed in the museum.

2) Photography is permitted (except for on Air Force One), but there is no flash photography allowed.

3) Students should remain with their group.

4) There are many exhibits that are hands on and interactive, feel free to touch and utilize these. However, please do not touch exhibits that are not designed to be interactive.

5) Students and chaperones should listen to the docents (they are extremely knowledgeable).

Questions?