During the 1930’s and 1940’s, discrimination by Adolf Hitler against the Jewish race was intense. This discrimination took place not only in Germany but anywhere throughout Europe where the Nazi doctrine raised its face. The Jews were forcibly removed from their homes and sometimes even their homelands to be interned. When not removed from their homelands, they were confined to certain areas of their home cities. They were placed in areas that became known as Jewish ghettos. The conditions in these ghettos were appalling. Cramped living space, little food, and a lack of medical attention were commonplace. Although there were some armed resistance movements, the lack of arms and the confined spaces led to little success. For example, in the Tuchin Ghetto, 700 Jewish families tried to escape. Only 15 survived.

The Nazi government was so well organized that it maintained a propaganda ministry, headed by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. Not only was Goebbels efficient at his job, he was a fanatic when it came to the Jews. Goebbels directed boycotts against Jewish business. His campaigns featured slogans such as “Don’t buy from Jews; Shop German business,” and “Germans, defend yourselves against the Jewish atrocity propaganda, buy only at German shops.”

As early as 1933, German students in several large cities gathered to hold book burnings. Books penned by Jews or books containing what was considered “un-German” ideas were destroyed by the masses. Authors such as Einstein, Mann, Freud, and Wells were all subject to the book burnings. Minister Goebbels was present at the book burning in Berlin. In a speech at this event, Goebbels stated, “The era of extreme Jewish intellectualism is now at an end.” This speech added fuel to the fire and encouraged a night of burning and singing of Nazi songs and anthems.

In 1934, Hitler became the Fuhrer. Shortly after in 1935 came the ban of Jews from serving in the military. Following this ban, the Nuremberg Race Laws of 1935 were passed. These laws deprived Jews of their citizenship and prohibited Jews from marrying Aryans. Jews were also prohibited from employing Aryan women for domestic help. These laws divided Jews into different categories, such as full-Jew. Much confusion followed based on the definition of a full-Jew. It was eventually determined that a full-Jew was a person with three Jewish grandparents. As time passed, the Nazi government also passed supplemental decrees. These decrees finished the work that the Nuremberg Races laws started – they took away all rights of the Jewish people.

The poor treatment suffered by the Jewish people at the hands of the Nazi government continued for several years. In 1938, the “Night of Broken Glass,” or “Kristallnacht,” occurred in response to a young Jewish man’s killing of a German official at the German embassy in Paris. On November 9, 1938, mob violence encouraged by Nazi storm-troopers, the SS, and Hitler Youth, broke out in German towns and cities. Many synagogues were burned and Jewish men, women, and children were attacked and killed. The holocaust also saw the death of many non-Jews. Many were killed as they attempted to aid Jews.

In 1939, Hitler began what he termed “mercy killings.” The victims of these killings were the sick and disabled. “Aktion T.4” was the code for the Nazi “mercy killing” program. The Nazis established six killing centers where this program was carried out. By 1941, almost 100,000 people had been put to death in this program. It was also in 1941 that the general deportation of German Jews began.

On January 20, 1942, the Wannsee Conference was convened in Berlin. The goal of this conference was to coordinate the “Final Solution,” also known as the Endlosung. The Nazis intended to coordinate the extermination of the entire European Jewish population. The Nazis planned on killing an estimated 11,000,000 persons. Even as late as 1945 while the Allies were advancing, the Nazis were still organizing death marches.

The death camps were liberated on the following dates: Auschwitz on January 27, 1945, Camp Ohrdruf on April 4, 1945, Buchenwald on April 10, 1945, Bergen-Belsen on April 15, 1945, Dauchau on April 29, 1945, and Mauthausen on May 5, 1945.

Auschwitz

Situated in the southwest corner of Poland, Auschwitz became the main death camp for the extermination of Jews. Approximately 1.3 million Jews were killed at this camp. This camp was a very secure facility. It was surrounded by an electric fence and patrolled by guard dogs. On a daily basis, 4,756 Jews were taken to the gas chambers. More than one crematory was built at this camp. However, the Germans destroyed some of the crematories on January 20, 1945, in an attempt to hide the crimes that had taken place there.

Not all Jews were killed in the gas chambers. As many as 20,000 were estimated to have been shot in a courtyard located between blocks 10 and 11. Living quarters for the prisoners were comprised on wooden framed buildings originally designed as horse stables. Each building was used to house as many as 800 plus prisoners.

The commandant of Auschwitz was Rudolf Hoss. At one point, he stated that “history will mark me as the greatest mass murderer of all times.” He was hanged on gallows built near the remaining crematory at Auschwitz.

Mauthausen

This particular death camp was located in Austria. It was opened in 1938, shortly after the Nazi occupation of Austria took place. Many of the prisoners housed in Dauchau were moved to Mauthausen. These prisoners were moved to work the rock quarries known as Wiener Graben. The Nazi government intended for these prisoners to build a granite prison fortress. While working in the quarries, the prisoners were lucky if they were allowed to use the most primitive of tools. Frequently, the prisoners were forced to work with their bare hands. Many prisoners were tortured and killed in the quarries. This activity carried out the theme of the camp which was death through work. For those who did not die as a result of the labor, the gas chambers awaited.
The gas chamber at Mauthausen was located in the basement, directly under the sick quarters. Use of the gas chamber began in 1942. The number of Jews killed at this concentration camp is staggering. In the first four months of 1945 alone, 40,000 prisoners died.

Mauthausen is also the concentration camp where the Germans carried out many pseudo-scientific experiments.

The commandant of Mauthausen was Franz Ziereis. Prior to the liberation of the concentration camp, Ziereis allowed his 11 year old son to shoot prisoners from the porch of the family home. The commandant died from wounds he received at the hands of the Allies. At no time did he admit to his crimes.

Despite the many tragedies of the Holocaust, history reveals that there are many heroes from this event. These heroes range in age from the very young to those in their 80’s. Many were forced to lead lives of deception and lived with constant fear of betrayal and retribution. They gave aid freely and willingly. Many paid with their own lives. Such heroes include Captain Laszlo Ocskay, Emiliah Ivanov Minev, Padre Niccacci, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a protestant clergyman.

For further information, visit the following:

www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/timeline.html
www.graceproducts.com/frank/index.html
www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/hitleryouth/index.html
www.hmh.org

Holocaust Websites

Holocaust

http://www.historychannel.com/classroom

http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust

Must see site! This site is an outstanding resource for the Holocaust. History, timeline, pictures, interviews, teacher lesson plans, teacher resources (includes quizzes), and so much more. Well worth your time to investigate this site!!!

http://www.ushmrn.org

A valuable website for student and teacher research. The Web Link (in the Research section) has many additional sites worthy of your attention. Be sure to go to the education and history links.

http://web.macam98.ac.il/~ochayo/einvert.htm

Teaching the Holocaust through stamps

This site is an EXCELLENT resource with a comprehensive timeline of the Holocaust years. Many links provide pictures and additional information.

http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/timeline.html

A history about Hitler’s youth group is on this site.

http://www.hmh.org

Holocaust Museum Houston’s main site.

Go to “LINKS” — a number of links offer a variety of topics.

From “LINKS”, go “Teacher’s Resources”, then to Education.

Click on the “Bibliographies of Holocaust and Related Subject” for a very comprehensive list of books and other materials for teachers and students.