HOLOCAUST

HOLOCAUST

OBJ # 1: Explain Hitler’s view of the World. Name the book written by Adolf Hitler. When did Hitler begin his writings? Which group of people does Hitler blame for Germany’s problem?

I. The Holocaust

A. Hitler’s Terror

1. Mein Kampf (1924)

a. Book written explaining views, written while in Jail

for attempting to overthrow German gov’t

b. Blames Jew for WWI & Depression

c. Focuses on racial purity

Fact: Hitler originally wanted to call his forthcoming book "Viereinhalb Jahre [des Kampfes] gegen Lüge, Dummheit und Feigheit" (Four and a Half Years [of Fighting] Against Lies, Stupidity and Cowardice).

OBJ #2: Describe the role of the SS in Germany & the Holocaust. Who was its leader? Who did they swear an oath of loyalty to? What branch of the SS operated as state police?

• II. Terror Group – SS A. Troops directly loyal to Hitler 1. Led by Heinrich Himmler 2. “Believe, Obey, Fight” – follow Hitler’s orders no matter legal or not

3. Gestapo (State Police) a. Crush any opposition to Hitler b. Above the law protecting Hitler - Spies, impersonators 4. Run Death Camps a. Organize & carry out exterminations - Labor, medical experiments

Schutzstaffel (SS) Logo

Himmler was in charge of concentration camps

Reinhard Heydrich

OBJ #3: Describe the Concentration & death Camps. Why were the first ‘Concentration Camps’ begun? Were ‘Concentration Camps’ used to kill people? Name at least two other groups that were sent to camps other than Jews.

III. Concentration Camps (1933) A. NOT killing centers B. Begins with Political & religious dissidents C. Run mainly as labor camps (slave labor) & to keep dissent quiet D. Death through exhaustion or working to death **Arbiet Mach Frei- Translates to “Work will set you free”

E. Camps- Chelmo, Treblinka, Sobibor, Maidanek, Belzac, Dachau and Auschwitz.

The Angel of Death, Josef Mengele

OBJ #4: What was the “Final Solution”? What was the first method used to kill large numbers of victims? Where were death camps located? How were people put to death in the camps the quickest and how were the to do if not “selected”?

IV. FINAL SOLUTION-A. Extermination of Jews in Europe – includes gypsies, mentally ill, soviet POW’s and

other non-conformists1. KILLING centers

a. Camps only used for mass killings b. Camp organization 1. SS Administration 2. Guards—SS men 3. Kapos—Jews or camp prisoners

2. Methods of Killing used by the Nazis a. 1st Method-Instatgrupen “Death Squads”

1. shooting b. 2nd Method-”Bread Vans” 1. Use CO from exhaust to kill c. 3rd Method-”Busses with Lye” 1. Same as vans with lye on the floor to kill quicker d. 4th Method-”Death Camps” 1. Gas Chambers (Zyclon B) 2. Shootings 3. 45 min. from arrival to death

OBJ #5: Describe the Nuremberg Trials. What countries had judges serving during the trials? How did these trials change how we view war?

V. Nuremburg Trials

A. Allies formed a court to try Nazi leaders

1. 28 people were convicted of crimes against humanity

a. 21 Nazis were convicted

b. 7 Japanese leaders were sentenced to death for their convictions

c. Demonstrated that not everything goes, even during war: was the first

criminal trial EVER for crimes committed during war

Camp Location Established Murdered

Auschwitz Poland May 1940 1,100,000

BelzecBelzec Poland March 1942 600,000

Bergen-Belsen Germany April 1943 35,000

Chelmno Poland Dec. 1941 320,000

Dachau Germany March 193 332,000

MajdanekLublin Poland Feb.1943 360,000

Mauthausen      Austria August 1938 120,000

Stutthof Poland Sept. 1939 65,000

Treblinka Poland July 1942 n/a

Westerbork Netherlands  October 1939 n/a

Reichsfuehrer-SS Heinrich Himmler inspects the women's concentration camp Ravensbrueck. (1941)

Jewish children, the victims of medical experiments in Auschwitz

The Holocaust

Source: Teresa Swiebocka Auschwitz: A History in Photographs (Indiana University Press, 1993)