Holocaust Summary for Middle School Students

THE HOLOCAUST1933-1945

Between 1933 and 1945 10-11 million people (Jews and others) were persecuted and murdered as a result of

the events leading up to World War ll.

10,000,000 people!!

That’s the same as 100,000 schools the size of Monticello Middle School…

2/3 of all the Jews in Europe and eastern Russia had been eliminated.

What was The Holocaust? “Holocaust” actually means:

“a sacrifice consumed by fire”

But nowadays it refers to -the mass slaughter of European civilians, especially Jews, by the Nazis during World War II

How could something like this happen?

World War 1 - 1914-1919

• Germany was defeated in World War 1.

The German people were forced to pay for the damaged they had caused and to take the blame for World War 1.

*The country fell into a depression.

*There was a lot of unemployment.

*The German money was worthless. The people were poor and desperate for change.

A young man in the German army worked his way up in leadership. His name was Adolf Hitler.

• Hitler was a powerful speaker! He was very dramatic and theatrical in his speeches.

• Over a few years Hitler gained a lot of support for his party from the German people.

• In 1933 Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. (president)

• Hitler and the Nazis army used bullying and fear to gain control of both the government and the German people.

* In 1933 the first concentration camp opened. Anyone who opposed Hitler or the Nazis were arrested and taken to concentration camps. There they were worked to death, beaten, or killed.

* Hitler was a racist. He believed there should be a “master” race of physically fit, “racially pure” people.

*In order to make room for superior white people those who were “inferior” had to be removed.

Who were sent to concentration camps? Jews Homosexuals Gypsies The Disabled Slavic Peoples Jehovah’s Witnesses

* Hitler and other Nazi leaders considered the Jewish people particular danger to the Germans. * He said it was the Jews who were responsible for all the problems that existed in their society.

Hitler

“Once I really am in power, my first and foremost task will be the annihilation of the Jews…until all Germany has been completely cleansed of Jews.”

-Adolf Hitler, 1922

As time went by Jews were arrested…

…forbidden to own businesses….

.. couldn’t own property…

and weren’t allowed to do their jobs.

Jews were not allowed to ride buses, trains, or taxis.

They were forced to wear the Star of David to identify themselves.

Jews were forced to leave their homes and as time went by they were sent to concentration or death camps.

Concentration Camps

At the camps… Prisoners were forced to do hard labor Prisoners were starved Forced to obey the Nazi’s, and were murdered if they disobeyed Prisoners had no control of their own lives Many prisoners died as a result of incarceration and

maltreatment

How did the prisoners die?

Gas chambers Cremation Starvation Malnutrition Torture Death Marches

The Final Numbers -

10-11 million prisoners were murdered

6 million victims were Jews Percentages:

Polish Jews killed: 91% German Jews killed: 36% Total Jews killed in Europe during World War II:

63%

Words from Survivors…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ER1sRYDAYY&feature=channel

A video summary of the Holocaust…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VGU9gMoNSA