The Holocaust

Why It Matters
From the time he came to power, Adolf Hitler had
targeted Jews for persecution. By the end of the
war, the Nazis had murdered 6 million Jews and 5
million other people they considered inferior.
Today we continue to remember this tragedy and
seek ways to prevent anything like it from ever
happening again.
Focus Question: How did the Holocaust develop
and what were its results?

Roots of the Holocaust

In 1945, there was no word to describe this horrific
chapter of the Nazi era. Today, it is called the
Holocaust, the Nazi attempt to kill all Jews under
their control.
The mass murders of Jews, as well as other
undesirables, were a direct result of a racist Nazi
ideology that considered Aryans (white gentiles,
especially those of Germanic or Anglo-Saxon blood)
superior to other people.

Hitler Preaches Hate

From the start, the Nazi movement trafficked in
hatred and anti-Semitism. Hitler blamed Jews for all
the ills of Germany, from communism to inflation to
abstract paintingand, especially for the defeat of
Germany in World War I.
Other extremists influenced Hitlers ideas and
shared his prejudices.
In the 1920she was just another angry voice. In
1933he was chancellor of Germany.

Nazis Begin Persecution

Hitlers persecution of the Jews began as soon as
he came to power.
FIRST: ECONOMIC
SECOND: Nuremberg Laws
THIRD: VIOLENCE (Kristallnacht in 1938, Night of
the Broken Glass)
FOURTH: The Final Solution

Focus Questions
How do you think the Holocaust was able to
happen for so long before it was stopped?
How were Adolf Hitler and the Nazis able to
gain support for such atrocities?
How did you feel about the Holocaust prior to
learning about your person?
How do you feel now?

Specifics
Research their name.
What can you find about this
person? If theres a lot, great. If
not, can you find the town they
are from?
Describe the town during World
War II. What brought this
individual to Auschwitz?
Bottom line: What did this person
go through? Did they perish in
the death camp or survive?
Your goal: Bring their story to life.