World History 3201

December 2014

2.2.8: Analyze Nazi policies toward Jews,

gypsies, communists, homosexuals and

religious minorities.(Part II)

Nazi Policies towards untermensch

The Nazi regime despised many groups it thought were

racially or socially inferior (untermensch = subhuman) -

people they called the 'germs of destruction'.

The Nazis believed that the 'pure-blooded' German was

racially superior, and that a struggle for survival

existed between the German race and those races considered

to be inferior.

They saw Jews, Roma and Sinti (Gypsies), black people and

the disabled as a serious biological threat to the purity of the

German-Aryan race, which they called the 'Master Race'.

Gypsies, homosexuals, religious

minorities

Review the 1933-39:Early Stages of Persecution handout &

find information regarding Nazi policies towards:

Gypsies (Roma)

Communists (political opponents)

Homosexuals

Religious minorities

Take 15-20 minutes to record a few points for each group

There is adequate space on the last page of your for this

activity

Submit to Mr. Cooper when completed.

The remainder of this class will be used to detail how

German Jews were impacted following Hitler’s ascension to

power in 1933

Handout #2 will help you understand the main points in this

section. Follow the specific examples of Jewish persecution

1933-38 very closely.

Anti-Semitism

Jewish people are known as Semitics. So anti-Semitism means

anti-Jewish

Anti-Semitics are racists

Jews were a minority in Germany in 1933

Religious group

Stereotypes of Jews: criminals, sexual predators, inferior,

bacteria, unpatriotic

Anti-Semitics believe that Jews it these stereotypes

Hitler’s Anti-Semitism

The Nazis identified Jews as a race and defined this race as

"inferior.“

Hate-mongering propaganda also unfairly blamed Jews for:

Germany's economic depression

the country's defeat in World War I

the Treaty of Versailles

communism

“The aim of Jews is the complete destruction of the German

‘Reich’ and the spread of revolution.”

Hitler’s Anti-Semitic Measures

Anti-Semitism was central to Hitler’s idea of creating a new

Germany

He didn’t want Jews to have any part to play in Nazi

Germany

When the Nazis came to power in 1933 they immediately

implements measures that would discriminate against the

Jews

Jewish Persecution 1933-38

Jewish civil servants, lawyers and teachers sacked.

Race Science lessons were introduced to schools to teach that

Jews are untermensch.

Jews could not be doctors.

Jews could not go to theaters, cinema, or vacation resorts; or

reside or even walk in certain sections of German cities..

Jewish children forbidden to go to school.

1933, Boycott

People who went out shopping were encouraged not to buy

from Jewish businesses and shops

Storm Troopers stood in front

of Jewish-owned businesses to

inform the public that the owners

were Jewish

Jude (German for Jew) & Yellow/Black

Star of David are smeared across windows &

doors

1933, Boycott

Anti-Jewish signs also appear

With this boycott, the Nazis slowly began to make hatred of

the Jews normal and acceptable. Over the coming years it

would become expected of German people to be anti-

Semitic

1935, Nuremburg Laws

Nuremberg laws (15 September) new laws were

introduced that made Jews second-class citizens

Also revoked most of their political rights.

Jews are prohibited from marrying or

having sexual relations with persons of

"German or related blood

These laws that only Aryans could be

German citizens.

1938

Kristallnacht (9 November) – an organized assault upon

Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues.

The violence against Jews lasts into the morning of

November 10 and becomes known as "Kristallnacht": the

"Night of Broken Glass.“

Impact

Jewish Persecution Review

You are a Jewish writer living in Berlin in December 1939.

You have been living in Germany since 1930 and have slowly

seen things deteriorate for German Jews.

Write a letter to a British newspaper describing the ways in

which life has become increasingly difficult and dangerous

for German Jews since Hitler came to power.

Try to be as historically accurate as possible so using

information from your class handouts, videos, and textbook

will certainly help you with this.

Minimum 1 page in length.