THE HOLOCAUST

Summary

Began in 1933 when Nazi party takes power in Germany

Nazis slowly gained political, social, and economic strength

Blamed Jews for Germany’s poor state after WWI

Used concentration camps and other methods to

exterminate millions of Jews

Ended in 1945 when Hitler is defeated and WWII ends in

Europe

Important People Adolf Hitler- Chancellor (Prime Minister) of Germany , founded the Nazi party.

Nazi- a member of the National Socialist German Workers' party of Germany, seized political control

of the country, suppressing all opposition and establishing a dictatorship over all cultural, economic,

and political activities of the people .

Gestapo- Secret police (SS) instrumental in the Nazis pursuit of repression and terror.

Heinrich Himmler- was Hitler’s right-hand man, head of the SS and one of the most cruel and feared

Nazi leaders .

Winston Churchill- Prime Minister of Great Britain, realized the colossal threat Hitler posed on

Western Europe as well as the rest of the world.

Adolf Eichmann- was, for the most part, like the other Adolf Hitler , implemented the system of

transporting prisoners to concentration camps as well as the method of efficient slaughter of Jews .

Timeline (1933-1946) 1933

-Nazi party takes power in Germany

-Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany

-Nazis temporarily suspend civil rights including freedom press, speech, and assembly

-Formation of Gestapo

-Book burning

1934

-Hitler combines positions of Chancellor and President to become ‘Fuhrer’ (Leader) of Germany

-Jewish newspapers forbid to be sold publicly

Timeline (1933-1946) cont. 1935

-Jews deprived of their citizenship

-Nazis intensify persecution of political leaders that don’t comply

1936

-Nazis boycott Jewish-owned businesses

-Jews no longer have right to vote

1937

-Buchenwald camp opens

Timeline (1933-1946) cont. 1938

-German troops annexed Austria

- “Night of Broken Glass”

-Jews must carry ID cards

-Jewish children expelled from German schools

-Jews lose jobs, including lawyers and doctors

1939

-Germany takes over Czechoslovakia and invades Poland

-WWII begins as Britain and France declare war on Germany

-Jews must wear yellow stars of David

-Curfew laws enforced for Jews

Timeline (1933-1946) cont. 1940

- Nazis begin deporting German Jews to Poland

- Jews are forced into concentration camps and the first mass murder of the Jews is conducted

1941

- Germany invades the Soviet Union

- Jews in Western Europe are forced into the ghettos 1942

- Nazi officials meet to discuss and implement the “Final Solution” with government officials

1943

- February: 85% of all the Jews who would die in the Holocaust have already been murdered

Timeline (1933-1946) cont.

1945

- Hitler’s Germany is finally is defeated and World War II ends in Europe

- Holocaust is over, and all of the death camps are emptied Final Numbers

- Jews- 5.9 million

- Soviet POW- 3 million

- Ethnic Poles- 2 million

- Disabled- 250,000

- Roma- 220,000-500,000

- Freemasons- 100,000-200,000

- Homosexuals- 5,000-15,000

- Jehovah’s Witnesses- 5,000