Walsh 1

Research Paper
Holocaust Overview

Quinn Walsh

Eng 101-110
Larry Neuburger
4 may 2011
 Walsh 2

Research Paper

Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust

The term genocide is almost synonymous with the Nazi party. The anti-Semitic

inequality, the inhumane experiments, and the execution of the Jewish people are all common

thoughts when the Nazi regime is mentioned. From the Rise of Nazi Germany to the liberation

the history of the Second World War is immense and, at times, horrific.

Nazis come to power

Adolf Hitler is the name most associated with Nazi

Germany. Spartacus International (SI) explains how his

disdain for the Jewish was probably always there, but

became more prominent when Bavaria became a Socialist

Republic. Hitler was appalled by this. He did not agree

with the socialist view of equality. In 1918 Russia passed a

Hitler saluting his followers.
law which banned discrimination.
http://bit.ly/kf8Tds

Then the German army entered Munich and

overthrew the Bavarian Socialist Republic. This was followed by the execution of untried

socialists. Amidst the arrests and executions, Hitler was able to convince the German army he

was opposed to the regime by giving up the names of several soldiers who supported the socialist

republic. After arresting these soldiers Hitler was offered a position as a political officer. His

new job was to lecture soldiers on his military approved political philosophy
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Furthermore, SI mentions how a large turning point for Hitler was when he was sent in to

spy on a German Workers Party (GWP) meeting. The GWP was suspected of advocating

communist revolution. Once inside, however Hitler realized they had similar ideas to his. After a

small opinionated outburst Hitler was asked to join. Reluctantly but with military support he

accepted, joined the executive committee, and later became propaganda manager. Later the

party changed its name to NSDAP which took on the nickname “Nazi”. Soon after Hitler burst

into a Bavarian Government meeting and declared himself chancellor. . (“Adolf Hitler”)

Nazis Views on Jews

The Jewish hate in Germany started, mostly, as Hitler’s despise for

socialism. Most, if not all, Jews liked the idea of equality and

naturally gravitated toward the Marxist and socialistic movements.

Hitler had a lot of difficult moment in his life, from his mother’s

death to his rejection from several universities. One may assume

Jude star
that these tribulations led him to dislike equality.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/js
Swastika http://bit.ly/lXP4MN
ource/Holocaust/badges.html
According to Yad Vashem (YV) as the Nazi Party grew
http://multicultclassics.blogspot.
com/2010/07/7829-swastika-
they became more outspoken about their anti-Semitic views. In an attempt to scare away the
gains-universal.html

Jewish people they staged book burnings, anti-Jewish boycotts, and anti-Jewish legislation.
Broken window after Kristallnacht
Legislation like the Nuremburg laws.
http://trickledownbs.blogspot.com/2
Nuremburg Laws
011/01/it-cant-happen-in-
america.html
The website for the United States Holocaust Memorial

Museum (Ushmm) states that t he Nuremburg laws were anti-

Semitic laws put in place classifying Jews as a “non-Aryan” race.

This allowed discrimination to go to an extreme. Nazis burned

http://bit.ly/9HEPB2
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synagogues and destroyed shops with Jewish owners throughout Germany and Austria. This act

of terrorism was deemed “Kristallnacht” or “the night of broken glass.”

Ushmm also informs that the Nazis were also known to burn books. The books

were usually preaching communism. However,

They also burned books that they viewed as “un-German” or Jewish including the poetry of

Heinrich Heine. (Ushmm.com)

Kristallnacht

Kristallnacht (more commonly referred the “night of

broken glass”) was an anti-Jewish Pogrom. Kristallnacht took

place November 9 and 10, 1938. The name comes from the

glass which lined the streets after Nazi officers and “Storm

Troopers” destroyed Synagogues and Jewish owned shops.

http://bit.ly/jBC2q2
German officials said this outburst was a public

sentiment. It was said that the event had been a response to the assassination of a German

Embassy official, perpetrated by a 17-year-old Jew. The assassination happened only 2 days

before Kristallnacht.(ushmm.org)

Ghettos

The last major event before Hitler’s Final solution was

drawn up was the Ghettos. In 1939 the head of the Reich

Security Main Office sent out a directive which declared all

Jews in smaller towns should be moved to join large populations

of Jews in bigger cities. It stated that the Jews would care for

http://bit.ly/k40CWV
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these cities with supervision by the German authorities. These ghettos were made of the poorest

neighborhoods and

cheapest living conditions.

These ghettos also housed factories. Originally Jewish owned they were taken over by the

Nazis and used for profit. This profit was only to the German military.( http://fcit.usf.edu)

Wannsee Conference

In 1942 15 high ranking German government

officials gathered in the Berlin Suburb of Wannsee. The

discussion that followed was to find the “final solution

of the Jewish question.” The final solution was the

absolute obliteration of the European Jews. The true

reason for the conference was for the Nazis to gain full http://bit.ly/gr038T

Government support to implement the “solution.”

At the Wannsee conference the annihilation of Jews was never directly addressed. It was

called an “evacuation.” It was said that the Jews would be put to work building roads.

Euphemisms aside the participants knew what the final solution would come to in the end.

(ushmm.org)

Selection

Auschwitz played a special role in the Holocaust. The

most advanced and brutal methods were used in this camp. The

“resettlement action,” as it was called followed a very specific

http://bit.ly/i1FDI5
course.
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Jews arrived by cattle cars. After being pushed and pulled out of the train they were

examined. They were looked up and down by doctors.

The doctors judged their fitness to work. The curably ill were sent to receive medical attention.

The incurably ill o unfit for labor was executed.( kimel.net)

Liberation

In 1945 Soviet troops entered concentration camps to Selection

find death and fear. They also found survivors. Thousands of http://www.holocaust-
education.dk/lejre/udryddelseslejre.asp
Jews and non-Jews were suffering from disease and starvation.
http://bit.ly/iZdcAr
Many Jews did not return home after being liberated from the

camps. This was mostly due to the fear of anti-Semitism. On some occasions the fear was valid.

Many anti-Semitic beatings and murders took place in post-liberation Germany.

Thousands of Holocaust refugees, homeless and in fear migrated west. There they were

greeted with refugee camps and displaced person

camps. This was a glimmer of hope for the

http://bit.ly/l3r6mi
survivors. (ushmm.org)

Israel

After years of coping with their existence in post war

society the Holocaust survivors were unable to go home. They

feared prosecution wherever they went. Palestine, and later Israel,

knew this and offered safe haven for the Jews.

In 1948 the state of Israel was established as a place of prosperity for the Jewish people.

Since then the Jewish population has grown to roughly 5.7 million. (jpost.com)
 Walsh 7

Work cited.

"The Aftermath of the Holocaust." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. N.p., n.d. Web.

2 May 2011.

""Final Solution": Overview." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 2

May 2011.

"Kristallnacht: A Nationwide Pogrom, November 9-10, 1938." United States Holocaust

Memorial Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2011.

"A Selection of Holocaust Stories, by A. Kimel." Holocaust Understanding and Prevention by

Alexander Kimel. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2011.

" Holocaust Timeline: The Ghettos." Florida Center for Instructional Technology. N.p., n.d.

Web. 2 May 2011.

"Adolf Hitler ." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2011.

"Nazi Germany and the Jews 1933-1939." Yad Vashem. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2011.

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/es/article.php?ModuleId=10007167