The HolocaustThe Holocaust was the annihilation of European Jews by the Nazi Party from 1933-1945 (Dictionary.com). During this period, Adolf Hitler had become the chancellor of Germany and had succeeded in plummeting the globe into another World War. Using his power as the Führer (leader) of Germany, Hitler was responsible for killing a total of six million Jews throughout his time in power.
|
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in Austria. He moved to Germany with his family at the age of three. In August, 1914, Hitler was accepted into the German Army. He fought in World War I and was given two awards for his bravery: the Iron Cross First Class and the Black Wound Badge (Biography.com). Serving in the army would only increase Hitler's patriotism towards Germany. After World War I, Hitler was furious with the Treaty of Versailles. In 1919, he joined the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, or Nazi Party, which "promoted German pride and anti-Semitism, and expressed dissatisfaction with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles" (History.com). He was soon appointed head of the party in 1921. On January 30, 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. After the fire at the Reichstag (German Parliament), the "Enabling Act" was passed ultimately ending democracy in Germany and giving Hitler dictatorial power (Jewishvirtuallibrary.org). Finally, when Germany's Prime Minister Paul Von Hidenburg died in 1934, Hitler combined the power of Prime Minister and Chancellor and declared himself the Führer (leader) of Germany (History.com). Germany spent the next 11 years under Hitler's control.
|
Concentration Camps
Hitler’s main source of killing during the Holocaust was concentration camps. Although Jews were generally victim of the Holocaust, numerous others were imprisoned as well such as Gypsies, homosexuals, the disabled, prisoners of war, politicians and anyone who spoke out against the Nazis. Concentration camps were mostly isolated in remote areas throughout Poland to avoid the public eye as the Nazis weren’t aiming for publicity with the Holocaust. When the victims arrived at the camps, they were sorted into two groups: those who seemed strong and useful would be sent to barracks and those who were of no use because they were too weak or too young to work (such as children) were sent to gas chambers to await their death, unaware of their fate. Once the prisoners were gassed, their bodies would be removed by inmates. They were taken to crematoriums where the dead were disposed of. The rest of the victims were reduced to slave labor, living in unhygienic crowded living quarters with a mediocre diet of bread and soup. Those who didn’t die from starvation and the terrible working and living conditions had inhuman experiments forced upon them. Most victims were separated from their families and were completely oblivious of their loved one's fate (Hill 243-245). Altogether, concentration camps are responsible for the murder of 11 million innocent people. Today, many concentration camps have been preserved and some are open to the public (Jewishvirtuallibrary.org).