Summary
Hitler had a strong hatred for the Jewish peoples because of his belief that their being communists and capitalists ruined the German economy. He wanted to be rid of them in order to improve his country. The Germans began their prosecution of Jews in 1933 when they were unhallowed to run for office, then later jobs, citizenship, and property was taken away. Along with the Jews, Hitler wanted to be rid of all the other “subhumans” or the people he saw unfit to live, such as Gypsies, the disabled, Slavs, and homosexuals. He had a plan for the perfect Aryan, or German, race to dominate. On November 9, 1938 the Nazi leaders attacked the Jews, burning down their houses and breaking into their property to capture and enslave them. The night is now known as Kristallnacht. The captures were killed and those who lived evacuated to other countries. Hitler figured that no one wanted the Jews so he began to kill them on the sight. When that did not exterminate them fast enough he built Jewish “ghettos”, barbed wire fenced in areas where they would hopefully die of starvation and disease. When Hitler found the "ghettos" did not kill them fast enough, he sent them to concentration camps located all over eastern Europe. There the “subhumans” were starved, mistreated, and worked to death. The disabled, weak, young, and old were sent to the “showers” when they arrived to the camps. In reality, instead of going to showers they were lead to gas chambers where up to 6000 people could be killed a day. These gas chambers were brought into the camps in 1942. Six million Jews were killed in the concentration camps, the remaining survivors were forever mentally scarred.
Articles
Kristallnacht The night the Germans decided to be rid of the Jewish population once and for all, through torture, killing, and inevitable death. "Kristallnacht" provided the Nazi government with an opportunity at last to totally remove Jews from German public life."
Local and National Responses A series of reports from differing places across the world with their perceptions on Kristallnacht. "The events of Kristallnacht left the world with many questions, but in particular: What are we to do?" (1,657 words)
Holocaust Encyclopedia A summary of the Holocaust, explaining how and why the gruesome events took place. "The Germans targeted the non-Jewish Polish intelligentsia for killing, and deported millions of Polish and Soviet civilians forced labor in Germany or in occupied Poland, where these individuals worked and often died under deplorable conditions." (788 words)
The Holocaust Hitler's reasoning for why the Holocaust was valid and how it was carried out through World War II. "After years of Nazi rule in Germany, during which Jews were consistently persecuted, Hitler's "final solution"- now known as the Holocaust- came to fruition under the cover of world war, with mass killing centers constructed in the concentration camps of occupied Poland." (1,963 Words)
The Killing Machine A detailed outline of the pains and labor the Jews had to endure while living in the concentration camps. "A morbid form of forced labour was instituted in 1941, according to which Jews should be 'worked to death'." (1,885 words)
When Did Hitler Decide on the Final Solution? An introduction into the "final solution" and the reality of why it came about in the first place. "First, it is now undeniable that Hitler personally ordered the overall Final Solution decision; second, the decision was not made prior to the invasion of the Soviet Union - rather, the ultimate decision was taken near the end of 1941; third, the Final Solution was not a smoothly evolving process, but rather more dependant on the vagaries of the war effort."
Suldaten An interview with Sailor Minnieur and his personal memories of witnessing mass executions of Jews followed by the historical reasoning to provide a deeper understanding to the brutal events. "But in the light of the massive number of victims, which Minnieur puts at 75,000, an individual tragedy such as that of a pretty Jewess has no significance."
The End A story from the German's point of view on the Jewish refugees and how the government continually tried to expel them from the country. "In a city preoccupied with its own problems- a transport system near collapse, food and coal shortages, electricity cuts, constant worries about air raids- the refugees were not universally welcomed."
Arguing Israel and the Holocaust Israelis contemplate the following the Jewish religion during the Holocaust, raising the question if the mass murder of their religious brethren was the correct price to pay in order to inherit Israel. "If the lives of six million Jews, and the continuing pain suffered by all the survivors, is the price that had to be paid for a Jewish state in the cosmic economy, then the price is too high." (2,526 words)
The Ignored Reality An article bringing to life the fierce and brutal realities of what life inside the concentration camps and the information that has been decidedly left out of history books. "In fact they, like the starvation of Soviet prisoners of war, are scarcely recalled at all beyond the countries directly concerned."
Local and National Responses A series of reports from differing places across the world with their perceptions on Kristallnacht. "The events of Kristallnacht left the world with many questions, but in particular: What are we to do?" (1,657 words)
Holocaust Encyclopedia A summary of the Holocaust, explaining how and why the gruesome events took place. "The Germans targeted the non-Jewish Polish intelligentsia for killing, and deported millions of Polish and Soviet civilians forced labor in Germany or in occupied Poland, where these individuals worked and often died under deplorable conditions." (788 words)
The Holocaust Hitler's reasoning for why the Holocaust was valid and how it was carried out through World War II. "After years of Nazi rule in Germany, during which Jews were consistently persecuted, Hitler's "final solution"- now known as the Holocaust- came to fruition under the cover of world war, with mass killing centers constructed in the concentration camps of occupied Poland." (1,963 Words)
The Killing Machine A detailed outline of the pains and labor the Jews had to endure while living in the concentration camps. "A morbid form of forced labour was instituted in 1941, according to which Jews should be 'worked to death'." (1,885 words)
When Did Hitler Decide on the Final Solution? An introduction into the "final solution" and the reality of why it came about in the first place. "First, it is now undeniable that Hitler personally ordered the overall Final Solution decision; second, the decision was not made prior to the invasion of the Soviet Union - rather, the ultimate decision was taken near the end of 1941; third, the Final Solution was not a smoothly evolving process, but rather more dependant on the vagaries of the war effort."
Suldaten An interview with Sailor Minnieur and his personal memories of witnessing mass executions of Jews followed by the historical reasoning to provide a deeper understanding to the brutal events. "But in the light of the massive number of victims, which Minnieur puts at 75,000, an individual tragedy such as that of a pretty Jewess has no significance."
The End A story from the German's point of view on the Jewish refugees and how the government continually tried to expel them from the country. "In a city preoccupied with its own problems- a transport system near collapse, food and coal shortages, electricity cuts, constant worries about air raids- the refugees were not universally welcomed."
Arguing Israel and the Holocaust Israelis contemplate the following the Jewish religion during the Holocaust, raising the question if the mass murder of their religious brethren was the correct price to pay in order to inherit Israel. "If the lives of six million Jews, and the continuing pain suffered by all the survivors, is the price that had to be paid for a Jewish state in the cosmic economy, then the price is too high." (2,526 words)
The Ignored Reality An article bringing to life the fierce and brutal realities of what life inside the concentration camps and the information that has been decidedly left out of history books. "In fact they, like the starvation of Soviet prisoners of war, are scarcely recalled at all beyond the countries directly concerned."
Videos
Kristallnacht An explanation of the "night of broken glass", describing why the Jews were taken to concentration camps and what happened to them while they lived in Germany.
Children of the Holocaust In order to keep the true story of the Holocaust alive, in order for future generations to always remember, people who were once children in concentration camps recount their experiences.
Documentary The history of Germany and how the economic depression during the 1930's caused Hitler to blame the Jews for the poor economy. The documentary goes on to report the torturous futures these Jews had laid out for them.
Children of the Holocaust In order to keep the true story of the Holocaust alive, in order for future generations to always remember, people who were once children in concentration camps recount their experiences.
Documentary The history of Germany and how the economic depression during the 1930's caused Hitler to blame the Jews for the poor economy. The documentary goes on to report the torturous futures these Jews had laid out for them.
Primary Sources
Mein Kampf A detailed summary, written by Hitler, about the perfect race and who the true German citizen is. "In this way, year after year, those organisms which we call States take up poisonous matter
which they can hardly ever overcome."
Europa Europa A young Jewish boy recalls his past, when being confronted by a German soldier on whether he is Jewish or not. "Now I stood naked and defenseless before a German officer, a toy in the grip of a gigantic annihilation machine, waiting for my death sentence."
The Girls of Room 28 A young Jewish girl traveling from her safe and comfortable German home to orphanages, relatives farms, and eventually to Theresienstadt, the land before Auschwitz. "After that dreadful journey here was the terrible reality of the ghetto: ugly old barracks, blocks of unfriendly, virtually indistinguishable buildings, streets laid out in a grid pattern, ditches, trenches, and barricades."
which they can hardly ever overcome."
Europa Europa A young Jewish boy recalls his past, when being confronted by a German soldier on whether he is Jewish or not. "Now I stood naked and defenseless before a German officer, a toy in the grip of a gigantic annihilation machine, waiting for my death sentence."
The Girls of Room 28 A young Jewish girl traveling from her safe and comfortable German home to orphanages, relatives farms, and eventually to Theresienstadt, the land before Auschwitz. "After that dreadful journey here was the terrible reality of the ghetto: ugly old barracks, blocks of unfriendly, virtually indistinguishable buildings, streets laid out in a grid pattern, ditches, trenches, and barricades."
Maps
A map of transportation routes from the various camps spanned across Eastern Europe. The different colors represent Germany's allies and foes during World War II and the icons are representative of the different camps.
The varying camps Hitler created to destroy the "subhuman" race spanned far from Germany in countries all the way from France to Russia. There were many more camps then the ones represented in this map, but the squares represent the largest camps.
During Kristallnacht the Germans burned down Jewish owned stores and Synagogues. This map shows every Synagogue that was burned down that night in G
The map shows some of the largest concentration camps and the approximated number of murdered Jewish people.
A map of a former concentration camp called Treblinka.