holocaust
Dates
1938-1945
DIFFICULT LIFE CONDITIONS
The Germans were under difficult life conditions after being defeated in World War I, because of the Treaty of Versailles. Under the Treaty of Versailles they had to pay for the reparations from the War, there was the war guilt clause, and they were loosing colonies and territories. One of the most difficult life conditions they were placed with was hyperinflation, the hyperinflation rate was constantly increasing. The price of bread went from 1.2 marks to 80,000,000,000 marks in 3 years. This all resulted in no confidence in the government, starvation, and saving and pensions destroyed.
SENSE OF SELF/ WAY OF LIFE THREATENED
The no confidence in the government, starvation, and saving and pensions destroyed threatened their way of life, Germany couldn't continue declining anymore, they were so desperate that they had Alfolf Hitler come and stop it. Hitler's solutions were get rid of the Republic, Restrict Jewish political power, and restrict Jewish economic power. Hitler's message was to stab in the back both socialists and jews, and they were the main group of people the he targeted. Hitler blamed the Jews for all of Germany's economic and political problems.
US VS. THEM MENTALITY
The targeted group of people were mostly the Jews. There were other smaller groups of people targeted, demonized and devalued, like the disabled, gypsies, and the socialists. These groups of people were target by Hitler and the Nazis. Nazism was the new social identity of German, under rule of Hitler. The goal of the Nazis were to completely eliminate all of the Jews from Germany.
CONTINUUM OF DESTRUCTION
Before the genocide officially started in 1938 a lot of destruction still took place. Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany January 30,1933 and that is when the destruction of Hitler and his army, the Nazis began. A couple months after his appointment the he and the Nazis burnt down the Reichstag building and blamed the Jews, creating crisis in the atmosphere. The Gestapo was formed in April of 1933, and caused more harm to jews. In the same year, Nazis pass a law to strip Jewish immigrants from Poland their German citizenship. Jews start to be prohibited from many things, such as, marrying Germans, from owning land, newspaper editors, and not allowed health insurance. Later jews became excluded from joining the military, and getting legal qualifications. The Genocide caused deaths of 6,000,000 people.
ROLE OF BYSTANDERS
The role of the bystanders was a majority of people in Germany and Europe, who were aware of the mistreatment of Jews led by the Nazi regime and Hitler. They took no active position to help the Jews. When the Nazis policy of terror took action, they targeted the Jewish race and any bystanders who helped the Jewish or any other group of people being targeted, were killed as well. This kept the majority of the other countries away from helping, but towards the end the United States came in to help Jews flee to other countries.
Cultural CHARACTERISTICS
During the holocaust the Jewish culture diminished because of Hitler blaming everything on them. He told them the only way to survive is to eliminate certain people that were dangerous in the German society. Hitler mostly blamed the Jews but when he couldn't he would blame other races like the Gypsies, and the polish etc. As well as targeting race, he targeted people with mental and physical disabilities, as well as anyone who was against him and the Nazi. Another cultural characteristic is the laws passed about Jewish marriage and Jews can't marry Germans, in order to prevent more jewish offspring, this is where the Nuremberg laws came in to place.
Leaders and FOLLOWERS
Hitler took leadership of Chancellor in 1933, over throwing the Weimar Republic, when Germany was in a big decline after the Treaty of Versailles. They were very desperate for a new leader; they were in a lot of debt. Hitler was a guy with a plan of turning them around and his personality was easy for the Germans to fall for. After he became the leader he started his rule by blaming the Jews for the bad that was happening to them. Because Hitler’s personality was very charismatic, it was easy for him to gain followers, which is when the Nazis came in to help him eliminate the Jews.
use of state power
The State of Germany influenced the Halocaust, under the rule of Hitler. The destruction was mostley caused by Hitler and the Nazis, but because Hitler was Chancellor of Germany, he was the states power. With the power of the state envolved, it was much easier for them to demonize the Jews and the Genocide was at a much bigger scale. They were able to make a lot of laws that effected the Jewish population as a whole, rather than individuals. With the State involved there was more systemitizing killing in mass quantaties. With state power Hitler and the Nazis were able to be more efficient and have more success in eliminating the Jews.
Result
The Holocaust should be considered a genocide because it fulfills all aspects of the Staub Model. Hitler, previous to being chancellor of Germany faced many hardships which translated in violence towards others. Also Germany as country faced a lot of hardships, which is one of the aspects of the Staub Model. There was a targeted group of people the Socialists and the Jews,which is an important part. There is also a continuum of destruction and its executed by State Power. There were a lot of deaths that occurred, 6,000,000.
Primary source- Nuremberg race laws
- The law for the protection of German blood and Germany honor- Jewish Marriage
- The Reich Citizenship Law- Jews as subjects
- The Law for the Protection of the Genetic Health of the German People
Primary sources- treaty of versailles
Article 160 Part 1- Military, Naval and Air Clauses
"By a date which must not be later than March 31, 1920, the German Army must not comprise more than seven divisions of infantry and three divisions of cavalry.
After that date the total number of effectives in the Army of the States constituting Germany must not exceed one hundred thousand men, including officers and establishments of depots. The Army shall be devoted exclusively to the maintenance of order within the territory and to the control of the frontiers.
The total effective strength of officers, including the personnel of staffs, whatever their composition, must not exceed four thousand."
Article 231
"The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies."
Article 232
"...The Allied and Associated Governments, however, require, and Germany undertakes, that she will make compensation for all damage done to the civilian population of the Allied and Associated Powers and to their property during the period of the belligerency of each as an Allied or Associated Power against Germany by such aggression by land, by sea and from the air, and in general all damage as defined in Annex l hereto...."
Connection:
These Articles of the Treaty of Versailles are what led to the difficult life conditions for the Germans. Not being able to have an effective army made them very weak, making it easy for other countries to take away their territories. Having to take the blame, dealing with the guilt, from World War I led to psychological difficulties as well as economical. Having to pay for the reparations of World War I, led to an economic decline for Germany. The hyperinflation rate was increasing, by November, 1923 bread cost was at 80,000,000,000 marks. Germany paid 132 billion marks for the reparations. The treaty resulted in no confidence in the government, savings and pensions destroyed, and starvation, which is why they needed a new leader to get them out of this decline, Adolf Hitler, who led the Nazi party into World War II.
"By a date which must not be later than March 31, 1920, the German Army must not comprise more than seven divisions of infantry and three divisions of cavalry.
After that date the total number of effectives in the Army of the States constituting Germany must not exceed one hundred thousand men, including officers and establishments of depots. The Army shall be devoted exclusively to the maintenance of order within the territory and to the control of the frontiers.
The total effective strength of officers, including the personnel of staffs, whatever their composition, must not exceed four thousand."
Article 231
"The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies."
Article 232
"...The Allied and Associated Governments, however, require, and Germany undertakes, that she will make compensation for all damage done to the civilian population of the Allied and Associated Powers and to their property during the period of the belligerency of each as an Allied or Associated Power against Germany by such aggression by land, by sea and from the air, and in general all damage as defined in Annex l hereto...."
Connection:
These Articles of the Treaty of Versailles are what led to the difficult life conditions for the Germans. Not being able to have an effective army made them very weak, making it easy for other countries to take away their territories. Having to take the blame, dealing with the guilt, from World War I led to psychological difficulties as well as economical. Having to pay for the reparations of World War I, led to an economic decline for Germany. The hyperinflation rate was increasing, by November, 1923 bread cost was at 80,000,000,000 marks. Germany paid 132 billion marks for the reparations. The treaty resulted in no confidence in the government, savings and pensions destroyed, and starvation, which is why they needed a new leader to get them out of this decline, Adolf Hitler, who led the Nazi party into World War II.
primary source- martin niemöller
"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me"- Martin Niemöller
Connection
Martin Niemöller's point of writing this was to show how important it is to speak up, even though what is going on isn't directly effecting you at the time. If you don’t stand up for what is right when you see bad things being done, then you are partially guilty for the wrongdoing. If you stand by and allow evil to be done to group after group because you are not personally affected, then the evil just spreads. Eventually, you too will be harmed, but then it will be too late for you to take action to make things right.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me"- Martin Niemöller
Connection
Martin Niemöller's point of writing this was to show how important it is to speak up, even though what is going on isn't directly effecting you at the time. If you don’t stand up for what is right when you see bad things being done, then you are partially guilty for the wrongdoing. If you stand by and allow evil to be done to group after group because you are not personally affected, then the evil just spreads. Eventually, you too will be harmed, but then it will be too late for you to take action to make things right.