Anti-Semitism, The Holocaust, Nazi persecution of Jews and other groups

Question 1

What does Anti-Semitism mean?

Answer 1

Any hostility toward, or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.

Question 2

Why was life for Jews not easy?

Answer 2

Jewish people around Europe were treated differently by their non-Jewish neighbours. Sometimes there were even violent attacks on Jews.

Question 3

Why was there hostility towards Jews?

Answer 3

The reasons for this hostility go back two thousand years to Roman times. The relationship between Jews and Romans changed as the Roman Empire changed as the Roman Empire grew. When Christianity became the official religion of the Empire in the fourth century, Judaism became a rival religion, and some early Christians wrongly claimed that Jews had killed Jesus.

Question 4

What was done that was unfair to Jews?

Answer 4

Rulers of different countries passed laws that were unfair to Jews. E.g. stopping them from doing certain jobs, or making them live separately from non-Jews in ghettos.

Question 5

What were Jews forced to do?

Answer 5

Wear hats, badges or certain items of clothing to show that they were Jewish.

Question 6

What happened on numerous occasions throughout history and what happened as a result of it?

Answer 6

Jews were forced to leave their country. This caused great movements of Jewish refugees across Europe and beyond.

Question 7

What happened in Germany between 1933 and 1939?

Answer 7

Jews in Germany faced terrible discrimination and prejudice and some were killed.

Question 8

What happened between 1939-1945?

Answer 8

The Second World War. During this, the mass killing of approx. six million Jews across Europe occurred.

Question 9

What did the Nazis want to do?

Answer 9

They wanted to totally destroy Jewish life in Europe.

Question 10

What were Jewish people victims of?

Answer 10

Genocide

Question 11

Define Genocide

Answer 11

Any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

Question 12

What brought the killings to an end?

Answer 12

The defeat of Nazi Germany and its allies in 1945.

Question 13

How many European Jews were killed?

Answer 13

Two-thirds of Jews who lived in Europe before the war were killed.

Question 14

How many Jewish children were killed?

Answer 14

Approx. 90% of all Jewish children.

Question 15

What were the other groups persecuted by the Nazis?

Answer 15

• Roma and Sinti people (sometimes called ‘Gypsies’)
• Disabled people
• Gay men
• Jehovah’s Witnesses
• Political opponents
• Polish and Soviet civilians
• Prisoners of War from the Soviet Union

Question 16

How were the Roma and Sinti people (sometimes called ‘Gypsies’) prosecuted?

Answer 16

They faced terrible discrimination, brutal treatment, and imprisonment in Nazi camps. They were victims of genocide.

Question 17

How many Roma and Sinti people were murdered during the Second War?

Answer 17

Five hundred thousand (500,000)

Question 18

What happened in March 1933?

Answer 18

A boycott of Jewish shops organised for one day

Question 19

What happened in April 1933?

Answer 19

• A law removed all Jewish and political opponents from public service
• The number of Jewish school children reduced and controlled

Question 20

What happened in October 1933?

Answer 20

Removed Jews from the media

Question 21

What happened in May 1935?

Answer 21

All Jews removed from the army

Question 22

What happened in September 1935?

Answer 22

The Nuremburg Laws were introduced

Question 23

What did the Nuremburg Laws involve?

Answer 23

1. The Reich citizen law

2. Law for the protection of German Blood and German Honour

Question 24

What is the Reich citizen law?

Answer 24

Declared that only those of German or related blood were eligible to German citizens (citizens of the ‘Reich’).

Question 25

What is the Law for the protection of German Blood and German Honour?

Answer 25

Forbade marriages and sexual relations between Jews and Germans. It was a law designed German blood and punishment for breaking it was severe.

Question 26

What happened in March 1936?

Answer 26

Withdrawal of financial assistance for Jewish children.

Question 27

What happened in October 1936?

Answer 27

Jewish teachers forbidden to teach non Jewish children.

Question 28

What happened in 1937?

Answer 28

Jewish people unable to gain a university degree.

Question 29

What did Jewish people lose in 1938?

Answer 29

Their license to work.

Question 30

What did Jews have to tell the government in 1938?

Answer 30

How much wealth they had and where it was.

Question 31

What did Jewish people have to have in their name in 1938?

Answer 31

All Jewish women must have ‘Sara’ and Jewish men ‘Israel’ in their name.

Question 32

What had to be in all Jewish passports in 1938?

Answer 32

A red ‘Jew’ stamp

Question 33

What were Jewish children banned from in 1938?

Answer 33

Attending German schools

Question 34

What was banned from Jews in 1938?

Answer 34

Park benches and shops - were “for Aryans only”

Question 35

What were Jews forced to do in 1938?

Answer 35

Wear distinctive clothing such as a Star on their clothes.