The Holocaust Flashcards
What does Anti-Semitism mean?
Any hostility toward, or discrimination against, Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
What types of prejudice did Jews face historically?
Violence, scapegoating, and legal discrimination.
What historical event caused Jews to be seen as rivals to early Christians?
The establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.
By the year 1000 CE, what was the religious landscape of Europe?
Almost everyone in Europe was Christian.
What were some false accusations made against Jews during the Middle Ages?
Jews were wrongly blamed for killing Jesus and poisoning wells during the Black Death.
What laws were often passed against Jews in different countries?
Laws that restricted jobs, forced them to live in ghettos, and required them to wear identifying clothing.
What happened to Jewish communities in Europe during times of crisis?
They were often scapegoated and faced brutal persecution.
What significant event occurred regarding Jews in England in 1290?
King Edward I ordered all Jews to leave the country.
When were the laws expelling Jews from England removed?
In 1655.
What tragic event occurred in York in 1190?
Around 150 Jewish people died after being trapped in a tower.
What accusation was made against Jews during the Black Death in 1348?
Jews were accused of poisoning wells.
What does the term ‘pogrom’ refer to?
Violent riots aimed at the persecution of Jews.
What was the consequence of the harvest failure in Russia in 1885 for local Jews?
They were blamed for the famine and ordered to leave.
What was one reason for the increasing anti-Jewish sentiment in England during the 1100s?
Jews were wrongly accused of murdering Christian children.
What did Jewish people have to do to identify themselves in some countries?
Wear hats, badges, or certain items of clothing.
What was a common result of Jewish expulsions from various countries?
Movement of Jewish refugees across Europe and beyond.
What was the Holocaust?
The mass killing of approximately six million Jews across Europe during World War II (1939-1945) by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
What did the Nazis intend to do regarding Jewish life in Europe?
Totally destroy Jewish life in Europe.
Define genocide.
Any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
What was the fate of Jews in Europe before the end of World War II?
Two-thirds of Jews who lived in Europe before the war were killed, including approximately 90 percent of all Jewish children.
What groups, besides Jews, were persecuted by the Nazis?
Roma and Sinti people, disabled people, gay men, Jehovah’s Witnesses, political opponents, Polish and Soviet civilians, and prisoners of war from the Soviet Union.
True or False: The Holocaust only targeted Jewish people.
False.
Fill in the blank: The defeat of Nazi Germany and its allies in 1945 brought the _______ to an end.
killings.
What year did Adolf Hitler and the Nazis come to power in Germany?
1933.
What significant event occurred in March 1933 regarding Jewish shops?
A boycott of Jewish shops was organised for one day
This was one of the first public acts of anti-Semitism under the Nazi regime.
What law was enacted in April 1933 concerning public service?
A law removed all Jewish and political opponents from public service
This marked the beginning of systematic exclusion of Jews from various professions.
What happened to Jewish school children in April 1933?
The number of Jewish school children was reduced and controlled
This action aimed to limit Jewish influence in education.
What action was taken in October 1933 regarding Jews and the media?
Jews were removed from the media
This was part of a broader effort to control public perception and information.
What was the significance of May 1935 for Jewish individuals in the military?
All Jews were removed from the army
This exclusion further marginalized Jews in German society.
What were the Nuremberg Laws introduced in September 1935?
- ‘The Reich citizen law’
- Law for the protection of German Blood and German Honour
These laws institutionalized racial discrimination and defined citizenship based on ethnicity.
What did ‘The Reich citizen law’ declare?
Only those of German or related blood were eligible to be German citizens
This law excluded Jews and other non-Aryans from citizenship.
What was forbidden by the Law for the protection of German Blood and German Honour?
Marriages and sexual relations between Jews and Germans were forbidden
This law aimed to maintain the ‘purity’ of the German race.
What was implemented in October 1936 regarding Jewish teachers?
Jewish teachers were forbidden to teach non-Jewish children
This further isolated Jewish individuals from society.
What significant educational restriction was imposed on Jewish individuals in 1937?
Jewish people were unable to gain a university degree
This restriction limited educational opportunities for Jews.
What happened to Jewish doctors in 1938?
Jewish doctors lost their license to work
This trend soon extended to all lawyers and professional jobs.
What requirement was imposed on Jewish individuals regarding their wealth in 1938?
All Jews must tell the government how much wealth they have and where it is
This was part of the Nazi regime’s effort to confiscate Jewish property.
What changes were made to Jewish names in 1938?
Jewish women must have ‘Sara’ and Jewish men ‘Israel’ in their name
This was a means of further identifying and segregating Jews.
What stamp was required on Jewish passports in 1938?
A red ‘Jew’ stamp must be in all Jewish passports
This marked Jews for discrimination and increased scrutiny.
What restrictions were placed on Jewish children in 1938?
All Jewish children were banned from attending German schools
This aimed to eliminate Jewish influence in education.
What were park benches and shops designated for in 1938?
Park benches and shops were designated ‘for Aryans only’
This was part of the broader policy of segregation.
What distinctive clothing was forced upon Jews?
Jews were forced to wear a Star on their clothes
This served as a visible marker of their identity and status.
What event marked the beginning of the Second World War?
The German army attacked Poland in September 1939
Which two armies invaded Poland in September 1939?
German army and Soviet army
What problem did the Nazis perceive regarding Polish Jews?
They regarded the large number of Polish Jews as a big problem
What false belief did the Nazis hold about Jews?
That Jews spread diseases
What was the purpose of creating ghettos?
To control Jews and separate them from others
What were ghettos described as?
Sealed off areas where Jewish people could not leave or contact others
What was the Nazis’ initial plan for the Jews in occupied Poland?
They considered ghettos as a temporary solution
What was one of the options the Nazis considered for relocating Jews?
Moving them to the island of Madagascar
In what year was the Madagascar plan first proposed?
1933
True or False: Ghettos were intended to be a permanent solution for the Jewish population.
False
What was the largest ghetto in Nazi-occupied Europe?
The Warsaw ghetto
It was located in Warsaw, Poland, and housed around 460,000 Jews.
When was the Warsaw ghetto created?
October 1940
The ghetto was established to segregate and control the Jewish population.
How many Jewish people died in the Warsaw ghetto by January 1941?
898
This number increased dramatically by August 1941.
What was the death toll in the Warsaw ghetto by August 1941?
5,560
The increase in death rate was attributed to factors like overcrowding and starvation.
Who were the Jewish councils (Juderäte) in the ghettos?
Committees of important Jewish men
They were responsible for running the ghetto and carrying out Nazi orders.
What responsibilities did the Jewish councils have in the ghettos?
- Distributing food rations
- Organizing housing
- Managing health services
They aimed to maintain order and provide essential services.
Who was Adam Czerniakow?
Chairman of the Warsaw ghetto Jewish Council
He cooperated with the Nazis to save lives but ultimately faced moral dilemmas.
What led Adam Czerniakow to take his own life?
He was ordered to round up Jews for ‘resettlement’ to the East
He refused to carry out orders that would lead to the deaths of children.
True or False: The existence of Jewish councils gave the ghetto population a sense of control over their fate.
True
The councils were used by the Nazis to manipulate the Jewish population.
What was the main challenge faced by Jewish councils?
Impossible dilemmas
They had to balance cooperation with the Nazis and the welfare of their community.
What was the ‘Final Solution’?
The Nazi plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish people during World War II
This plan involved the establishment of death camps and mass murder sites.
List the six main death camps in Nazi-occupied Poland.
- Chelmno
- Belzec
- Auschwitz-Birkenau
- Sobibor
- Treblinka
- Majdanek
These camps were established for the mass extermination of Jews and other targeted groups.
What was the operational period for Chelmno?
December 1941 - March 1943 / April - July 1944
Chelmno was the first death camp established by the Nazis.
How many victims were there at Belzec?
434,500 victims
Belzec was operational from March to December 1942.
What was the operational period for Auschwitz-Birkenau?
Spring 1942 - January 1945
Auschwitz-Birkenau became the largest death camp, with the highest number of victims.
How many victims were there at Sobibor?
170,000 - 250,000 victims
Sobibor was operational from May 1942 to November 1943.
What was the operational period for Treblinka?
July 1942 - September 1943
Treblinka was one of the most notorious death camps.
How many victims were there at Majdanek?
78,000 victims
Majdanek was operational from October 1942 to December 1943.
What percentage of Nazi-controlled land was occupied by the camps?
64%
The map indicates the extent of Nazi control and the locations of persecution.
Fill in the blank: The main concentration camps were used for _______.
[systematic extermination of Jews and other targeted groups]
True or False: The Holocaust included the establishment of ghettos.
True
Ghettos were used to confine Jews before their deportation to death camps.
What does Figure 4.12 illustrate about the geography of the Holocaust?
It shows the locations of Nazi persecution and murder sites across Europe
This map raises questions about the scale and logistics of the Holocaust.
Did the Jews fight back against the Nazis?
Yes, many Jews fought back and resisted the Nazis and their collaborators across Europe.
Where did acts of resistance occur during the Holocaust?
Resistance occurred in ghettos, concentration camps, and death camps in every German-occupied country.
What were some acts of resistance in the ghettos?
- Taking photographs
- Caring for the elderly
- Going to concerts
- Painting and drawing
- Talking with friends
- Reading diaries
- Saying prayers
- Getting married
- Teaching children
- Sharing food
- Listening to the radio
- Hiding from the enemy
- Writing stories and poems
- Singing songs
- Attending religious services
What was the condition of the ghettos during the Holocaust?
Conditions in the ghettos were appalling, and the Nazis did not treat Jews as human beings.
What could happen to Jews caught doing ordinary activities in the ghettos?
They could be shot for doing ordinary things like holding religious services or going to school.
What was a significant form of resistance that helped Jews survive in the ghettos?
Smuggling food into the ghettos was a very important form of resistance.
Was fighting back against the Nazis easy for Jews in camps and ghettos?
No, it was incredibly difficult due to well-trained and heavily armed guards.
What were the consequences of fighting back against the Nazis?
Fighting back would lead to certain death for the individuals involved and possibly for their family, friends, and neighbors.
How many organized resistance movements were there in Jewish ghettos between 1941 and 1943?
There were organized resistance movements in 100 Jewish ghettos in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe.
What happened to most Jews upon arrival at death camps?
Most Jews were gassed as soon as they arrived at death camps.
What was the nature of resistance in death camps?
Resistance was very rare in death camps due to the weakness and unarmed status of Jewish prisoners.
What occurred in Treblinka in August 1943?
Jewish prisoners seized weapons, set camp buildings on fire, and rushed the main gate.
What happened during the Sobibor uprising in October 1943?
A dozen guards were killed, and around three hundred Jewish prisoners escaped.
What did 250 prisoners accomplish in Auschwitz-Birkenau in October 1944?
They blew up buildings, attacked the camp guards, and escaped to the nearby forest.
True or False: Most Jews who escaped from uprisings were able to survive the war.
False, most of those who escaped were later recaptured and killed.
What was one of the most significant acts of armed resistance during the Holocaust?
The Warsaw ghetto uprising in April 1943
This uprising was marked by Jewish fighters resisting deportation and murder by German troops.
How many Jews were deported from the Warsaw ghetto before the uprising?
More than 260,000 Jews
Most of these deported Jews were murdered in Treblinka.
How many Jews remained in the Warsaw ghetto at the time of the uprising?
Around 60,000 Jews
On what date did German troops enter the Warsaw ghetto to deport the remaining Jews?
19 April 1943
Who led the Jewish resistance during the Warsaw ghetto uprising?
Mordechai Anielewicz
What was the outcome for the German troops during the initial confrontation in the ghetto?
The troops were forced to retreat
What actions did the German forces take in response to the Jewish resistance?
They burned the ghetto building by building and forced Jews out of hiding places
How many Jews were killed by the Germans by 16 May 1943 during the uprising?
7,000 Jews
What happened to those Jews who were captured during the uprising?
They were sent to forced labour camps or murdered in Treblinka death camp
What does the term ‘partisans’ refer to in the context of Jewish resistance?
Resistance groups who escaped capture by hiding in the forests of Eastern Europe
How many Jews are estimated to have joined the partisans?
Between 20,000 and 30,000 Jews
List some activities that Jewish partisans engaged in during their resistance.
- Destroyed bridges
- Stole and smuggled weapons
- Forged identity papers
- Attacked the enemy
- Smuggled food into ghettos
- Helped escapes from camps
- Protected families
What did the Bielski partisans achieve during the war?
They protected families and built a thriving community in the Naliboki Forest
This community included a mill, a bakery, a school, and a synagogue.
How many Jewish people survived the war under the protection of the Bielski group?
Around 1,200 Jewish people
What was the Armée Juive, and what did it do?
A Jewish Army that helped Jews escape from Nazi-occupied Europe and participated in uprisings against German troops
Fill in the blank: Jews who fought back in the Warsaw ghetto uprising knew they would almost certainly be _______.
killed
True or False: The Bielski partisans hid in the Naliboki Forest for almost five years.
True
What was a well-known example of hiding as a form of resistance against the Nazis?
The story of Anne Frank
