Understanding the Holocaust
The word holocaust has come to mean the mass slaughter of Jews during World War II. There are many factors contributing to the ill-will against Jews. Traces can be found in history of poor treatment of the Jews, but in Germany before World War II, there was a lot of discontent within the country. Many German citizens at the time somewhat blamed the Jews for the country’s loss of World War I. On top of that, Jews were a likely target of jealousy due to their success in business in the hard economic times of Germany. Contrary to popular belief, Adolf Hitler is not fully responsible for the beginning of concentration camps and Jewish prosecution (“The Holocaust”).
The first concentration camp in Germany opened at Dachau in March of 1933. The camp was set up to imprison Communists as they were in opposition of the Nazi Party. Under the command of Heinrich Himmler, this camp grew to a population of 27,000 political rivals by the July of that year (“The Holocaust”).
Beginning toward the end of 1939, Jewish houses were taken away and given to those of German descent. In time, the Jewish population of Germany was plagued not only by disease, but overpopulation, unemployment, hunger, and poverty. Around the same time, the Euthanasia Program in Germany was in effect. Although it met with opposition when brought to public attention, the program continued in secret, killing 275,000 disabled people by 1945 (“The Holocaust”).
Following the German conquer of surrounding nations, the moving of both gypsies and Jews to ghettos, and the marking of Jews with yellow stars, the concentration camp, Auschwitz, opened in June of 1941. It was found that the pesticide Zyklon B would suffice in the gassing of human being for purposes of killing them. Not only were Jews and gypsies sent to this particular camp, 500 Soviet prisoners of war were also gassed there after the camp’s opening. In Poland, Belzec is one of the first concentration camps to execute a mass fatal gassing (“The Holocaust”).
After the world found out about the atrocities that occurred as a result of the Holocaust, steps were taken to set things right in the world including trying and often sentencing the leaders of these operations at the Nuremberg Trials. The Holocaust will always cast a dark shadow on humanity as its horrors continue to astound and disgust people as they come to understand what really occurred in these dark times.
The first concentration camp in Germany opened at Dachau in March of 1933. The camp was set up to imprison Communists as they were in opposition of the Nazi Party. Under the command of Heinrich Himmler, this camp grew to a population of 27,000 political rivals by the July of that year (“The Holocaust”).
Beginning toward the end of 1939, Jewish houses were taken away and given to those of German descent. In time, the Jewish population of Germany was plagued not only by disease, but overpopulation, unemployment, hunger, and poverty. Around the same time, the Euthanasia Program in Germany was in effect. Although it met with opposition when brought to public attention, the program continued in secret, killing 275,000 disabled people by 1945 (“The Holocaust”).
Following the German conquer of surrounding nations, the moving of both gypsies and Jews to ghettos, and the marking of Jews with yellow stars, the concentration camp, Auschwitz, opened in June of 1941. It was found that the pesticide Zyklon B would suffice in the gassing of human being for purposes of killing them. Not only were Jews and gypsies sent to this particular camp, 500 Soviet prisoners of war were also gassed there after the camp’s opening. In Poland, Belzec is one of the first concentration camps to execute a mass fatal gassing (“The Holocaust”).
After the world found out about the atrocities that occurred as a result of the Holocaust, steps were taken to set things right in the world including trying and often sentencing the leaders of these operations at the Nuremberg Trials. The Holocaust will always cast a dark shadow on humanity as its horrors continue to astound and disgust people as they come to understand what really occurred in these dark times.
Concentration Camps
Belzec
The camp at Belzec was originally a labor camp but closed down in the year of 1940. Construction began the next year in order to transform this place for mass killings. It was a prime location due to in proximity to known Jewish populations in the area as well as its closeness to the railroad. The killing began on March 17th of 1942. Jews were transported from nearby ghettos by train in large numbers. Often times, the trains would consists of 40 to 60 freight cars. In each car itself there was often anywhere between 80 and 100 people (“Belzec”).
At this particular concentration camp, prisoners were gassed immediately after undressing and turning over valuables. Only a select few prisoners survived for a while as they were selected to remove dead bodies and do various other tasks which were very undesirable. It wasn’t until their work was done that these people would finally meet with death (“Belzec”).
It is estimated that from the camps opening to about December of the same year, the camp ended the lives of about 434,500 Jewish people. There were also an unspecified number of Poles and Roma people killed as well. The operations came to an end by mid-1943. A farm was later put over the site in order to distract the public (“Belzec”).
At this particular concentration camp, prisoners were gassed immediately after undressing and turning over valuables. Only a select few prisoners survived for a while as they were selected to remove dead bodies and do various other tasks which were very undesirable. It wasn’t until their work was done that these people would finally meet with death (“Belzec”).
It is estimated that from the camps opening to about December of the same year, the camp ended the lives of about 434,500 Jewish people. There were also an unspecified number of Poles and Roma people killed as well. The operations came to an end by mid-1943. A farm was later put over the site in order to distract the public (“Belzec”).
Dachau
The Dachau camp was first established as a work camp for political prisoners of the Nazi Party. It was established in 1933. Its prisoners included such people as Communists, Socialists, and any other people in political opposition of the Nazi Party. Prisoners later came to include people such as homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, criminals, and Roma people. It wasn’t until about 1938 that the camp held a notable number of Jews specifically on basis of religion (“Dachau”).
Throughout the camps existence, it was not known to have gassed people to death. People often worked to death or were executed by such methods as gallows or being shot. A small percentage of prisoners held at this camp died as a result of their unwilling participation in medical experimentation. Often times, those who did not die, were often disabled for the rest of their lives (“Dachau”).
After an attempted death march, Dachau was finally liberated on April 29, 1945. Although an estimated 188,000 prisoners were held at the camp between its opening and close, it is thought that about a little more than 28,000 were killed (“Dachau”).
Throughout the camps existence, it was not known to have gassed people to death. People often worked to death or were executed by such methods as gallows or being shot. A small percentage of prisoners held at this camp died as a result of their unwilling participation in medical experimentation. Often times, those who did not die, were often disabled for the rest of their lives (“Dachau”).
After an attempted death march, Dachau was finally liberated on April 29, 1945. Although an estimated 188,000 prisoners were held at the camp between its opening and close, it is thought that about a little more than 28,000 were killed (“Dachau”).
Auschwitz
The horrible crimes committed at Auschwitz did not come to an end until four year after the opening of the camp and until nearly one million people were slaughtered. Auschwitz continued building on facilities including gas chambers even after the opening of the camp. The camp itself is also famous for its barbaric experimentation, most notable and infamous those done by Dr. Jesef Mengele on twins. As the institution where the highest number of genocide occurred in the Holocaust, it is also the largest single location of racial killings in human history (Arnett, George).
Experimentation
The use of experimentation on victims of the Holocaust began with the goal of trying to aid the military and make advancements that would help with war efforts. One of the first experiments was conducted in Dachau where experiments were performed on people in the camp involving low pressure chambers and painfully cold temperatures. These scientists preforming these experiment sought to aid the German air force by determining at what pressure they could safely parachute and what the most effective solutions to hypothermia were (“Nazi Medical Experiments”).
Achsenhausen, Dachau, Natzweiler, Buchenwald, and Neuengamme are names of sites where further research and experiments were conducted. These extensive experiments involved finding cures for diseases. A wide range of diseases were looked at as prisoners were injected with them and then scientists attempted different methods of curing their victims (“Nazi Medical Experiments”).
In order to prove the racial inferiority of Jews and Romas, even more experimentation occurred. For example, scientist Josef Mengele is famous for his experimentation on twins at Auschwitz (“Nazi Medical Experiments”).
Achsenhausen, Dachau, Natzweiler, Buchenwald, and Neuengamme are names of sites where further research and experiments were conducted. These extensive experiments involved finding cures for diseases. A wide range of diseases were looked at as prisoners were injected with them and then scientists attempted different methods of curing their victims (“Nazi Medical Experiments”).
In order to prove the racial inferiority of Jews and Romas, even more experimentation occurred. For example, scientist Josef Mengele is famous for his experimentation on twins at Auschwitz (“Nazi Medical Experiments”).
Ghettos
The purpose of ghettos was to separate those who were viewed as inferior such as the Jews and Roma people from the rest of the population. The conditions of these ghettos was very poor. Often diseases raged throughout the population. On top of that, starvation, poverty, and crime were prevalent in these areas as well. As bad as these conditions were, they were not as bad as the death camps where many of the ghettos inhabitants were eventually moved (“Ghettos”).
Types of ghettos established in World War II include; open ghettos, closed ghettos, and destruction ghettos. During this time there were thousands of ghettos created. Most notable, the Warsaw ghetto which consisted of 1.3 square miles on which 400,000 inhabitants lived (“Ghettos”).
Although many ghettos were emptied before, the last ghetto was not disbanded until August of 1944. The Jews in the ghettos often defied their captures by smuggling in much needed supplies but occasionally straight up rebelled against the Germans with little success (“Ghettos”).
Page By: SJL
Types of ghettos established in World War II include; open ghettos, closed ghettos, and destruction ghettos. During this time there were thousands of ghettos created. Most notable, the Warsaw ghetto which consisted of 1.3 square miles on which 400,000 inhabitants lived (“Ghettos”).
Although many ghettos were emptied before, the last ghetto was not disbanded until August of 1944. The Jews in the ghettos often defied their captures by smuggling in much needed supplies but occasionally straight up rebelled against the Germans with little success (“Ghettos”).
Page By: SJL