Antisemitism/genocide

How many Jews did the occupation of Poland in 1939 take under control?

It brought 3 million Jewish people under Nazi control.

Why were ghettos created?

Because war made resentment difficult and therefore ghettos were created.

What happened in June 1941?

Following the invasion of Russia, SS Einsatzgruppen followed the invading army and rounded up Jewish people.

What did the SS Einsatzgruppen carry out in Russia?

Carried out mass shootings, murdering 700,000 Jewish people in 1941-42.

What did Jewish people have to do from September 1941?

They had to wear the yellow Star of David, so they could be easily identified.

What did the practical problem of fighting and dealing with Jewish people result in?

Resulted in the Nazi leadership finding a ‘final solution’

When was the final solution agreed?

At the Wannsee Conference in January 1942.

What had the policy changed to by January 1942?

Changed from resettlement to extermination.

What did the final solution outline?

Outlined plans to use gas for extermination, and resulted in the development of extermination centres at Auschwitz, Sobibor and Treblinka.

What did the process of the final solution become like?

An industry, as the camps were located near railway lines to speed up the transportation.

What happened in 1943?

The Warsaw ghetto was destroyed and the Jewish inhabitants were transported to death camps, which were located away from Germany.

What happened as a result of Jews being transported to death camps in 1944?

Over 6 million Jewish people were killed, along with political opponents: gay people; Jehova’s Witnesses; Sinti, Roma and Gypsy people; anti-socials and Russian prisoners of war.

What is there much debate about regarding the final solution?

Whether it was planned or not.

What do some historians believe who say the final solution was planned?

Say Hitler was committed to the extermination of Jewish people from early in his career and followed a consistent policy of gradually increasing persecution, resulting in extermination, because that is what he wanted.

But what does an examination of the events suggest about the final solution?

Suggests the implementation was haphazard, as there were no written orders for the killing of Jewish people.

What does the fact there were no written orders for extermination suggest?

That the policy was only decided at the end of 1941 and agreed at Wannsee in January 1942.