Concentration+Camps

= = Extermination of the Jews = = = = = = What were Adolf Hitler's reasonings and strategies behind killing the Jews?

By: Mallory Goding

[|Adolf Hitler] [|Camp Prisoners]

__Background__ There are many factors that could have possibly led to Adolf Hitler’s extermination of the Jewish population. He lived a harsh life as a child because his father would beat him when he disobeyed his parents. He also loved games that involved fighting and he would act out violent scenes from different wars. All of these examples could have affected Hitler's way of thinking in terms of violence and hatred towards the Jews. Hitler got involved in WWI by fighting for Germany. Some say that he used to isolate himself and then break out in speeches about attacks on Jews. In these speeches, he claimed them to be weakening the war effort. Hitler considered them inferior to him because of their beliefs and he also blamed them for the loss in WWI. He quickly grew a strong hate towards them. Hitler was against socialism and equality, both of which the Jewish population favored. He enlisted a fear that they would take over the world. Once Hitler became the leader of the Nazi Party and the dictator of Germany, he built up his army and conquered many territories. He then made a law that only those of German- blood were granted citizenship. Next, he segregated the Jews, burned down their homes and synagogues and placed them into concentration camps.

__ Concentration Camps __

- bad living conditions - spread of disease - worked long hard hours - little food or water - gas chambers - crematories - shot on the spot, lined up and shot - death march (freezing winter) - heads shaved and given tattoos __Fits into U.S. History__ - Part of WWII (more towards end) - Hitler in control, leader of Nazis, conquered European countries __Role of Topic__ - Time period called the Holocaust - Considered the largest "Mass Murder" in history - Over six million Jews were murdered - Negative situation - Not only affected the ones who died, but their loved ones as well

[|Camp Prisoners] [|Pile of Dead Bodies]

Primary Sources [|Source #1] This article discusses many tactics that Hitler used for his mass murder against the Jews. He first brought them to concentration camps (Auschwitz was the largest). Bodies were first poisoned in chambers with cyanide gas and then burned in crematories. The prisoner’s clothes were stripped from their bodies and thrown into piles. Their heads were shaved and they were given tattoos on their arms. Some Germans would use naked women for target practice and throw infants into burning fires. Death marches were above all, the most brutal treatments. The Nazis would force the Jews to walk for endless days in the freezing cold winter. If anyone bent over for a quick break or stopped along the way, they were instantly shot. These are just a few of Hitler’s strategies that he used against the Jews in order to prosecute them. [|Source #2] This video is based on Auschwitz, the largest concentration camp in the Holocaust. Other Sources http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERhitler.htm

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