Number of Jews Killed During the Holocaust

The Meaning of Word Holocaust

The word holocaust comes from the Greek “holo-all, cautious” means burn. Holocaust is used to refer to human disasters. The Holocaust refers to the destruction of European Jewry by Nazis (Gilbert, pp. 236-270). The Nazi party came to power in 1933, and immediately took measures against the Jews. From 1933 to 1939, the Nazis tried to eliminate the Jews and their aim was that Jews leave their country. At the beginning of Second World in 1939, measures against the Jews became active in German-occupied countries and in countries allied with the Nazis. He exterminated about 6 million Jews, but also killed Gypsies, Russians and Catholics, among others. People who lived through this tragedy tell of their experience.

Rise of Nazism

Hitler told the Alemena that they were a master race (Aryans) and that the Aryans were superior to all. He insisted it was a great injustice that the Germans suffered the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles and they blamed the Jews for their bad fortune. He believed that Jews were vermin that needed to be eliminated. Jews served as an easy and convenient target to blame, and he instilled anti-Semitism attitudes that had existed for centuries (Gilbert, pp. 236-270). Hitler's ideas became popular among the population. Hitler gained the most votes for the position of chancellor in 1933.

Some of his first decrees resulted in the identification, restraint, isolation and humiliation of the Jews. These were called Nuremberg Laws. In Germany, the Jews lost their citizenship, even if their ancestors had lived in Germany for several centuries. Having only one Jewish grandparent was to be identified as Jewish. The Nazis used terror as a way to control people. In 1933 the first concentration camp, Dachau, was built to imprison those who vocally opposed the Nazis were mostly communists, socialists and social democrats. The field conditions were brutal, and bitter Dachau served as an example to those who dared to oppose the Nazi regime.

Why Jews did not Migrate

During the 1930's, the German Jews themselves were desperately trying to emigrate from the country, but most foreign countries closed their doors. Why? Again, anti-Semitism was a common phenomenon among international governments (Sulzberger, pp. 120-155). The United States, during that time, suffered its own economic crisis called "The Great Depression" and the government under President Franklin D. Roosevelt did not want to allow emigrants during a season of severe unemployment.

However, the German Jews made ??efforts to leave the country, particularly after a night of terror and destruction called “The Night of Broken Glass”. During the September and November 1938, over 300 Jewish worship places were burned, and more than seven thousand businesses, owned by Jews were destroyed and looted by Nazi groups. Unfortunately, most foreign countries kept the doors closed to emigration (Sulzberger, pp. 120-155).

Part of Nazi ideas included the need for more living space. As the Germans were considered the master race, they needed more space listings. This was acquired through ...