Vermont-NEA / Holocaust Curriculum

The unique character of the 20th century Holocaust in Europe and what the elements were that made it possible at that time in history...

There were five:

1. An ancient hatred -- the world's longest hatred -- of the Christians for the Jews.

2. A brutal and powerful dictatorship.

3. A bureaucracy that not only did what it was asked of it but which showed initiative within the consensus to advance the actions against the Jews even further than may have been anticipated.

4. An advanced technology, which made whatever was demanded of it a possibility

5. A warlike atmosphere in Europe, which made it possible for Germany's leaders to declare war powers, thus subverting all laws regarding civil rights.

The combination being repeated in history would make another genocide not only possible, but probable, as has been demonstrated since World War II in various parts of the world: Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, etc. -- even any four of the five.

The German policy and steps taken which made Jews "the other" -- the outsiders, the unseen, outside the bounds of compassion -- and which led to their destruction...

1. Define the group. Jewishness itself was defined by German policy as alien, evil, and not capable of being corrected. "Once a Jew, always a Jew." Jews were historically the virus which ate at the purity of the Christian Aryans, and they were the international conspirators whose aim was to overthrow Christian, Western civilization.

2. Destroy the economic base of the Jews. Jews were not allowed to work in any state-affiliated institutions, or to become professionals of any kind (doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors, etc.). Jews were not allowed to hold public office. Jewish businesses were at first boycotted, then purchased at a fraction of their worth, then confiscated outright. Jewish bank accounts were confiscated with the excuse that they had been illegally or illicitly acquired.

3. Ostracize the Jews. Jews were barred from holding public office. Jews were not allowed to attend German educational institutions. Jews were not allowed to serve in the military. Jewish journalists were not allowed to write for German publications, and Germans were forbidden to read Jewish publications. Jews were no longer permitted to bear family names which sounded German, and the use of their given names was restricted to those permitted by the authorities -- usually biblical names. Jews and Aryans were forbidden to intermarry. Other restrictions ensued. They were not allowed to use public parks, benches, restrooms. They were not allowed to eat in German restaurants, attend theaters or movies or museums or libraries, and the list is endless.

4. Isolate the Jews. The Jews were evicted from their permanent residences, which were taken over by Germans, or in other countries by their Christian former neighbors. Jews were uprooted and deprived of all their personal possessions, after which they were removed to Ghettos, which totally disrupted their lives, overturned all their centuries old social conventions, led to insufferable over-crowding, tension, dirt, disease.

5. Decimate the Jews. The conditions of their intolerable Ghetto existence and their limited caloric intake (less than 300 calories per day) led quickly to starvation and death.

6. Transport the Jews to "labor" camps, where more often than not, the so-called labor was totally unproductive and altogether designed to humiliate, to cause further suffering to Jews, and to further decimate the Jewish population.

7. Kill the Jews. The implementation of the "final solution," or the murder of the remaining Jews by the millions in the death camps.