The Holocaust Essay Research Paper Historically the

The Holocaust Essay, Research Paper

Historically, the word holocaust meant a religious rite in which an

offering was completely consumed by fire. In current times the word

holocaust has changed to a darker more tragic meaning and refers to

more than a religious sacrifice. During World War II, a fire raged

throughout Eastern Europe. Guns, bombs, and military groups did not

ignite this fire. This fire burned intensely in the hearts of men —

sparked by centuries-old prejudice. One man, Adolf Hitler, took this

flicker of hatred and fanned the flames. Hitler energized and stoked

the embers, spreading them throughout Eastern Europe causing widespread

destruction in the pursuit of a perfect Aryan nation. Although the

Holocaust is measured over the course of twelve long years, it does not

begin with the mass murder of innocent victims. Michael Berenbaum, a

survivor of the Holocaust believes, “Age-old prejudice led to

discrimination, discrimination to incarceration, incarceration to

elimination” (Altman 1). Thus, the progression of prejudice in the

Holocaust began as a flicker of hatred in the heart of a leader and

became a blazing inferno consuming the lives of the men, women, and

children who crossed its radical path.

After World War I, the social climate in Germany was depressing. The

German people were humiliated by their country’s defeat and by the

terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The financial depression that

resulted left millions of individuals out of work. The German

government was weak, and the people sought new leadership. These

conditions provided an opportune setting for a new leader, Adolf Hitler,

and his party, the National Socialist German Workers Party. Hitler,

reckless and powerful, was able to fan the flames of an ancient hatred

into a wild and out of control holocaust (Altman 12).

As with most hatred and prejudices, the hatred that fueled the

Holocaust started with verbal abuse. As soon as Hitler was named

chancellor, he persuaded the cabinet to declare a state of emergency

allowing him to end all personal freedom. Among the rights lost were

freedom of press, freedom of speech, and freedom of gathering. He then

voiced his beliefs in the supreme “Aryan” race. As his beliefs spread,

spoken or verbal abuse escalated. Those who were not considered to be

of the perfect “Aryan” race were jeered and mocked. Fred Margulies, a

survivor of the Holocaust, recalls: ” When I was about ten years old

there was a knock on my apartment-house door: and there was my best

friend, Hans. And he spat in my face, and he said ‘Manfred, you

dirty…Jew’ my best friend changed overnight” (Shulman 7). The Jews

endured burning words tossed at them consistently. At first, they were

told Jews were not desired, and finally, they were told Jews were

prohibited. Jews were not the only ones attacked. Jehovah Witnesses,

handicapped individuals, and foreigners were also considered racially

and genetically poor. These verbal attacks became the match that would

ignite a much bigger fire.

Verbal attacks sparked an avoidance of those considered undesirable. On

April 1, 1933, Hitler called for a boycott of all Jewish businesses.

Nazi storm troopers stood in front of stores owned by Jewish

proprietors holding signs that warned: “Don’t buy from Jews,” “The Jews

are our misfortune,” and “Buy Aryan” (Bachrach 14). Many Jews lost

their businesses as a result of the boycott. Restaurant signs

cautioned, “No Jews or Dogs Allowed”(15). Radio broadcasts and

newspapers became Nazi advertisement tools to spread lies about the Jew.

Schools taught that the Aryans were the most intelligent race.

Pictures were displayed showing the sizes of different brains and

always depicted the Aryan brain as the largest. Furthermore, the

people were told it was a sin against the German people, their

ancestors, and the Aryans’ future to associate with the Jews. The Nazi

Party distributed leaflets urging pure Germans to keep their distance

from the Jews and to shun the Star of David with great ridicule

(Shulman 35).

The large-scale avoidance of the immoral Germans made German society

more receptive to legalized discrimination. The government was quick

to pass laws that in essence torched Jewish citizenship and their legal

standing within society. The Nuremberg Laws prevented immoral Germans

from being citizens, owning property, or marrying pure Germans. These

laws were further rectified to include statutes prohibiting Jews from

having public jobs or going to public places such as parks, libraries,

or theatres. The Jews were not permitted to have telephones, ride

public transportation, or serve in the armed forces. The laws became

so strict that Jews were allowed on public streets only on certain days.

The government even started regulating schools.

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