Tragic Times of the Holocaust Era

I read an outrageous number of books. Though I especially like fantasy, historical fiction is also one of my favorites. One of the time periods I read a lot about is the Holocaust, also known as World War II.

A Crowd of Nazis During World War II

The Holocaust was when Adolf Hitler ruled Germany. Because of his dislike of Jewish people, all Jews had to live in fear for their life and the lives of their loved ones. During these 12 years, over 6 million Jews were persecuted and so was anyone who supported or helped them. The Nazis were Hitlers soldiers. They did everything they could to please Adolf Hitler.

Recognizing Jews

White Armband with the Star of David

Yellow Star-Shaped Badge

The Holocaust began on January 30, 1933, when Hitler became Chancellor. On March 22, the first concentration camp opened in Dachau. Soon, concentration camps were everywhere, and on April 1, 1933, the Nazi regime prohibited any businesses

or companies run by Jews. Every Jewish person, child or adult, had to wear a yellow star-shaped badge with the word Jude on it, or they have to wear a white armband with the Star of David on it. In German, Jude means Jew. Jews caught without a badge or

armband faced immediate, horrible punishments, like severe beatings, being held in concentration camps, or instant execution by shooting.

Life in Germany

Not all Germans supported Hitler's cause, but they knew that there was no life for them in Germany if they spoke up. Still, some German families were brave enough to hide Jews in their homes, even with the risk of being executed. There's a saying in Germany about the life of a German family: Father is in the Nazi Army, Mother is in the Nazi Woman's Organization, Brother is in Hitler Youth, and Sister is in Bund Deutscher Mädel/BDM (League of German Girls.) Everyone in a German family must be supporting Hitler. Certain Hitler Youth boys who truly believe in Hitler's ways sometimes have special assignments to assassinate someone important from the Allied Forces (France, Britain, the Soviets, Poland, and occasionally the U.S.) The Allies were fighting the Axis Powers, which were Italy, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Croatia, all led by Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.

Other Countries During World War II

Germany was not the only country affected by the Holocaust time period. Poland, France, Britain, and some others also suffered difficulties during this time. Both Germany and Russia were fighting to own Poland, while Poland had its own freedom fighters. While Russia claimed that they were helping Poland fight back against Germany, many Polish people thought that Russia was doing just as much harm as Germany was. The cities of France were either occupied or unoccupied, meaning either Germany controlled them, or Germany controlled the government that controlled the unoccupied sections. In the occupied areas, the conditions were harsh. There were strict curfews, food rationing, and restrictions of speech, films, newspapers, or radio channels that go against the German propaganda. Britain claimed to be neutral in the war but secretly were with the Allies. Some British ambassadors and their families served as spies for the Allied Forces.

The Night Of Broken Glass

In German, Kristallnacht means the Night of Broken Glass. Kristallnacht is also known as the November pogrom. The day was named that because of the shattered glass of stores and shop windows. Kristallnacht was supposed to seem like an unplanned event, but really, it was state-sponsored and organized by Nazi leaders and Adolf Hitler. Kristallnacht was the start of the days of destruction that followed it. On the night of November 9, 1938, the Nazis and Hitler Youth were ordered to attack the Jews throughout Germany and Austria. In the days after Kristallnacht, Nazis continued to destroy Jewish communities. They burned hundreds of synagogues, wrecked thousands of Jewish businesses, broke into Jews' houses, crushed furniture, and terrified Jewish families. The Nazis ordered the police and fireman against helping the Jews. The police didn't protect Jews or their businesses. Firemen were oblivious to the burning synagogues. During the destruction, over 30,000 men were arrested just because they were Jewish. They were taken to concentration camps, were they were tormented or even killed. In the following days, the Nazis let the men go if their families could prove that they were planning to leave Germany. Kristallnacht was an important point in World War II. This showed many Jewish families that they had no life in Germany.

Ghettos and Concentration Camps

The first ghetto (small places similar to a concentration camp) of the Holocaust was actually established in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland, in October 1939. Ghettos don't only segregate Jews from Germans, but ghettos were also extremely overcrowded. Jews were starved, Jews caught diseases, and Jews had to work for the Nazis. Jews often were forced to dig before being killed and stuffed into the grave that they themselves dug. In concentration camps, if you don't follow the rules, you will be killed. Sometimes, Nazis deprive the Jewish people of air, by stuffing their head into a bucket of water until they die without oxygen. There are many more cruel ways in which Jews died during these dark times.

Escaping Death

Jews who manage to escape horrible imprisonments tried to get on trains headed to free countries like Sweden, where Jews would not be persecuted. Others attempted to board ships going all the way to the United States. Not all refugees were accepted onto the ships, as they could only take so many people. Even after reaching the US, the Jewish people were not fully accepted. There was still some reluctancy towards the Jewish. The Holocaust ended on May 8, 1045.

I wanted to share my knowledge of this very sad era. It's important to understand the Holocaust so we can protect minority groups and make sure history doesn't repeat itself. Eleanor Roosevelt once famously said,"The same god created all human beings and He certainly never intended that we should have less respect for any one of His creatures than for another." We are all humans and none of us are more superior than another.

If you liked this blog post, please leave a comment below. Until next time - Mithra