The Persecution of Minorities

• Who did Hitler use as scapegoats for Germany's problems before 1933?

  The Jews
• What was the purpose of the Nazi propaganda machine once Hitler was in power?

  To turn more Germans against the Jews and justify persecution
• Which groups, besides Jews, were targeted by Hitler during the 1930s?

  Gypsies, homosexual people, and mentally and physically disabled people
• What initiated the action against minority groups in Germany in 1933?

  It began at a low level but escalated by the end of the 1930s
• What was central to Nazi policy regarding race?

  • Creation of a pure German state
  • Treating non-German groups as second-class citizens
  • Belief in the 'master race' and 'subhumans'
• What did Hitler believe about the Aryans?

  They were the 'master race' and had a special purpose
• What was the concept of Vollesgemeinschaft in Nazi ideology?

  A people's community working for the good of Germany
• How did Nazi propaganda portray the ideal Aryan race?

  As blond, blue-eyed, tall, lean, and athletic
• What was the goal of selective breeding according to Nazi ideology?

  To prevent non-Aryans from having children
• Who was recruited by the SS for selective breeding?

  Men of Aryan blood who were tall, fair-haired, and blue-eyed
• What was the Nazi view of Jews and Slavs?

  They were considered Untermenschen or 'subhumans'
• What did Hitler wish to achieve regarding the Slavs?

  To drive them out of Eastern Europe for Lebensraum
• How did Hitler view the Jews in relation to civilization?

  As an evil force involved in a world conspiracy
• What historical context contributed to anti-Semitism in Europe?

  Anti-Semitism dates back to the Middle Ages
• Why were Jewish people seen as different in Europe?

  They had a different religion and customs
• How did Hitler's experiences in Vienna influence his views on Jews?

  He resented the wealth of many Viennese Jews
• What societal problems did Hitler blame on the Jews?

  Germany's defeat in WWI, hyperinflation, and the Depression
• What was Hitler's ultimate goal regarding the Jewish population in Germany?

  To eliminate the Jews from German society
• How did the persecution of Jews begin in Germany?

  It began with propaganda to gain public support
• What measures were taken against Jewish education in Germany?

  Jewish teachers were forbidden to give private tuition and Jewish children were expelled from schools
• What was the purpose of the boycott of Jewish shops in April 1933?

  To discourage the public from supporting Jewish businesses
• What actions did the SA take during the boycott of Jewish shops?

  They discouraged entry and painted the Star of David on shop windows
• What were the Nuremberg Laws passed in 1935?

  Two laws that stripped Jews of citizenship and forbade marriage between Jews and Germans
• What was the consequence of the Reich Citizenship Law?

  Jews lost their citizenship and civil rights
• What event is known as Kristallnacht?

  A violent outburst of anti-Semitism resulting in attacks on Jewish property
• What triggered the events of Kristallnacht?

  The shooting of a German official by a Polish Jew in protest
• What were the consequences of Kristallnacht for the Jewish community?

  About 100 Jews were killed and 20,000 sent to concentration camps
• How did the Nazi government portray Kristallnacht to the public?

  As a spontaneous act of vengeance by Germans
• What measures did Hitler decree after Kristallnacht?

  Jews were fined, could not own businesses, and their children could not attend Aryan schools
• What was established in January 1939 to manage Jewish emigration?

  The Reich Office for Jewish Emigration
• What was the purpose of forced emigration for Jews in 1939?

  To drive Jews from Germany
• What measures were taken against Jews in Germany from 1933 to 1939?

  • Boycott of Jewish shops
  • Nuremberg Laws stripping citizenship
  • Kristallnacht violence
  • Expulsion from schools
  • Forced emigration
• What was the Sterilisation Law passed in July 1933?

  A law allowing sterilisation of people with certain illnesses
• What was the euthanasia campaign initiated by the Nazis in 1939?

  A secret extermination of the mentally ill
• How many people were sterilised under the Sterilisation Law?

  About 350,000 people
• Why were homosexual people persecuted by the Nazis?

  Because they threatened the Nazi view of family life
• What was the Nazi view of Gypsies?

  They were non-Aryan and threatened racial purity
• What decree was issued against Gypsies in 1938?

  All Gypsies had to register with the authorities
• How did the Nazis use propaganda against socially undesirable groups?

  To turn the German public against them
• What was the Nazi perception of 'asocial' individuals?

  They were seen as burdens on the community