Holocaust

Holocaust refers to the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during World War II. The term is also used to describe the genocide that occurred alongside the extermination of the Jews including the Roma, disabled individuals, Polish and Soviet civilians, political dissidents, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other minority groups.

Background

The Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, implemented policies of aggressive expansionism, racial purity, and totalitarianism, which culminated in the genocide known as the Holocaust. The Nazis propagated an extreme form of anti-Semitism and used it as a tool to rally support, ultimately leading to the Final Solution – the plan to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe.

Implementation

The Holocaust was carried out in stages. Legislation to remove the Jews from civil society was enacted years before the outbreak of World War II. Concentration camps and ghettos were established, and mass shootings occurred. As the war continued, extermination camps were created where millions of Jews were killed in gas chambers.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the Holocaust had a profound impact on the surviving Jews. Many lost their families and had to rebuild their lives. The event also led to significant changes in global attitudes and policy towards genocide, including the establishment of the United Nations and the concept of crimes against humanity.

See also

• Nazi Party
• World War II
• Genocide
• Crimes against humanity

External links

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Holocaust Resources
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