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[[Image:Warsaw ghetto.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Jewish families are forced from the Warsaw Ghetto in the aftermath of its destruction by the SS in 1943. Their final destination was the killing center at Treblinka.]]

[[Image:Warsaw ghetto.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Jewish families are forced from the Warsaw Ghetto in the aftermath of its destruction by the SS in 1943. Their final destination was the killing center at Treblinka.]]

The '''Holocaust''' was systematic destruction by the [[Nazis]] of [[Jews|Jewish culture]], society, and, in ''die Endlösung'' (the '''Final Solution'''), the lives of Jews, Slavs, the disabled, Communists, Roma, and all others viewed as racially inferior, from 1933 to 1945. Before [[Hitler]] and the [[Nazis]] came to national power in 1933, they [[demonize]]d the Jews as subhuman and the cause of all [[Germany]]'s troubles. Once in power, the Nazis first removed the Jews from positions of power and prestige, initially by [[gun control]];<ref>See many articles from [[Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership]]</ref> from 1938–41 they imposed severe restrictions on Jews in Germany (many of whom fled). The systematic killings started in 1941, as the [[SS]] under [[Heinrich Himmler]] rounded up all the Jews they could find in the areas under Nazi control, and ultimately killed about 6 million through mobile SS death squads and in the extermination camps. In 1945, only 11% of European Jewish children that were alive in 1939, survived. Millions of non-Jews were also killed in separate Nazi operations.

The '''Holocaust''' was systematic destruction by the [[Nazis]] of [[Jews|Jewish culture]], society, and, in ''die Endlösung'' (the '''Final Solution'''), the lives of Jews, Slavs, the disabled, Communists, Roma, and all others viewed as racially inferior, from 1933 to 1945. Before [[Hitler]] and the [[Nazis]] came to national power in 1933, they [[demonize]]d the Jews as subhuman and the cause of all [[Germany]]'s troubles. Once in power, the Nazis first removed the Jews from positions of power and prestige, initially by [[gun control]];<ref>See many articles from [[Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership]]</ref> from 1938 to 1941 they imposed severe restrictions on Jews in Germany (many of whom fled). The systematic killings started in 1941, as the [[SS]] under [[Heinrich Himmler]] rounded up all the Jews they could find in the areas under Nazi control, and ultimately killed about 6 million through mobile SS death squads and in the extermination camps. In 1945, only 11% of European Jewish children that were alive in 1939, survived. Millions of non-Jews were also killed in separate Nazi operations.

In 2025, "the Hoover Institution Library & Archives has released more than 800 digitized audio recordings and transcripts of conversations relating to 20th century conflict – most notably, undercover conversations with high-ranking Nazis who had fled to South America."<ref>Katharina Friedla, Thomas Weber, [https://www.hoover.org/press/tranche-800-audio-tapes-including-conversations-nazis-digitized-and-available-research-hoover Tranche of 800+ Audio Tapes, Including Conversations with Nazis, Digitized and Available for Research at Hoover]. ''Hoover'', May 2, 2025</ref>

In 2025, "the Hoover Institution Library & Archives has released more than 800 digitized audio recordings and transcripts of conversations relating to 20th century conflict – most notably, undercover conversations with high-ranking Nazis who had fled to South America."<ref>Katharina Friedla, Thomas Weber, [https://www.hoover.org/press/tranche-800-audio-tapes-including-conversations-nazis-digitized-and-available-research-hoover Tranche of 800+ Audio Tapes, Including Conversations with Nazis, Digitized and Available for Research at Hoover]. ''Hoover'', May 2, 2025</ref>

The Holocaust was known but downplayed between 1945–1960, but since 1960 has become one of the central memories and horrors of [[World War II]], shaping policies by and towards [[Israel]] and profoundly shaping the modern conceptions of guilt and evil.

The Holocaust was known but downplayed between 1945 and 1960, but since 1960 has become one of the central memories and horrors of [[World War II]], shaping policies by and towards [[Israel]] and profoundly shaping the modern conceptions of guilt and evil.

==Origins==

==Origins==

Hatred of the Jews has a long history all over Europe, but the modern forms of antisemitism emerged in the 19th century as a new spirit of nationalism allowed some Germans to sharply differentiate themselves from the Jews, a cultural subgroup that was well integrated into German society. Jews were patriotic and many fought for Germany in WW1. By the end of the century, [[Antisemitism|Antisemitism]] politicians and organized movements had emerged. Antisemitism was muted during [[World War I]], but exploded in 1919 as the defeated war veterans looked about for someone to blame for the national disgrace.

Hatred of the Jews has a long history all over Europe, but the modern forms of antisemitism emerged in the 19th century as a new spirit of nationalism allowed some Germans to sharply differentiate themselves from the Jews, a cultural subgroup that was well integrated into German society. Jews were patriotic and many fought for Germany in WW1. By the end of the century, [[Antisemitism]] politicians and organized movements had emerged. Antisemitism was muted during [[World War I]], but exploded in 1919 as the defeated war veterans looked about for someone to blame for the national disgrace.

===Stage 1: to 1933===

===Stage 1: to 1933===

{{Main article|Einsatzgruppen}}

{{Main article|Einsatzgruppen}}

[[File:Path of the Einsatzgruppen.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Path of the Einsatzgruppen]]

[[File:Path of the Einsatzgruppen.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Path of the Einsatzgruppen]]

Alongside the German Army were special mobile units whose job was to locate and kill Jews, Gypsies, Soviets commissars, and others deemed "unfit" in the areas controlled by the army.  These ''Einsatzgruppen'' (“special units”) were also aided by local populations in [[Ukraine]], [[Lithuania]], and [[Latvia]] who felt the Germans had relieved them of [[Soviet]] occupation as well as sharing a hatred for Jews and other minorities.<ref>[https://youtu.be/SKfGEXwFf9A The Scariest Film Ever Made ISN'T a Horror Film], [Professor Jelkington Reupload], SCP Documentaries, Jun 7, 2024. [[YouTube]].</ref> Making no difference between young or old, male or female, the Einsatzgruppen killed 70,000 Jews at Ponary, near [[Vilnius]], Lithuania; 33,771 Jews were machine-gunned in a ravine known as '''Babi Yar''' near [[Kiev]], Ukraine, between [[September]] 28–29, 1941;<ref>[http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/yevtushenko.htm]</ref>  9,000 Jews were killed at the Ninth Fort at Kaunas, Lithuania, on October 28, of which half of the dead were children.  On November 30 in the Rumbula Forest outside of [[Riga]], Latvia, between 25,000-28,000 were killed.

Alongside the German Army were special mobile units whose job was to locate and kill Jews, Gypsies, Soviets commissars, and others deemed "unfit" in the areas controlled by the army.  These ''Einsatzgruppen'' (“special units”) were also aided by local populations in [[Ukraine]], [[Lithuania]], and [[Latvia]] who felt the Germans had relieved them of [[Soviet]] occupation as well as sharing a hatred for Jews and other minorities.<ref>[https://youtu.be/SKfGEXwFf9A The Scariest Film Ever Made ISN'T a Horror Film], [Professor Jelkington Reupload], SCP Documentaries, Jun 7, 2024. [[YouTube]].</ref> Making no difference between young or old, male or female, the Einsatzgruppen killed 70,000 Jews at Ponary, near [[Vilnius]], Lithuania; 33,771 Jews were machine-gunned in a ravine known as '''Babi Yar''' near [[Kiev]], Ukraine, between [[September]] 28–29, 1941;<ref>[http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/yevtushenko.htm]</ref>  9,000 Jews were killed at the Ninth Fort at Kaunas, Lithuania, on October 28, of which half of the dead were children.  On November 30 in the Rumbula Forest outside of [[Riga]], Latvia, between 25,000 and 28,000 were killed.

[[File:360px-Lviv pogrom (June - July 1941).jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Lvov pogrom]], June-July 1941.]]

[[File:360px-Lviv pogrom (June - July 1941).jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Lvov pogrom]], June–July 1941.]]

By mid-1941, the Ukrainian SSR had the largest population of Jews in Europe. The addition of the eastern provinces of Poland in late 1939 (western Ukraine after 1945), as well as the seizure of sections of Romanian territory in June 1940, led to some 2.7 million Jews living within the borders of the newly enlarged republic. About 85% lived in cities. By 1944, 1.6 million of these Jews had died at the hands of the Germans and their allies and auxiliaries. Unlike the majority of the Holocaust's later victims who died in the industrialized mass murder of the death camps, the overwhelming bulk of Ukraine's Jews died in mass shootings during the initial stages of the war.

By mid-1941, the Ukrainian SSR had the largest population of Jews in Europe. The addition of the eastern provinces of Poland in late 1939 (western Ukraine after 1945), as well as the seizure of sections of Romanian territory in June 1940, led to some 2.7 million Jews living within the borders of the newly enlarged republic. About 85% lived in cities. By 1944, 1.6 million of these Jews had died at the hands of the Germans and their allies and auxiliaries. Unlike the majority of the Holocaust's later victims who died in the industrialized mass murder of the death camps, the overwhelming bulk of Ukraine's Jews died in mass shootings during the initial stages of the war.

====Wannsee Conference====

====Wannsee Conference====

On January 20, 1942 at a villa near Berlin named Wannsee a conference was convened by Heydrich to implement methods and ideas for a "final solution to the Jewish question" (''die Endlösung der Judenfrage'').  At the conference were fifteen men, among them Heydrich's head of Jewish affairs, [[Adolf Eichmann]], who would be instrumental in providing the logistical plans for removing the Jews to the camps.  The men represented government agencies, such as the Gestapo, the Race and Resettlement Office, the SS, as well as a representative from the General Government in Poland.  As Heydrich explained near the beginning of the conference, ideas were in play on relocating Jews:

On January 20, 1942, at a villa near Berlin named Wannsee a conference was convened by Heydrich to implement methods and ideas for a "final solution to the Jewish question" (''die Endlösung der Judenfrage'').  At the conference were fifteen men, among them Heydrich's head of Jewish affairs, [[Adolf Eichmann]], who would be instrumental in providing the logistical plans for removing the Jews to the camps.  The men represented government agencies, such as the Gestapo, the Race and Resettlement Office, the SS, as well as a representative from the General Government in Poland.  As Heydrich explained near the beginning of the conference, ideas were in play on relocating Jews:

:''“Another possible solution of the [Jewish] problem has now taken the place of emigration—i.e., evacuation of the Jews to the east…Such activities are, however, to be considered as provisional actions, but practical experience is already being collected which is of greatest importance in relation to the future final solution of the Jewish problem.”''

:''“Another possible solution of the [Jewish] problem has now taken the place of emigration—i.e., evacuation of the Jews to the east…Such activities are, however, to be considered as provisional actions, but practical experience is already being collected which is of greatest importance in relation to the future final solution of the Jewish problem.”''

===Non-Jewish victims===

===Non-Jewish victims===

Though as a nation, only (all, any) Jews were marked, they were not the only victims of Nazi persecution.<ref> It is estimated that around 6 million Jews were killed during the Final Solution, along with as many as another 6 million non-Jews. [http://www.holocaust-history.org/short-essays/heinrich-himmler.shtml]</ref>  

Though as a nation, only (all, any) Jews were marked, they were not the only victims of Nazi persecution.<ref>It is estimated that around 6 million Jews were killed during the Final Solution, along with as many as another 6 million non-Jews. [http://www.holocaust-history.org/short-essays/heinrich-himmler.shtml]</ref>  

Members of unions, members of the Social Democratic Party, and political dissidents were also sent to the camps; indeed they were among the first ones incarcerated immediately following Hitler's appointment as chancellor.  Some 20,000 [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] also were rounded up and sent to the camps, primarily because of refusal to register for the draft, swear allegiance to the state, or give the “Heil Hitler” greeting.  [[Homosexual]]s were arrested if they were of the Femmes faction; they were forced to wear a pink triangle on their prison garments; and sent to the camps.  [[Gypsies]] as well were rounded up and imprisoned, and like the Jews, were deliberately marked for killing.

Members of unions, members of the Social Democratic Party, and political dissidents were also sent to the camps; indeed they were among the first ones incarcerated immediately following Hitler's appointment as chancellor.  Some 20,000 [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] also were rounded up and sent to the camps, primarily because of refusal to register for the draft, swear allegiance to the state, or give the “Heil Hitler” greeting.  [[Homosexual]]s were arrested if they were of the Femmes faction; they were forced to wear a pink triangle on their prison garments; and sent to the camps.  [[Gypsies]] as well were rounded up and imprisoned, and like the Jews, were deliberately marked for killing.

==Deaths==

==Deaths==

The number of Jews put to death were staggering.  Beginning in the summer of 1942 a bare minimum of 960,000 were believed killed at Auschwitz during its three years in operation.  At Treblinka, between 750,000-900,000 Jews were killed within 17 months, considering the staff and guards there numbered 120.  600,000 Jews died at Belzac within 10 months by a staff numbering 104. In the eighteen months of its operation, Sobibor killed 250,000.

The number of Jews put to death were staggering.  Beginning in the summer of 1942 a bare minimum of 960,000 were believed killed at Auschwitz during its three years in operation.  At Treblinka, between 750,000 and 900,000 Jews were killed within 17 months, considering the staff and guards there numbered 120.  600,000 Jews died at Belzac within 10 months by a staff numbering 104. In the eighteen months of its operation, Sobibor killed 250,000.

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