The Holocaust is the term used to refer to the murder of around six million Jews by the Nazi regime and their collaborators during the Second World War. Between 1941 and 1945, the Nazis sought to eliminate the entire Jewish community of Europe. Jews were murdered by death squads called Einsatzgruppen or transported to extermination camps. Six million of the eleven million European Jews perished.
The Holocaust mainly occurred in Eastern Europe, in places such as Poland and Ukraine. The term ‘Holocaust’ can also refer to the orchestrated murder of Roma. Other groups were also targeted by the Nazi regime: disabled people, Soviet Prisoners of War and civilians, Polish civilians, homosexuals, socialists, communists and trades unionists, Freemasons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Nazis did not act alone. Countries which were occupied by the Nazis during the Second World War, such as Lithuania and the Ukraine, assisted the perpetrators.
This educational resource draws upon original primary sources from The Wiener Holocaust Library’s archive to give an overview of the Holocaust and challenge common misconceptions. It is expected that this educational resource would be used as part of a scheme of learning exploring the Holocaust. To assist with this the links above direct you to other relevant resources and information on the website.
Please use the links below to download the worksheet and primary sources.
All sources are courtesy of The Wiener Holocaust Library (unless otherwise specified) and can be reproduced for educational purposes only. The Wiener Holocaust Library should be acknowledged in all reproductions.
