Thursday, February 28, 2013

Who were the victims of the Holocaust?

The previous post was very well constructed in its definition.  I just wish to add one more element to this discourse.  The Primary target of the Nazis were individuals of the Jewish Faith.  However, their actions were directed at anyone who stood as "an enemy of the Reich."  In the Nazis' desire to create "the perfect society," they manipulated this definition to include many groups of people who were deemed as "not acceptable."  This included Homosexuals, Christians, people from Poland, Roma (gypsies), those with physical and mental disabilities, any anyone else who voiced dissent.  The primary target remained individuals of Jewish faith.  However, as the Nazis ascended to power, their consolidation and control became the driving force to eliminate "the other," or anyone who did not zealously support their views.  There are many examples of German born citizens who opposed Nazism and were sent to Auschwitz for "special treatment."  There were also political dissidents, such as Communists and Socialists, who rivaled for political power in 1930's Weimar Germany.  Once Hitler and the Nazis usurped power, these groups were sent to camps to be killed.  As countries fell like dominoes to Hitler and the Nazis, individuals who were loyal to these nations were summarily executed or sent to camps as means of enforcing Nazi Rule.  When the term "Holocaust" is used, the initial reference is to Jewish individuals, of whom over 6 million were killed.  The total number of dead at the hands of the Nazi party stood at approximately 11 million.  One of the most challenging elements that the war crimes tribunal at Nuremburg had to address was how many other groups of people, in addition to Jewish individuals, were killed in the Holocaust.

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