The Nazis wanted to create a pure German race based on Aryan principles of blonde, blue eyed, and athletic characteristics. The Herenvolk, meaning ‘master race’, were to become the ruling elite.
The Nazis despised other races. Other races such as the Slavs in Eastern Europe were considered lesser races. The Untermenschen, meaning sub-humans, included Africans. The lowest races of all however were the Lebensunwertes, meaning ‘not worthy of life ‘ these were the Jews and the Gypsies. Another group targeted by the Nazis were the homosexuals.
Anti-Semitism
Hatred of Jewish people is called ‘anti-Semitism’. Hatred of the Jews had been around for centuries, in countries across Europe – not just in Germany. There were several reasons for this hatred:
Their religion, customs and looks made them stand out
Some Christians still blamed them for the execution of Christ
People look for scapegoats to blame for their own troubles, especially when times are hard. The Germans had a very difficult time in the early 1920s and again in the early 1930s. Jews were blamed for Germany’s defeat in World War One and also for the Treaty of Versailles.
Many Jews were successful and wealthy business men, and the Nazis criticised them for being selfish.
Once Hitler was appointed Chancellor in January 1933 the systematic persecution of Jews began.
Later other minorities were persecuted, including Gypsies, homosexuals, prostitutes, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Roman Catholics, alcoholics, pacifists, beggars, hooligans and persistent criminals.
Persecution of minorities, particularly the Jews, increased over time.
|
Persecution of the Jews Date |
Action |
|
April 1933 |
Nazis ordered the boycott of Jewish businesses |
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May 1933 |
Jews banned from holding government jobs |
|
September 1933 |
Jews banned from inheriting land |
|
May 1935 |
Jews banned from the army |
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June 1935 |
Jews banned from restaurants |
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September 1935 |
Nuremberg Laws were passed which placed severe restrictions on Jewish people: The new Reich law on citizenship ruled that only those of German blood could be considered German citizens Jews lost the right to vote, or hold passports Jews were forced to wear a coloured patch so they could be easily identified Jews had to sit in separate areas of buses and trains Jews were forbidden to marry German citizens |
|
March 1938 |
Jews had to register all their possessions – this made it easier for the government to confiscate them |
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July 1938 |
Jews had to carry identity cards |
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July 1938 |
Jewish doctors, dentists and lawyers were banned from working for white Aryan Germans |
|
November 1938 |
Night of the Broken Glass Following the assassination of a German in Paris by a Polish Jew, the German government said that no action would be taken against Germans who decided to take revenge on Jews for this death. Some SA members interpreted this as a signal to attack Jewish people and businesses. On 9 and 10 November hundreds of Jewish homes, synagogues and businesses were destroyed, and 100 Jews were killed. There was so much broken glass on the street that these events have become known as Kristallnacht – the night of the broken glass. |
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November 1938 |
After Kristallnacht the government blamed the Jews for the disturbance and used it as an excuse to crack down on them even harder: They were banned from running shops and businesses They were banned from German schools and universities By 12 November 20,000 had been sent to concentration camps |