Historic Encounters: The Holocaust (1933-1945) Flashcards
(45 cards)
What led to the creation of the state of Israel?
The Holocaust
What did the “Jewish Question” pave the way for?
The rise of the Jewish nationalism or Zionism.
What is Zionism?
A political movement formally introduced by Austo-Hungarian journalist, Theodor Herzl.
What happened after the first Zionist conger in Basel?
Herzl argued about the necessity of establishing an independent state for Jews as a means to end anti-Semitism
What were some possible places where a Jewish state could be established?
Argentina, Australia, Uganda, Canada, and Palestine.
Where did Herzl believe was the most suitable location for a Jewish State?
Palestine
How long after the first Zionist congress in Basel was the new State of Israel established?
Half a century later (1948)
Who was the ruling party in Germany at the time of the Holocaust?
Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi)
What was Hitler’s “Final Solution” to the “Jewish Question”?
Eradicating the vibrant Jewish culture established in Europe (Ashkenazim and Sephardic) over the last millennia.
How many Jews were dead by the end of the second World War?
at least 6 million
What is the Hebrew equivalent of the Holocaust name?
Shoah (catastrophe)
What is Hitler’s Genocide program known as? What are its derivative?
Hitler’s genocide program is known as Holocaust (from the Greek “whole” and “burn”).
Why did Hitler hate the Jews?
- Germany’s defeat in the first World War in 1918 caused grim economic conditions at home.
- One of his political platforms was to place the blame for Germany’s defeat in the war squarely on Jews.
How did Hitler gain so many followers?
Attempts to rebuild Germany attracted enthusiast supporters.
Was Hitler the first to use the Jewish anti-semitism to win an election? If not, who else?
Hitler was not the first: In the 1890s Karl Lueger won the mayoralty of Vienna with his anti-Semitic campaigns.
What conspiracy did Hitler recount in his book Mein Kampf (My Stories) published in 1925?
Hitler recounts how as a young man in Vienna before 1914, he learned about the Jewish conspiracy to infiltrate German politics in order to destroy the “Aryan” world.
What is “Aryan”?
The term “Aryan” originally referred to the Indo-European family of languages. In the 19th century, it had been given a racial meaning and been used to argue the supremacy of Aryan people over Semitic people.
What does Semitic refer to?
Languages e.g., Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic
How was Hitler’s project given a theological dimension?
“In standing against the Jews, I am defending the handiwork of the Lord.”
How is the Holocaust a Christian problem?
- Hitler claimed to be Christian
- Some argue that Hitler and the Nazis are not Christian
- How do we make sense of the actions committed by Nazis who claimed to be faithful Christians when Christianity is supposed to e a religion of universal love?
What happened to the Jews when Hitler came into power in 1933?
- He enacted legislation to overturn the emancipation of German’s Jews, eliminated them from public, and strip them of their citizenship
- Jewish owned business and stores were boycotted and taken over by the locals
- Germans are not to enter a place marked “Jude” or with a star of David
- The government declared the “retirement” of all civil servants who were not Aryan
- University teachers were fired, quoting their works in academic projects was discouraged; accepted in only certain cases.
- Citizenships were revoked
- The German Boxing Association excluded all Jewish boxers.
What was Hitler’s 1933 legislated known as?
The Nuremberg Law
What was established in Manhattan New York by scholars expelled from Germany during the Holocaust period?
New School for Social Research
Who was Hans Perelman?
One Jewish doctor who transfused his own blood to save the life of a non Jew who was charged with race defilement.
