The Holocaust: Responses and responsibility

Develop knowledge and understanding

To deepen your knowledge and challenge common misunderstandings, you will learn: l How Jewish people responded to their persecution, fought back and resisted the

Nazis and their collaborators. l How hundreds of thousands of people from across Europe were involved with the persecution and murder of Europe’s Jews. l That responsibility for the Holocaust was much wider than just Hitler and a few leading

Nazis. l About how some countries and some people tried to help Jews, but many did not. l That those who refused to obey orders to kill Jews were not shot, but given other duties. l What the British government knew about the persecution and murder of Europe’s Jews and how they responded. l That Britain did not fight the war to save Europe’s Jews but argued the best way to help them was to defeat Nazi Germany and win the war.

Think historically

Interpretation

Different interpretations exist about the extent to which ordinary German people – and people in other occupied countries – were responsible for the Holocaust. This issue is debated by two history students:

Student 1: Hitler and leading Nazis were responsible for the Holocaust. It was their idea and they ordered it to be carried out.

Student 2: The Holocaust only happened because of the actions of hundreds of thousands of people from all across Europe. Some people killed, many participated and others just stood by as Jews were persecuted and murdered. What evidence exists to support the two interpretations? Which one do you agree with most? Why?

Discuss

l During the Holocaust people had to make choices. What caused people to respond differently and make different choices? What does this tell you about human behaviour? l How significant was antisemitism as an explanation of why so many people were willing to kill Jews?

Concluding the BIG question: How and why did the Holocaust happen?

Once you have studied all the information in Units 1 to 5, you should be in a position to provide a concluding answer to the BIG question – can you explain how the Holocaust happened and the main reasons why it occurred?