Holocaust : history, its definition, and causes
                     HOLOCAUST: HISTORY, ITS 
DEFINITION, AND CAUSES 
INTRODUCTION
The Holocaust was a period in history at the time of World 
War Two (1939-1945), when millions of Jews were murdered 
because of who they were. The killings were organised by 
Germany's Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler.
Source: newsround
WHAT WAS THE 
HOLOCAUST?
The Holocaust was a process that started with discrimination 
against Jewish people, and ended with millions of people 
being killed because of who they were. It was a process that 
became increasingly brutal over time.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
THE ORIGINS OF THE 
HOLOCAUST
Nazi anti-Semitism was rooted in religious anti-Semitism and 
enhanced by political anti-Semitism. To this the Nazis added a 
further dimension: racial anti-Semitism.
Source: www.britannica.com
HITLER’S WORLDVIEW
Hitler’s worldview revolved around two concepts: territorial 
expansion (that is, greater Lebensraum—“living space”—for 
the German people) and racial supremacy. After World War I 
the Allies denied Germany colonies in Africa, so Hitler sought 
to expand German territory and secure food and resources—
scarce during World War I—in Europe itself.
Source: www.britannica.com
FROM KRISTALLNACHT TO 
THE “FINAL SOLUTION”
On the evening of November 9, 1938, carefully orchestrated 
anti-Jewish violence “erupted” throughout the Reich, which 
since March had included Austria. Over the next 48 hours 
rioters burned or damaged more than 1,000 synagogues and 
ransacked and broke the windows of more than 7,500 
businesses. Some 30,000 Jewish men between the ages of 16 
and 60 were arrested and sent to concentration camps.
Source: www.britannica.com
JEWS WERE MADE 
RESPONSIBLE FOR 
CLEANING UP THE DAMAGE
On November 12, 1938, Field Marshal Hermann Göring 
convened a meeting of Nazi officials to discuss the damage to 
the German economy from pogroms. The Jewish community 
was fined one billion Reichsmarks. Moreover, Jews were made 
responsible for cleaning up the damage. 
Source: www.britannica.com
NAZI PERSECUTION
From the moment they came to power in 1933, the Nazis 
persecuted people who they didn't think were worthy members 
of society - most notably Jewish people.
They introduced laws that discriminated against them and took 
away their rights. Jewish people were not allowed in certain 
places and were banned from getting certain jobs.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
HOW DID THE HOLOCAUST 
END?
As soldiers fighting against Germany in World War Two - Britain, the 
US, the Soviet Union and their allies - made their way across areas of 
Europe controlled by the Nazis, they began to discover the camps.
As it became clear that the Nazis were going to be defeated, the 
Nazis tried to hide the evidence of their crimes by destroying the 
camps.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
WERE NAZIS PUNISHED 
FOR THE HOLOCAUST?
On 11 December 1946, the General Assembly of the United 
Nations ruled that genocide would be a crime under 
international law.
Adolf Hitler killed himself before the end of the war so it was 
not possible to bring him to justice.
In the years since World War Two, Nazi figures have been 
prosecuted for their crimes.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
HOW DO WE REMEMBER 
THE HOLOCAUST?
Now, the enormity of the Holocaust is recognised across the 
world and it serves as an example of the horrors of genocide 
and how certain behaviours can lead to it happening.
But, sadly, the Holocaust is not the only genocide that has 
happened in history. In Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur 
millions of people have been killed because of who they are.
Source: newsround