Persecution of Jews

What was the Nazis' persecution of Jews?

The Nazi persecution of the Jews was an attack on people of Jewish descendent or anyone the Nazis classed as a Jew. The nature of the persecution escalated and became worse over time.

Why did the Nazis persecute the Jews?

The Nazis were anti-Semitic, which is why they persecuted Jews. They considered all Jewish people to be 'Untermenschen', or sub-human. Hitler blamed them for Germany's defeat in the First World War.

When did the Nazi persecution of the Jews begin?

The Nazi persecution of Jews started in 1933 and continued to 1945.

How were the Jews persecuted by the Nazis?

There were several stages in the persecution of the Jews. These are 6 of the major events:

• ❖ In April 1933, the Nazis organised a one-day boycott of Jewish shops. Nazi SA men stood by the doors of the shops to intimidate people so they would not buy goods.
• ❖ In 1933, Jews were forced out of jobs in the law, the civil service, dentistry, journalism, teaching and farming.
• ❖ In September 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were passed. Firstly, the Reich Citizenship Law stated Jews couldn't be citizens. Secondly, the Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour made it illegal for Jews to marry non-Jews.
• ❖ During Kristallnacht, the SA and ordinary Germans attacked Jewish shops, homes and synagogues. Synagogues were burned, approximately 100 Jews were murdered, and 20,000 Jewish men were sent to concentration camps.
• ❖ In 1940, all Jews in the countries Germany had invaded were forced to live in concentration camps or ghettos.
• ❖ From January 1942, the Nazis start to prepare the 'Final Solution'. This was the murder of all Jews in Germany, and the lands the Nazis controlled, by working Jews to death as slave labour or by murdering them in concentration camps.