A Glimpse at the Holocaust

994 Words2 Pages

For some, it seems that the Holocaust in another lifetime, but for others it will be something they will never forget. Holocaust was a time for fighting. The Jewish would fight for the right to live as they were killed solely for being Jewish. The Holocaust began in 1939 and would continue through 1945. It was introduced by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, although he did not act alone. His mission would be to “exterminate” all minorities, but most abundantly, the Jews. Based on information given by About.com, it is estimated that 11 million people were killed during the Holocaust. Six million of these were Jews.

The Holocaust began in 1933 when the Nazis instigated their first action against the Jews by announcing a boycott of all Jewish-run businesses. The Nuremberg Laws went into place on September 15, 1935 which began to exclude the Jews from public life. These laws went to the extent of stripping German Jews of the citizenship and then implemented a prohibition of marriage between the Jewish and the Germans. These laws set the legal precedent for further anti-Jewish legislation. Over the next several years, even more laws would be introduced. Jews would be excluded from parks, fired from civil service jobs, required to register all property and restricted Jewish doctors from practicing medicine on any person other than Jewish patients.

It is told that on the night of November 9 and early November 10, 1938, Nazis incited a pogrom against the Jewish in Austria and Germany. It is termed, “Kristallnact” (“Night of Broken Glass). This night of violence included pillaging and burning of synagogues, breaking of the windows in Jewish owned businesses, looting, and physically attacking of Jewish people. Approximately, 30,000...

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...die? The sense of loss is overwhelming as is the feeling of anger.

As I refer back to Michael Molloy’s reflection as he stood outside that same window that Anne Frank stared out that one dark rainy night contemplating love and God, I find I’m not alone in the feeling of loss. I believe it is a loss that is felt throughout mankind and although I obviously I had no part of the holocaust, I wonder if the feeling of remorse is normal?

Works Cited
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Holocaust Facts." About.com. 2010. About.com, Web. 24 Feb 2010.

Molloy, Michael. Experiencing the World's Religions. 5th Edition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2010. 320-322. Print.

Morretta, Teresa. "Teaching the Holocaust: Grades 4-12." Timeline. 1997. Teresa Morretta, Web. 24 Feb 2010. .

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