The word itself comes from the Hebrew word Shoah. This was the affliction suffered by Jews in Nazi-dominated Europe from 1933 to 1945. It is usual to divide the ordeal into two periods, before and after 1941.
During the first period various anti-semitic measures were taken in Germany; later in Austria. The Nuremberg Laws were passed in Germany in 1935, by which Jews lost rights to citizenship, any right to hold public office, practise professions (including medicine), get married to Germans, or use public education. Jews’ property and businesses were first registered, later expropriated. There was a general encitement to use violence in the street or in the home against anyone Jewish, of whatever age or sex. Dr. Goebbels’ publicity offices encouraged hatred. ‘True’, that is ‘ethically pure’ Germans were expected to hate the Jews.
The result of these campaigns pleased Nazi German leaders, who had expected it: the German and Austrian Jewish populations were halved by massed emigration, mostly to the United States, but also to ‘safer’ places in Europe. How ‘safe’ these places were, the Jews who emigrated were soon to find.
The second phase was more open, and affected Jews throughout occupied Europe during World War II. It involved open street murder, forced labour in the munitions factories, mass execution by shooting, victims forced to dig their own shallow grave and pay for the munition. Concentration camps were built in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and East Prussia. They were ‘the Final Solution’ (Endlösung): extermination of the Jews in gas chambers – planned by Adolf Eichmann and others. This final solution was decided upon at a meeting held by the Wannsee in Berlin in 1942.
During the Holocaust some six million Jews died. Out of a population of 3 million Polish Jews, less than ½ million were left in 1945. Roumania, Hungary and Lithuania also suffered tremendous losses in the Jewish population, as well as any non-Jewish citizens who tried to help them.
Here is a horror list of the names of European concentration camps discovered, and their surviving inmates released, by Russian and Allied forces in 1945:
- Auschwitz-Birkenau
- Belzec
- Bergen-Belsen
- Chelmno
- Dachau
- Flössenberg
- Grossrosen
- Maidanek
- Mauthausen
- Mittelbaudora
- Natzweiller
- Neuengamme
- Plaszow
- Ravensbrück (women and children only)
- Sachsenhausen
- Sobibor
- Stutthof
- Terezin
- Treblinka.
Estimated deaths of Jews by country:
Estonia 26,000
Latvia 70,000
Lithuania 104,000
Denmark 100
Norway 1000
Soviet Union 750,000 (greatly assisted by the Soviets)
Roumania 750,000
Bulgaria 40,000
Greece 60,000
Yugoslavia 58,000
Hungary 200,000
Austria 60,000
Poland 2,600,000
France 65,000 (greatly assisted by the Vichy French)
Luxembourg 3000
Netherlands 104,000
Czechoslovakia 60,000
Italy 9000
Belgium 28,000
Germany 180,000
Please read the revisions at https://general-history.com/holocaust-the-comments/
this was a great help great research site thanks
I never really knew much about the “Holocost” As a Child. Our School system never really taught us on it. But, as I entered the 9th grade, we learned a little about “Anne Franke”, Which really interested me into finding out MORE about it. Throughout my adult life, I’ve read on, and searched about it. And NO MATTER how many times I see pictures, or read what they did to the Jews, It’s devistating to me. I REALLY cannot fathom EVER deaming this “RIGHT”. And I cannot see how the “Nazi’s” did either. Throug ALL of History, it’s ALWAYS the Poor Jew’s who are always going through hell. They were even blamed for “The Black Plague” Someone said they saw a Jewish man pouring something into their river, and shortly after they all started getting sick..so, the Jews were punished,..Really? Come on. All the way since Biblical times the Jews have been treated Unethically inhumane. And, well, they ARE GOD’S People, so, they WILL live LIKE KING’S AND QUEENS when they enter into the “Kingdom OF Heaven”
To any Jews who read this, Either Survivor, or relative of, I just want to say “I’am so very, very sorry You, and your ancestors have always endured such Gross Treatment. I hate that you have always had to endure such Racist Travisty” I teach my Children that NO ONE, No matter the Color of our skin, or their choice of Religion should ever be treated any differnt. And ANY ONE who does, well, I feel sorry for you, and you need to be educated!!!
This is a really great research site and I do have to agree with Karizma Charles. How you were treated was devastatingly wrong and the treatment you recieved was torture beyond compare. As a relative or a living survivor who reads this, may God bless you and your people!! =)
~Kara
Please help me understand this. Hitler’s Socialists slaughtered millions of Jews, and yet American Jews consistently vote for the Socialist led Democrat Party candidates. Obama is a Socialist. He strongly dislikes Israel, and yet Jews support Democrats who are led by Socialists. Hitler’s political party was the National Socialist Party, which almost eliminated Jewish society, and yet the Jewish vote goes on. Can anyone explain this to me?
Eugene, I wish I COULD explain. I do know that Americans explain to me that they are Democrats, not Socialists. Socialism has always been related to Communism in the USA, rightly or wrongly. I don’t know that Obama, recently re-elected, is a Socialist. I know that he is a smooth talking orator who achieved little or nothing during his first mandate, and I suspect he will do a repeat performance. It is traditional in America for the people to give their elected Presidents a second term, unless they do something awful like declare war on Vancouver or indulge too publicly in extra-marital sex.
Thank you. I am afraid that we are in for a bit more than that. Good luck.
Eugene,
Hitler hijacked the term “Socialist” to bolster public acceptance of his far-right, extremist policies. The term “socialist” actually refers to *left-wing* branch of economics; a system in which production and distribution of goods and services are owned and controlled by central government. It was the “Nationalist” part of the Nazi portmanteau that evidenced a harmful ideology.
Social democracy (Obama-style), on the other hand, is a statist system like socialism, but with a large amount of (production) control granted to the population, while ensuring a minimum standard of living, healthcare, well-fair and housing.
So, when Jews support Obama, they support a left-wing leader whose goal is to improve the quality of people’s lives regardless of status. How well he manages this is a different issue, but it is objectively opposite to the policies of Hitler who cared only for a highly conservative class of white German nationalists. Plus, Obama’s only problem with Israel, is their government’s brutal treatment of Palestinian civilians. He has never admitted to being anti-Israel.
Thank you Kara. I am in fact not Jewish, nor did my family suffer torture, except being bombed in London. I am a historian however, and it is nice to know that my articles on general history are sometimes appreciated. Keep reading and a Happy Christmas!
this is a very good research site
Dean Sw3ift says “Thanks Kevin Snyder, we certainly do our best, and a Happy Christmas to you.”
just curious. in the text above you say that over 6,000,000 jews were put to death during the holocaust. yet, when you break it down by country, which you have here, the total comes to 2,507,100. that’s about 3,500,000 short of 6,000,000. which country didn’t report?
I don’t see Poland. And that is a very very big omission. The extra millions, and in fact the greatest number of victims, including many non=Jewish victims were from Poland. Also, it is a fact that many Polish collaborated in the murder of the Jews there. And even after the War, even today, with only a few thousand Jews left, the Polish are still very Anti-semetic. Some things never seem to change.
The last Pogrom, against a camp for survivors, occured in Poland in 1946!.
The mistake is now corrected, please take a look at it ! Thanks for noticing and telling us !
Dear curious Doctor Science; so am I: I do not get your drift. Perhaps I will when these endless festivities are finished.
Dean.
A jew can be any race. Jew is a rieglion not a race. People would never believe me because I am African, but my ancestors were actually Hebrews from Israel.References :
Interesting piece. I am keen to learn about the holocaust and would like to understand how the figure of 6 million Jews has been derived? This is a huge figure and what proportion of European Jews was this at the time? What was the total number of Jews in Europe at the time of the Holocaust? I am not a Holocaust denier, and simply want to understand better. The figures by country you give in your article don’t add up to 6 million. Regardless of whether the number was 6 million or not, it was a mass murder of massive proportions. We should also not forget the hundreds of thousands of Bosnian Muslims, Chechniyans, Kashmiris, Afghanis, Pakistanis, Iraqis, and Palestinians against whom GENOCIDE has been committed by modern day Hitlers like George W. Bush, Ariel Sharon, Netanyahu, Tony Blair, Milosovic.
Our lareeds should always bear in mind that they will be successful in their high level advocacy only for as long as it suits those in the upper echelons Correct!!!!and I think our lareeds forget that they too shall be prevailed upon by history.Support this comment 0
I’m sick of people claiming the Palestinians are victims of Genocide in any comparable way to what the Nazi’s did to Jews. This blood Libel is a complete Lie and shows total Ignorance of the Holocaust.
Where did I claim the Palestinians are victims of genocide?
Thanks for the info. Looks like a reliable source. Article could be a tad longer, but nice job overall.
8==D cant to small….;(
UR MOM’s comment: I wonder if Ur Mom might like to re-phrase his/her comment in some language known to man. This will make it easier for me to understand what he/she wishes to say, from the depths of his/her unfathomable intelligence.
Love Dean.
Cmon Y, it’s been 2500 years.The Holocaust was dinfereft only because quantity was enabled by the ‘flowering’ of an industrialized nation to do what was no dinfereft from what preceded it, and what has followed it.Nothing is dinfereft since Haman.
If you think 1942 was the same as 142, you sure are ignorant about human civilization, history, Philosophy, Culture, and any advancement in Human Knowledge in 2000 years. You really think Germany in 1942, was anythink like it was in 942 or even 1842? About 1/3 or more of victims were shot at close range, face to face. I’ve heard stories, which I believe, of people beaten to death with Boots, Iron Bars, babies ripped in half, Childrens heads bashed against walls. But the fact it was 1942, and during a total War, certainly, to me, makes the depravity even worse. If it was other than Jews being killed, you would too.
It must be the Summer heat, but I truly do not know what on earth you are on about.
Dean.
Dr. Science, sorry to be a long time coming back to you. The reason the final figure in the article was less than the popularly-known figure of 6 million is that a mistake was made – not including Poland and Russia and her Soviet States! Thank you for pointing out the error, which, as we all know, errs, as we only human.
Best wishes,
Dean.
Yes I found this very informational. I am the French teacher. I taught this to my students.The picture although is very graphical.
BON VOYAGE
Patrick: I would like to support this Comment but I fear I do not know what ‘lareeds’ are. When I know I am sure I will enjoy the Comment much more.
Best wishes,
Dean.
Dear Rapist December 30, 2011
You are too far away. Perhaps on the Moon. I felicitate, note I said felicitate you on the sagacity, wit and intelligence of your Comment. Keep it up!
but if preyar and good works are all that is left in Jewish atonement, then isn’t modern Judaisim a works-based faith i.e. earning your way to reward?How good is good enough?
I find your ridiculous seeking of some religious reason for what happened disgusting.
Where exactly in my article was I ‘seeking for some religious reason’? I should like to know.
I am curious as to sites and or books you can give me that will persuade deniers on YouTube to believe that this ACTUALLY happened. Thanks in advance. You can email me if it is easier.
Dean Swift,
You erase any criticism. So far as freedom of speech is concerned.
I will try again:
You talk about “error”? So why don’t you correct it?
In this era, where a lot of the terror against Jews is based on the denial of the Shoah, the gaz chambers, the number of the victims and any other facts related to the Shoah, your article just add to this Anti-Semite wave.
Are you Anti-Semite? If not, why don’t you correct this? You have all the info about the number of victims in responsible sites, to which, I’m afraid, this site does not belong, as for the moment.
Here is one reliable resource, with an honest answer:
http://www1.yadvashem.org/yv/en/holocaust/resource_center/faq.asp
How many Jews were murdered in the Holocaust? How do we know? Do we have their names?
There is no precise figure for the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust. The figure commonly used is the six million quoted by Adolf Eichmann, a senior SS official. Most research confirms that the number of victims was between five and six million. Early calculations range from 5.1 million (Professor Raul Hilberg) to 5.95 million (Jacob Leschinsky). More recent research, by Professor Yisrael Gutman and Dr. Robert Rozett in the Encyclopedia of the Holocaust, estimates the Jewish losses at 5.59–5.86 million, and a study headed by Dr. Wolfgang Benz presents a range from 5.29 million to six million.
The main sources for these statistics are comparisons of prewar censuses with postwar censuses and population estimates. Nazi documentation containing partial data on various deportations and murders is also used. We estimate that Yad Vashem currently has somewhat more than four million names of victims that are accessible. This figure is based primarily on some two million Pages of Testimony, which often contain information about more than one Jew who perished in the Holocaust. As of early June 1999, more than 1.6 million Pages of Testimony have been computerized. In addition, we have thousands of documents containing names from the Holocaust era, many of which are those of victims. This body of documentation has yet to be fully researched and added to our computerized database. Eventually we hope, through our computerization project, to provide as much information as possible about each victim.
Regards,
Yehuda Lavi
UNABNATS Thank you so much for your reasoned comments. Now put a cold damp cloth on your forehead and lie down. Neither you nor I caused the Holocaust,We know how it happened, and we wonder why it happened, I simply wrote about it, a long time ago, and then posted a necessary correction dealing among other things with Poland. It is not a sign of maturity or intelligence to send abusive messages. It is also cowardly. Very best wishes, Dean.
The lists you have are appallingly incomplete. Where is Buchenwald? How about Poland where 90% of the Jews were exterminated? There are many more camps than the ones listed here.
Please read our pieces more carefully, and see our modestly provided Corrections before blasting off like a rocket.
Thank you so much, it is nice to know one is appreciated.
Dean.
It is a year now that you didn’t bother to correct your BIG error, omitting Poland with 3,000,000 murdered. What does that prove? That you know to complain about criticism, but also that you are not so naive. Hiding behind a false name “Dean Swift”, you distribute lies. Saying that the Shoah had half of the 6,000,000 Jews victims it had, is a negation of the Shoah, and you are dealing with that.
I could have thought it was a mistake, but a year passed, your comment show you read my comment, and still you are denying the facts about the Shoah.
Do you think you deserve any respect?
Unless you fix it, and then you will be at least acknowledged to be a reform human being.
Hi Yehuda, I am the owner of the site and I have followed your comments. First of all, I have to tell you that we are not here to manipulate history, if we are mistaken we will tell you, and this is precisely what we did here: http://general-history.com/holocaust-the-comments/
If you think that the figures aren’t correct, perhaps you can tell us a book of reference where you might find that information.
Please take a look at the article and tell us something, thank you for reading.
So it is you again, is it? And in the same vivacious and charming humour. The mistake about Poland was a mistake in editing, not in earnest. It was corrected immediately. In our Comments section numerous apologies were made for the unscheduled exclusion of Poland in a list. We also published on 10 April 2013 another article on the same subject called ‘The Final Solution’ which should, to anyone who can read anyway, have proved our position on the subject of the Nazi concentration camps. What more can we do to satisfy your feeling of aggrieved self-importance? If you look carefully enough, you will also find an article on Reinhardt Heydrich. On second thoughts, do not, because you will doubtless find another error, and then plague us with it. Thank you so much for your support and esteem. I remain yours ever, Dean Swift, a name behind which I do not hide, it is merely a professional title.
It is done !
I have read a few comments about regarding the education system not having taught the students regarding the Holocaust. I do not believe the schools ever wanting to touch on this part of history. I am not about to go into full details but my Uncle attended the world Youth Festival in 1955. When he returned he spoke about the festival and the countries he toured. The final tour was Auschwitz. I can remember my Uncle telling us about of what he saw and to what the tour guide had told. Scary stuff. Not long after I talked about it to a few of my school friends. Wow I was in for a big surprise. My teacher ordered me to stand up and move away from my desk. She walked over towards me. Then she grabbed my shoulders and walked me out of the classroom. I spent all of that day facing the wall. After 4:00 PM school was off I spent another hour facing the wall. The teacher come out of the classroom and grabbed my shoulders and marched me back into the classroom. I spent another 1/2 standing. Suddenly she asked me about my Uncle and about my parents. Then she threatened to to contact the RCMP and have my Uncle arrested. Then she threatened to have the local police to have my parents arrested. My brother and I will be in a reformatory. This SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. Then she grabbed an empty desk and shoved that desk at the very rear of the classroom. When all of this was over she released me after 6:30 PM. The next morning at 9:00 AM she told all of 39 kids to look at me. Then she told everyone that I was a liar and she ordered the 39 of not to have any association with me. It was all propaganda and the war never happened. You know something? Everybody bought her damn story. That day I had a spot outside of the classroom. The length was 40 feet by 10 feet. That was my space for walking around. Then I was not allowed to take the bus. I was to be in the principals office until the very last bus had departed. Then I was allowed to walk home. Oh yea I was also beaten up by 5 of classmates. At onetime I was beaten up so severely the bullies left me for dead. I reported this to my parents. My parents did nothing. The teacher protected the bullies. This lasted from October 1955-56. The teacher suspended my punishment third week of June 1956. Why? The school had this fun day and the teacher didn’t want my Mother to see me outside in my punished area. Yet there was talk about having me expelled from that school. What a bitch my teacher was. Till this day it still bothers me. My parents did nothing. The principal just ignored me. She never asked me for the reason of me being punished for. You think the board of education would have come to my aid. Hell no. They would have protected that bitch of a teacher. The board of education would probably would have told all of the city that the holocaust never happened and also it was all propaganda. You think the local newspaper reporter would have been on my side? They probably would have backed the board of education and that teacher. When I purchased my computer in 2005 I immediately began the searches on the Holocaust. Its all true. I am glad that the survivors maintained and kept this part of history alive. I hope the younger generation will continue. This part of history never ever die. If this happened to my Daughter or Son I would have stopped at nothing to contact a good lawyer and every organizations for help. Oh yes my Grandparents have relatives who were polish citizens. For what I learned there were about 12 of them who died in that camp. The Nazis spared no one. I often wondered about their status. I guess I never will. Anyway I hope this will never be erased from history. God Bless the Survivors for keeping this part of history alive.
Dear Sir I don’t understand why the UK or some schools like yours had to do these kind of things, why deny it?
Wow a reply. Yes it did occur. I was 8. What the heck did I know about the wars. My parents rarely spoke about the war. My Dad was quiet about it. My Mother would say “Soldiers shooting at each other.” That is all I knew. In all honesty my Mother had very little knowledge to what really occurred during the war. My Mother dated soldiers. Yes Mom was honest to say not one soldier told her what they seen while in Europe. My Dads nephew never spoke about it. One of my Dads kin is still in the fjords of Norway. If it were not for my Uncle we would have never known about the holocaust. That is how I found out about it. Yet this teacher of mine denied the war ever happened. It was October 12th 1955 I was segregated from the rest of the class. That morning at 09:00 hours we had to stand up and were to swear allegiance to the flag and then sing God Save the Queen. That morning this teacher told everyone 39 kids to turn around and look at me. “There is a liar,’ she said. “The War never happened,” she said. “The authorities will take care of that liar.” Before the swearing to the allegiance the teacher made it clear to the rest of the 39 students that they were not have any contacts with me. My 3 so called friends, who had parents who fought. Not one of them had the guts to stand up and take my side. The girl who reported me her Mother did confront me. The Mother of the girl who reported me told me I had no business ever talking about Holocaust. She too denied that the war ever happened. Her Father was also in the military. I asked him about the war etc. His reply,” There is nothing to talk about.” That was it. Down our street there were 7 families who had a member that served. Not one ever spoke about the war. It was like it never happened. In the spring of 1957 Walter Cronkite announced that he was showing a documentary of Auschwitz. The Local newspaper was not happy about it. There were people who sent their displeasure regarding of what Walter Cronkite was going to televise. There were people claimed that it was propaganda. There was the Canadian Government voiced their displeasure about Walter Cronkite. I was glad that I stayed home when that was televised. The truth really come out. Though it was 12 years after the war. Then reality set in. I began to take interest of what really happened. About eight years ago a gentleman name of Eli Gotz was speaking to students at Mac. The Local cable was present. Something he said. He stated approx 60% of the faculty didn’t believe that the holocaust ever occurred. That word denial having so much power to down playing the truth. In our school it was never talked about. Not the 1st,2nd, the Korean and Vietnam. Lastly every year we had Veterans who would walk through the hallways selling poppies. Not one ever talked about the war. I still recall I asked this Veteran about the war. His reply was,”There was nothing to talk about.” Then he ordered me to scram. My parents just ignored me. I wished Mom would have got involved. She never did. Why? Before she passed away she told me that I should have kept my big mouth shut and it was not of our concern. Sadly it ended that way.