The beginning of the 20th century was characterized by the initiation of scientific development and progress. The traces of this development were visible in the different parts of Europe, broadly the Western sphere of Europe. The aims set forth against this scientific development were to develop a world that is based on progress and prosperity where there would be justice and equal opportunities for every individual. However the sequence of the progress was marred by the wars that came about in the form of World War One and World War Two. The two in their own respective capacity changed the outlook of the world and pulled the different parts of the world back to Stone Age in certain perspectives.
It was this war, the settlements of the war and the humiliation of Germany that gave rise to the concept of jingoism to Germany and subsequent Holocaust. Confiscation of the old passports, hurdling of the way out of Germany for the Jews were few of the actions undertaken towards the persecution and direct damages towards the Jews. The freezing of the property was another taken for as a move towards strangulating upon the lives of Jews both socially and individually.
The Nazi’s undertaken objectives and ideology was one of the most prominent elements in this regard. It was based on the principle of ethnocentric approach and a subsequent Holocaust that was aimed at the persecution of the targeted few based on the principles of ideological differences between the two blocs.
The points that can be extracted from the video and study are the fact that the First World War that was undertaken with aims of eliminating any other major war was actually the initiation point and it would lead to a more deadly Second World War in the span of another twenty years. This is not a war, but ending of the world; were the remarks of a soldier who participated in the First World War. The Germans lost large number of troops, those who were lucky enough to survive was left at the mercy of suffering and starvation. The German generals would term the entire move as an ideological battle that was based on motives far reaching towards the struggle for glory and regaining of the German honor that was lost previously. Austria was held accountable for the acts in this regard.
Economic depravity, highest ever observed rates of inflation, establishment of the Weimar Republic, and the global storm of Depression were few of the elements that gave rise to a further hostile German nation. Towards the mid 1920s, the philosophy under which the Nazis came to power included few basic concepts. One of the most pressing one amongst these was the elimination of the German enemies. In the line of this fell the Jews. The Jews were being believed to have been responsible for the defeat of Germany in the First World War. It was based on this concept that the objectives of Holocaust were undertaken. The post world War settlement resulted in a 13 percent lesser German territory and this was one of the many clauses that would lead to the hostile German attitude in the long run.
Jews were dubbed as the crusade against Judaism and Communism, the direct target of this move were the Austrians and other Jews who lived nearby in the suburb areas of the German influence.
As many as seven thousand Jewish business individuals and organizations were eliminated under the ideology of Holocaust. The local loudspeakers and other publishing sources would demand and order the citizens of abstaining from visiting the Jews established business centers and interacting with them for businesses purposes.
In the road towards the genocide and Nazis agenda accomplishment, the use of propaganda was an essential tool. This was made possible through the use of specifically published newspapers that would follow a specifically patterned program aimed at changing the mindset back home and paving way for achieving the goals that were based on vendetta and ill will towards the Jews.
Initially the Jews were isolated. The enactment of laws related to the sidelining of Jews was initiated in 1933 and were in action till 1939. Jews were being subjected to demonizing of their existence and their ill presence in the society. Logos such as “Jews are our curse” hung openly in the public places apart from other similarly ill motivated actions and intentions towards the Jews. Anti Semitism was promoted publically and ill will was spread through the press, education, and media sources. Towards November 1939 officially supported anti Jewish campaign and brutal actions were initiated and the Jews now found it hard to survive in such hostile environment based on non acceptance in the social sector (ushmm, 2008).
In the severe circumstances the Jews were restricted to containing centers where they were held hostages called the Ghettos (Dempsey, 2002, p. 88). These areas were cordoned off from the other parts of the city and they were protected with the major barbed wires and brick walls over 10 feet high that made it virtually impossible for the contained Jews to escape past the concentration centers. The Jews who could afford fleeing had fled in time to safer parts of the world, those who were otherwise held by the social and economic weaknesses were left at the mercy of the hardships and the barbaric treatment of the Nazis in times ahead. The use of gases against them, and various other inhumane accounts of war crimes are part of the entire history of the genocide and the Holocaust that was initiated towards the annihilation of the Jews.
References:
Browning, C. R. (2007). The Origins of the Final Solution: The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy, September 1939-March 1942. U of Nebraska Press.
Dempsey, P. (2002). Testimony and Fading Memory in the Holocaust. P.A. Draigh.
Ushmm. (2008, March). Introduction to the Holocaust. Retrieved from THE PATH TO NAZI GENOCIDE: http://www.ushmm.org/learn/introduction-to-the-holocaust/path-to-nazi-genocide
