Holocaust Facts
The Holocaust is something that everyone knows as one of the worst events in modern history. There is so much to learn about this event, but having the facts can make it easier to digest the information that is out there. Here are some Holocaust facts that you can use to educate yourself or share with others.
-The Holocaust lasted from 1933 until 1945, during the entire time that Hitler was in power in Nazi Germany.
-The Nuremburg Laws removed Jews from public life on the 15th of September in 1935. The laws removed their citizenship and denied them the right to marry German nationals.
-Jewish children were often killed simply because they were 'useless eaters' if they weren't old enough to be used in labor camps or sent for medical experimentation. Many were killed at birth to avoid creating another 'problem' in the eyes of the Nazis.
-More than 1.5 million children in total were killed during the Holocaust. Not all of them were Jewish.
-When people were sent to camps, they were usually transported in cattle wagons. They didn't get food, water, or bathrooms. Most prisoners became gravely ill or were exposed to deadly diseases in transit as a result.
-The longest transport of prisoners to camps took 18 days. Once the train arrived and the doors were open, all of those being transported were already dead.
-The most intensive murder took place in the Ukraine during September of 1941. Over two days, more than 33,000 Jews were killed. They were forced to take off their clothes and walk to the edge of the Babi Yar Ravine. They were then shot by Nazis and fell into the ravine. Children were also thrown into the ravine. Once they were done, the pushed over the wall, burying everyone below regardless of whether they were dead or alive.
-Gas chambers were used because they proved to be more efficient for the Final Solution. Originally, carbon monoxide was used. It was manufactured or obtained from diesel engines. Later, Zyklon B (a known fumigation agent) was used because it was far more effective and affordable.
-The "Final Solution" was originally constructed in 1942, when a group of Nazi leaders met to discuss options. 14 of the men presented this program, which suggested deporting all Jews to Poland to be killed by the SS. This is when the systematic murders reached their peak.
-There were approximately 9 million Jews in Europe at the beginning of World War II. By the end, 2/3 had been killed.