Kristallnacht - Social Studies

 Kristallnact - 'The Night Of Broken Glass'

On November 9th, 1938, a wave of anti-Jewish violence and demonstrations took place

throughout parts of Germany and Austria. The assassinations of Ernest vom Rath, the third secretart of the German embassy, by 17-year old Jewsh refugee Herschel Grynszpan gave Hitler and his Nazi party enough amnunition to launch their full-scale annihilation of the Jewish population, starting with a single night of destruction known as Kristallnacht, or 'Night of Broken Glass'. This might was an integral step in fulfilling Hitler's Final Solution of the Jewish Question, by first destroying over 1000 synagogues, 7000 Jewish businesses, and deporting over 30,000 Jewish men to concentraion camps.

Significance of Kristallnacht

Kristallnacht highlights the overall intent and coordination behind the Holocast conducted by Hitler and the Nazi Party. The manipulation of events surrounding this night, as well as the organisation of violence and destruction communicates the dangers of a totalitarian regime and the true inflence that Hitler held over the German people. This coordination was a key factor leading up to the mass killing of Jews now considered a genocide, however it is only in retrospect that we can understand this.

Nuremberg Laws - Social Studies

 Nuremberg Laws

As part of our Holocaust learning in Social Studies this term, one of our task was to learn about the Nuremberg Laws. Below are some information about what the Nuremberg Laws are and how they affected society especially the daily lives of the Jewish People, and then are some question with my answers.

On september 15, 1935, the Nazi passed two new laws at their annual Reich Party Congress in Nuremberg, Germany. The Laws took German citizenship away from Jews and banned both marriage and sexual relationships between Jews and non-Jews.

The Nuremberg Laws did not idenitfy a "Jew" as someone with particular religion beliefs. Instead, the first amendment to the Nuremberg Laws defined anyone who had three or four Jewish grandparents as a Jew, regardless of whether that individual recognised himself or herself as a Jew or belonged to the Jewish religious community. Many Germans who had not practiced Judaism (the Jewish religion) or who had not done so for years found themselves caught in the grip of Nazi terror. Even people with Jewish grandparents who had converted to Christianity could be defined as Jews.

Why did the Nazis enact the Nuremberg Race Laws?

The Nazis enacted the Nuremberg Laws, because they wanted to put their ideas about race into law. They believed in the false theory that the world is divided into distinct races that are not equally strong and valuable. The Nazis considered Germans to be members of the supposedly superior "Ayran" race. They saw the so-called Aryan German race as the strongest, and most valueable race of all. According to the Nazis, Jews were not Aryans. They thought Jews belonged to a separate race that was inferior to all other races. The Nazis believed that the presence of Jews in Germany threatened the German people. They believed they had to separated Jews from other Germans to protect and strengthen Germany. The Nuremberg Laws were an important step towards achieving this goal.

Questions & Answers

1. Provide two examples of ways in which the Nuremberg Laws affected the rights of German Jews.

Due to the Nuremberg laws that German Jews were basically not human, they didn't have the equal freedom that everyone else did, such as they were no longer admitted to municipal hospitals, every human has a right to treatment for their health and Jewish university students were not allowed to sit for doctoral exams, I personally think that this is unfair and that is taking away education from someone.

2. What other actions were taken that discriminated against Jews in Germany?

In December 1935, the Reich Propaganda Ministry issued a decree forbidding jewish soldiers to be named among the dead in World War I memorials.

3. Why do you think that the Nazis passed these laws?

I think it's because they've been brainwashed with all this nonsense, and probably because the government needed someone or something to blame and therefore it has to be Jewish people.

4. If a New Zealand government passed a law that provided for different treatment of a named racial group in New Zealand, what do you think the reaction of most New Zealand people would be?

If the New Zealand government did pass a law like this, I think there would be conflit and war within the country, but luckily in a country like New Zealand there are many educated and understanding people that will oppose this law because it is wrong to treat other people differently.

5. Do you think these Nuremberg laws were racist?

I strongly believe that the Nuremberg laws were racist and showed discrimination against the Jews. Taking away human rights from someone is straight discrimination, not being able to ahve sexual relationships or be able to marry a Jew is racist, because your pointing someone out (or a group of people). Not giving them the right to basic living things such as education, careers, treatment for health is considered racist. For something to be racist it donesn't just have to be about their skin colour it can be how you treat them, how you consider them and in this case this is an extreme case of racism and discrimination.

Adapted from http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005681

 The Great Depression

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced but the industrialized western world. Although the Depression originated in the United States, it resulted in drastic declines in output, severe unemployment, and acute deflation in almost every country of the globe. But its social and cultural effects were no less staggering, especially in the United States, where the Great Depression ranks second only to the Civil War as the gravest crisis in American history.

What was life like?

People played board games, puzzles, baseball, and listened to the radio (if they had one) to get their minds off the depression. Many farmers ran out of money and lost their farms. Those who didn't had to cope with the, "dust bowl", huge clouds of dust that flew across the great pains of American and Canada. These dust particles would enter the home and cause bad living conditions. many children left school to help their families by working. Children between the ages 10-18 worked in factories, mines, or farms. Women worked seasonal jobs, but usually had to quit because men were dominant.

Failures

The fall of the economy caused bank failures, many businesses to perish, and brought a rapid rise to the crime rate, suicide rate, and malnutrition rate. Birth rates dropped below the replacement level for the first time in American history. Divorce rates also dropped sharply since it was too expensive to pay legal fees and support two households. This caused many women to start working and husbands to leave their families.

Why was Germany hit the hardest during the Great Depression?

In 1929 as the Wall Street Crash led to a worldwide depression. Germany suffered more than any other nation as a result of the recall of US loans, which caused its economy to collapse. Unemployment rocketed, poverty soared ad Germans became desperate.

Explain what Germany had to agree to by signing the Treaty of Versailles?

The Treaty of Versailles is one of the most controversial armistice treaties in history. The treaty's so-called "war guilt" clause forced Germany and other central powers to take all the blame for World War I. This means a lot of territories, reduction in military forces, and reparation payments to Allied powers.

How was New Zealand affected by the depression?

In NZ, the effects of the crash were not immediate. But from 1930 export prices began to plummet, falling 45% by 1933. To a country overwhelmingly dependent on agricultural exports, this was devastating. By the end of 1930 urban businesses and manufacturers were feeling the flow-on effects. Demand for their goods and services fell, as did the prices they charged. Unemployment rose to 12% of the registered workforce in 1933, and those lucky enough to keep their jobs often found their wages slashed by as much as 20%.