Develop knowledge and understanding:
To deepen student knowledge and challenge common misunderstandings, in this chapter they will learn:
- That the Nazis had a racist worldview which saw certain minority groups as enemies or threats.
- How and why the Nazis persecuted different minority groups.
Challenge myths and misconceptions:
Here is a summary of the key myths and misconceptions that we identified in our research and that we are aiming to challenge through this textbook chapter content and its supporting materials:
- All Nazi victims were treated in the same way for the same reasons
Should you choose to share these with students it is very important to be clear that these are false statements and they need to be taught about with sensitivity and skill.
Access the research briefing that is relevant to this textbook chapter content here:
Research briefing 1: Non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution and murder
Suggested activities:
Further enquiry – How and why did the Nazis persecute different victim groups?
Students can undertake further research into Nazi persecution of different victim groups using these websites:
Jehovah’s witnesses:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-persecution-of-jehovahs-witnesses
Disabled people:
https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/nazi-persecution/disabled-people/
Gay men:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/persecution-of-homosexuals-in-the-third-reich
There is also a useful article here relating to the treatment of lesbians in the Third Reich and how this differed from that of gay men: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/lesbians-and-the-third-reich
Black people:
https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/nazi-persecution/black-people/
Roma and Sinti:
https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/nazi-persecution/the-porrajmos/
Additional resources for students:
To find out more about Nazi persecution of different victim groups, students can undertake further research using these recommended websites:
https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/life-before-the-holocaust/pre-war-roma-life/
https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/life-before-the-holocaust/pre-war-homosexual-life/
https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/life-in-nazi-occupied-europe/oppression/
Additional resources for teachers:
‘A history of the Roma genocide’: Dr Gerhard Baumgartner, Director of the Centre of the Austrian resistance, offers an accessible illustrated history of the Roma genocide.
https://holocausteducation.org.uk/teacher-resources/subject-knowledge/history-roma-genocide/