Develop knowledge and understanding:
To deepen student knowledge and challenge common misunderstandings, in this chapter they will learn:
- How Jewish communities across Europe were devastated by the Holocaust and that most were lost forever.
- About how other groups were victims of the Nazis and their collaborators.
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
Support for in chapter activities:
Support for Activity p.86:
Students can access these websites to undertake further research into the treatment and persecution of these groups at the hands of the Nazis:
Soviet civilians and prisoners of war:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-persecution-of-soviet-prisoners-of-war
Political opponents:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/political-prisoners
Polish civilians:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/polish-victims
Disabled people:
https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/nazi-persecution/disabled-people/
Roma and Sinti ‘gypsies’:
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/genocide-of-european-roma-gypsies-1939-1945
Additional resources for teachers:
Open access lesson materials: ‘The Void’:
These materials encourage reflection upon the loss of Jewish communities across Europe as a result of the Holocaust.