Develop knowledge and understanding:
To deepen student knowledge and challenge common misunderstandings, in this chapter they will learn:
- That 99 per cent of those who were responsible for the Holocaust never faced justice and were not punished.
Challenge myths and misconceptions:
Correct the misconception that all perpetrators of the Holocaust were punished.
Should you choose to share this with students it is very important to be clear that this is a false statement and it needs to be taught about with sensitivity and skill.
Support for in chapter activities:
Support for Think About p.93:
Students can access ‘The Holocaust Explained’ website to consider post war trials in more depth. They can also access information about the trial of John Demjanjuk, whose case was a turning point: ‘In 2011, the trial of 91-year-old John (Ivan) Demjanjuk set a new precedent in Germany. Until Demjanjuk’s 2011 trial, former Nazis were charged with individual murders, rather than ‘genocide’ or mass murder. As a result of this, to convict a former Nazi or collaborator of murder, the courts had to find direct evidence of their role in a specific crime, meaning that it was extremely difficult to charge.’
Following Demjanjuk’s trial several other former Nazis were brought to trial to face charges of mass murder.
https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/survival-and-legacy/postwar-trials-and-denazification/
Students could access this article to consider other trials like that of Bruno Dey:
The trial of Oskar Groening: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42698558
Additional resources for teachers:
Further reading materials:
Fulbrook, M. (2018) Reckonings: Legacies of Nazi persecution and the quest for justice: Oxford: Oxford University Press.