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The Final Solution

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Introduction Hitler had made it very clear that he hated the Jews. His anti-Semitic views were developed in his youth and he blamed the Jews for Germany's defeat in the First World War. In fact, one of the main policies of the Nazi's was anti-Semitism. Hitler's hatred of the Jews knew no bounds and used words like "deadly poison", "vermin", and "parasite" in his speeches and in his autobiography "Mein Kampff", in which he portrayed them as a leering devil with infernal powers. Gradually, Hitler took more and more rights away from the Jews so that they could not have leading positions in the civil service, broadcasting, newspapers, education or entertainment. In 1934 all Jewish shops were marked with a yellow star or the word 'Juden' and in 1935, the Nuremburg Laws were passed which meant the Jews were no longer German citizens and they were forbidden to marry Germans/Aryans or have sexual relations with them. This was all part of the gradual build up against the Jews and at first the Nazis had curbed their terror tactics against Jews in order not to offend local and world opinion. ...read more.


It states: "I hereby charge you (Himmler) with making all necessary preparations with regard to organisational, technical and financial matters for bringing about a final solution" so therefore the Nazis were left in charge of the matter. The scope of the final solution spread throughout all Europe, where Jews were systematically rounded up and sent in rail trucks to the camps. The largest concentration camp was Auschwitz in Poland where commandant in charge was Rudolph Hoss. In source 2, also primary evidence, we see the reasons for this being the largest camp as Himmler, in conversation with Hoss, says, "I have earmarked Auschwitz for this purpose because of its good position as regards communication and because the area can easily be isolated and camouflaged." This shows the planning and strategic methods used to carry out the final solution and the extent to which the Nazis were in charge and its importance. As the British Prime Minister, Churchill put it, "the most horrible single crime ever committed in the whole history of the world." ...read more.


He writes about the extent of the final solution and the figures of deaths during these years. It explains also the reason for the name 'holocaust' due to the horrific burning of bodies of Jews at the 'death camps'. He also writes about the attempt to exterminate the entire race of Jews and how it was described as the 'Jewish problem'. Source 5 is a map showing the location of camps and the number of Jews from each country murdered in the Final Solution. This shows the geographical scope and exactly how far it reached. The main concentration camps were in Betsen and Dachau, and extermination camps were located in Treblinka, Sobiobor, Majdanek, Belzec, Chelmo and Auschwitz. The scope went well beyond Greater Germany and stretched throughout Europe as this source shows. The figures on the map show the estimated minimum number of Jews murdered from each country. With numbers reaching 3000000 in Poland and 365000 in Hungary, we can see the unbelievable impact the Final Solution had on Europe, with numbers similar to this throughout with a few exceptions, we are shown how the final solution's attempt at genocide could almost have succeeded. In conclusion, the final solution was the slaughter of millions of Jews, both inhumanely and unnecessarily. ...read more.

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