The people had lost confidence in the German government, they needed someone who could help them start earning again, restore their pride, and build Germany up again- Hitler seized his chance.
Hitler and the Nazi party came to power in Germany in 1933. He had joined politics at a time the German public were most vulnerable, at a time when they had no faith their government. This was perfect for Hitler, as what he was offering was exactly what the public wanted to hear. He thought up ways to win them over. He gave them something to blame their defeat on- the Jews.
The Nazis blamed the Jews for nearly everything wrong in the world- for signing the Treaty of Versailles, and causing their financial and economic problems. Jews seemed like good targets for blame, because they had good jobs and they were rich. They were also an easy target, because of the way they looked. They looked different with long beards, skull-caps (kippahs), and their religion meant they never had to work on Saturdays, as it was the day of rest. Hitler said that they not only controlled money and land, but the press as well, and they were using the press to tell people what to think.
He promised them the re-birth of Germany, and that there would be jobs for everyone when rebuilding began. Finally, he reminded the people of their lost pride in the fatherland, and proclaimed the superiority of the perfect race- the Aryans.
The Aryans were a race of blonde haired and blue eyed, healthy people with pure German blood (‘pure German’ meaning with no trace of Jewish or black origin- just German). Jews were not part of this superior race (infact the complete opposite), and therefore had to be ridden of. Jews were now known not as individuals, but as a race that were different from everybody else.
In 1930, Hitler had become a masterful speaker. He spoke at huge rallies organised by the Nazis, holding thousands of listeners stunned with his dreams of what Germany could become, and building up the hatred of the Jews, Communists and his political enemies. His plan was to get everyone on his side, and he had already won over a lot. In 1932, the Nazis were the largest political party in Germany. This couldn’t have been good, as it meant that Hitler’s anti-Semitic ideas had spread wide, and that a large number of people were agreeing with him.
On January 30th 1933, president Von Hindenburg called Hitler to form a new government and become the Chancellor of Germany, seeing it as the only way of bringing Germany out of the depression. This meant Hitler was only given power because he was the only one with a good enough plan to build Germany again. The president didn’t even like his views, but could not see another way out.
As he had promised when he came into power, Hitler provided the Germans with jobs building railways and roads (which were to be used for taking Jews to the concentration and work camps), and also in factories. The people now praised him even more; it was exactly what Hitler wanted- it was all part of his big plan. He also set up clubs and camps for young people. They were places they could go to socialise and learn more about what Hitler was saying. He gave them new, beautiful uniforms, which made them feel like they belonged somewhere and proud of being there. Some of these clubs were called ‘The Hitler Youth’ (for young men and boys), and ‘The Faith and Beauty scheme’ (for young women and girls). Hitler knew he had to win the votes of the young people, and this as his way of doing just that. Medals were given to mothers who produced Aryan babies, and they were encouraged to have more. Germany was already beginning to seem like a better place, which of course gave Hitler even more votes. The people saw him as ‘Germany’s saviour’, and the propaganda that was used by the Nazis didn’t change this perception of him. His ideas were soon everywhere- on posters, in books, in theatres and on the radio. They all sent out one message- that the Jews were bad and Hitler was the man to sort it out.
Though anti-Semitism in Germany had been around for centuries, it had reached a boiling point by 1933. German Jews were being harassed, beaten, arrested and imprisoned. Their businesses and shops were being boycotted and looted. Hitler’s plan was almost halfway complete.
Soon all power was in the hands of Hitler and his party. It became illegal for Germans to express their opinions freely. It was legal for Hitler and his ‘Brownshirts’ (the Nazis) to control what was written in newspapers, or broadcast as news over the radio; to open mail, read telegrams, and listen in on telephone conversations; to search houses without warning; to take anyone’s belongings, and control what happened in any of the states in Germany if Hitler thought it was necessary.
Things seemed to be going pretty well for Christian Germans, but not for the Jews, blacks, gypsies and the mentally disabled. Anti-Semitic laws were now being put into practise. Jews were gradually being deprived of their rights in Germany, but no one really saw what was happening. Things were so gradual, that even the Jewish people just thought, “Oh well, it doesn’t matter. It’s only a small thing.” Soon they were not to be allowed into the same theatres, shops and jobs as everyone else. Of course they did not know where this was leading to in the end, so they just got on with their lives and tried to stay within the new rules. For example, when the Jewish children were excluded from school, they thought, “We can just set up our own schools.”
On September 15th 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were put into place. These laws stated that Jewish people were no longer German citizens. Jews were no longer allowed to vote or hold public offices since they were no longer considered citizens. Jews were not even allowed to seek medical attention anymore, or give medical attention to an Aryan person, as they were considered more superior than the Jewish people. "Jews Forbidden" signs also went up all over Germany, which made it very difficult for the Jews to get service or lodge in hotels. This came as a big shock to many, as most Jewish people in Germany were very patriotic, and saw themselves as Germans first, then Jews. Now, they were no longer citizens, therefore, no longer protected by the state. This was bad as it meant that anything could happen to them. For Hitler, it was perfect.
Some caught onto Hitler’s plan, and knew things were getting bad. They decided to leave the country. Many did escape from Nazi Germany, but soon when more people started to realise what was happening, it was too late. Britain and America had stopped letting in any more Jews. Hitler had realised that they were escaping, and decide he didn’t just want to make Jewish life miserable, he wanted to wipe out the whole Jewish nation, starting in Germany. In 1941, immigration from Germany was banned, and all Jews had to have a “J” stamped on their passports, and had to wear the Star of David. This singled Jews out even more. Now there was no way to escape from Germany, they were stuck. So when the Nazis came along taking Jews in large quantities, putting them in truck and saying they were taking them to a new land, where they can all live together, no one thought of questioning it. It seemed like the right thing to do. What they didn’t know though was that they were actually being taken to concentration and work camps where they were tortured, starved and eventually killed.
Some more people were catching on now. It was too good to be true. Rumours spread around Germany about these camps where people were being killed. Some had heard cries for help, and smelt the smell of decaying bodies. But there was nothing anyone could do. Hitler and the Nazis controlled everything, and people were now beginning to be afraid of them. Hitler wanted to wipe out a whole nation, and was prepared to destroy anything or anyone who would stand in his way. Hitler was a mixture of political, social, economic and ideological reasons, which led with absolute inevitability to the murder of 6,000,000 Jews.
Explain why questions raised for Jewish people by the Holocaust are difficult to answer.
After the holocaust, the Jewish population in Europe had decreased vastly. The Jewish nation was now split. For some the Holocaust strengthened their faith and belief, but for many their faith was demolished along with the millions that died. People were very confused, and questions stared flying everywhere, most of which were very hard to answer. In this part of the essay I will suggest some of the questions which may have been raised, and try my best to explain them.
1. If the Jews were Gods chosen people, why didn’t he save them from the Holocaust?
Since the beginning of the religion, Jews believed that they were Gods chosen people. So how could he let this happen to them? In Judaism, Jews believe their God to be omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing). So surely he could have prevented this from ever happening at all? It is a very difficult question to answer, because only God himself can really answer it. No one can tell what God is ever thinking, so therefore no one knows the answer.
When God made humans, he gave them ‘free will’. This means he made us to have our own opinions, and choose our own fate. We can choose whether we as individuals want to be on the good side or bad. Eliezer Berkovits was an orthodox rabbi who lost many members of his family in the Shoah. He said,
"We have not been programmed by God only to do good things…People should strive to do good because they want to.”
Some say that the only reason the Holocaust happened was because too many people chose to be on the bad side with Hitler. This meant there were too many for God to be able to change their minds, so he could not intervene even if he wanted to.
Some people (the people who are still Jewish) still believe they ARE Gods chosen people, and that he DID save them from the holocaust because he must have intervened and stopped it, so the whole Jewish nation was not wiped out.
Hitler had made up his mind, that all Jews were evil, and I personally think that because of the tough times the people of Germany were going through after the First World War, they were confused and wanted an answer quickly and therefore chose the wrong side to go on- Hitler’s.
The 11th law of Maimonides says that “God punishes evil and rewards good." Does this mean the Jews had done something wrong? Maybe he was testing them?
Most people’s faith is strengthened after a disaster or suffering, so you could say that God let this happen to strengthen the faith of the Jewish people.
2. Does God break his promises? In this case are the covenants still relevant?
The Bible shows three covenants that God made. The first on was with Noah, the second with Abraham and the third with Moses.
Noah’s covenant with God.
This was made just after God destroyed the world (when it rained for forty days and forty nights). God promised never again to destroy the world. In return, Noah promised to keep the ‘Noachide Laws’. They were like the 10 commandments (although they came after this covenant), but included not being cruel to animals, and promoting justice.
Abraham’s covenant with God.
This was made at the very beginning of the religion. God promised that Abraham would be the Father of a great nation, and would have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky, and that his people would live in the Promised Land. Abraham promised God to believe in him and him alone and the end to human sacrifice.
Moses’s covenant with God.
This was made at the time when Pharaohs ruled Egypt. God promised he would lead the slaves to safety. Moses promised that people would try to keep the 10 commandments, and that they should be an example to other people.
Moses’s covenant, I think is most relevant to the above question. This is because some people believe that even though God gave us free will, there would be no bad if we followed and stuck to the 10 commandments.
A covenant is a TWO-way promise, so does this mean God was punishing the Jews for something? Did they break some of the 10 commandments? Well even if they did break them, Moses only promised that the people will TRY and keep them. Times have changed as well, and sometimes parts of religion are no longer relevant or cannot be kept exactly the same. For example “you must not covet or tell lies about anyone else,” are probably irrelevant now. So, what were the Jewish people doing wrong around the time of the First World War? Was God breaking his promise that he would lead them to safety? Although he did save many, what about the six million that died?
One person who thinks this way is, Richard Rubenstein an American Jewish theologian. He said,
“Judaism is based on the idea of a covenant between God and the people of Israel. The People agreed to obey His laws, and God would protect and deliver them. Yet how does this work in light of the Holocaust? God does not ‘leap into history’ to alter events. It seems only logical to conclude that the Jews do not have this special covenant with God…”
Overall, I think this is a very difficult question to answer, because it is one that has different answers for different opinions. If you do not blame God for the Shoah, then you probably believe that God does NOT break his promises. If you do partly (or entirely) blame God for what happened then the answer for you is probably ‘yes’, God does break his promises and the covenants do not apply any more.
3. Does the Holocaust make it impossible to believe in God? Is he really there?
This is I believe the most important question of all. This is because Judaism is based on the belief that there is a God. After the holocaust, many people were horrified with what had happened, and there were many questions about God (like the two above), but very soon people started to question God himself. Thoughts such as, “A real God wouldn’t let this happen!” and the solution to this (for many) was, “Well there obviously isn’t a God!”
There are two sides in the answer to this question. One is, “The holocaust does not make it impossible to believe in God, it just makes us (the Jews) stronger, and believe more in God.” Someone who believed exactly this was Walter. Walter was 9 years old at the time of the holocaust. He gave us a talk about his experiences at the time of the holocaust. He was never taken to a concentration camp, because he was lucky enough to escape from Nazi Germany just in time with his family. At the end of the holocaust he said he had more faith in God. Even more than he did before because he saved him. Also, God was someone to turn to after such a terrible time.
Another person who thought this way was Emil Fackenheim (a rabbi in the 1930’s). He said,
“If we stop practising Judaism, Hitler will have a victory from the grave… God’s chosen people will survive and this will be a testimony of life over death, on behalf of all mankind.”
The other side of the answer is, “Yes, of course its impossible to believe in God now! No God would ever let that happen.” A person that shared this view was Elie Wiesel. Elie was deported to Auschwitz as a teenager. He published a book Night afterwards, and in it was one of the most powerful pieces of religious writings to emerge from the Shoah. He wrote,
“…Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never.”
Although I see where both sides are coming from, in my opinion, (using my knowledge and understanding of Judaism), I deem that Jews should not lose their faith in God because of the Shoah. This is taking into account Judaism teaches that there is a God, but he is not exactly a perfect one. Jews believe their God to be a very contrasting and judgemental God. He is said to be personal, impersonal, immanent and transcendent. This means sometimes God is close to human beings and is willing to act in human affairs, but other times he is the total opposite. I think that maybe at the time of the holocaust God was being transcendent, although in my opinion he did intervene eventually to put an end to it all.
No one REALLY knows if God IS actually there, but if you believe he is than he is. For Jewish people, it is the most testing question, because you cannot be Jewish if you do not believe in God.
4. Is it possible to forgive and forget?
I think mostly everyone would answer “No” to this question. I certainly would. But it depends on whom you are asking this about. If it was about Hitler and the Nazis- definitely “No!”
What Hitler and the Nazis did was totally wrong! They did too much damage to be forgiven, especially by the Jews. What they did was totally unjustified. No one can ever forget what happened either, and Jews today are making sure that no one does, because if we do, then something like the holocaust will be able to happen again.
Hitler caused millions of families grief and pain, and many gave up their faith because of him. The Shoah survivors will never forget what they went through, and the horrible memories have been scratched into their minds forever- something which is unforgivable.
If you were to ask this question about God, maybe it is possible. It all depends in what way you perceive the holocaust. For those who lost faith in God after the holocaust like Elie Wiesel, it would not be possible. But for the people for whom the holocaust strengthened their faith, God was very easy to forgive (especially because not all blamed him for what had happened). Walter and Leon Greenman are two survivors who did carry on believing in their religion and God.
However, although Walter was never put into a concentration camp, members of his family were; his father (who survived) and other relations such as uncles, aunts and cousins (who didn’t make it). But Walter still had to go through the torment and suffering leading up to the holocaust. He experienced the effects of “Kristall nacht”, and the restrictions Hitler gave to the Jews when he came into power. He also told us how his non-Jewish friends joined the ‘Hitler Youth’, and started to throw stones and insults at him. He felt hurt and betrayed, and he partly blames those people- the ones that shared Hitler’s views, or never stood up to him if they didn’t, because they were the ones that gave him the power to do what he did.
I conclude, that most of the questions raised after the Holocaust were about God, and it was a real test for the Jewish nation. I think that maybe God was testing their faith, to see if they still believed in him after everything, which many of them did. Many of the questions we will probably never be able to answer, because the only one that can answer them is God. And until we know, we just have to keep guessing and keep our faith in God, praying he will give us the answers one day.
“The Holocaust is a unique event in Jewish experience”- Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion, showing that you have considered another point of view. You must refer to Jewish teaching.
There are two opinions you can have on this statement- I agree or I disagree. There are reasons and examples of both sides of the argument, which I will show in the part to follow.
I disagree.
There are many examples to oppose this statement. Anti-Semitism, religious prejudice against the Jews, has a long history, tracing back to the early years of Judaism, and throughout history, Jews have been massacred in there thousands.
In approximately 2000BCE Abraham brought up the idea of monotheism, which people were not used to. It was something different, so people didn’t like it and taunted him when he claimed he was going to a promised land and that God spoke to him. That was probably the first sign of prejudice Judaism ever saw.
Around 1500BCE the Pharaoh in Egypt made the Israelites slaves, and in 1300BCE (in Moses’s time) the Pharaoh wanted all Jewish boys less than 2 years of age to be killed to keep down the populations. A while afterwards, the ten plagues were dawned onto Egypt. The tenth plague was the death of the first-born son of each Egyptian household, but the Israelites were saved from this. The Pharaoh ordered them to leave but soon went back on his word. He sent his soldiers out and tried to catch them but they in this case they were saved by god.
When Moses died 40 years after a temple was built in Canaan. This was then destroyed in 586BCE by the foreign armies. These armies also took the leaders of Israel way into exile. By 444BCE some Jews were allowed to return to Israel and they re-built the temple but in 70CE the temple was destroyed again this time by the armies of the Roman Empire.
Before this, (at the time of Jesus’ birth in Palestine), Hared killed all newborns because he heard there was going to be a new king born (Jesus) and he did not want this to happen because he was king.
In 1190CE, in medieval Europe, Jews experienced prejudice either because of religion or simply because they were different. Christian leaders started to say that Jews were responsible for killing Jesus. Envy, suspicion and hatred for the Jews spread all over western and central Europe and many Jews were persecuted and murdered. They were given a choice to either die or stay alive by converting to Christianity and being baptised. The concluded that it was acceptable to make Jews’ lives quite miserable.
In parts of Eastern Europe Jews were made to live in poverty and lived with constant threats of being killed.
From 1846 to 1878 all Jews under Papal control were taken to ghettos in Rome. It was the last one in Europe until the Nazi era. In 1873 a special word was invented by Wilhelm Marr to describe the hatred for the Jews. This word was “anti-Semitism”. This now made Jewish people sound separate from everyone else and it showed that there was a lot of hatred for the Jews that it deserved a special name.
In 1881 extremists killed Alexander II of Russia. Jews were blamed for this and 200 individual riots against the Jews were started. Thousands of Jews became homeless and poor. Some were charged and received very light sentences.
In many of these occasions, the Jewish people survived hard times (like the ten plagues). This made people suspicious, and started to blame everything on them. But in many of the occasions, it was because of the Jewish way of life- the Sanitary Laws. These laws (found in the Jewish Book of Laws) meant that Jews were only allowed to eat kosher food, and did not work on Saturday’s.
This all shows that Jewish people have had a long line of trouble. They have had their children killed at early ages (children were also killed in the Holocaust), been made to work against their will (like in the work camps), been stopped from leaving the country (like the immigration laws Hitler made), been made scapegoats, starved, imprisoned, put into ghettos and killed in large numbers. This is all very similar to the Holocaust, therefore it is not a unique event in Jewish experience.
I agree.
The Holocaust IS a unique event in Jewish experience, because nothing exactly the same has ever happened- not in its scale. The Holocaust was a deliberate attempt by one man who was angry with Jewish people for reasons which were mostly made up by him, to eradicate a whole nation.
It was totally unjustified, and cruel. The main reason why it is unique (I believe), is because Hitler had it all planned. He planned to get the German public on his side and turn them against the Jews. He planned to build railways and roads and ghettos to take the Jews to their deaths. He planned to wipe out an entire nation (even if it didn’t work), he still managed to ‘shake the world’, and raise some of the hardest questions in the world to answer. 6 million Jews were murdered in a space of a couple of years. Which is more than any other time in Jewish experience.
On many occasions, the Jewish people survived hard times (like the ten plagues). This made people suspicious, and started to blame everything on them. But in many of the occasions, it was because of the Jewish way of life- the Sanitary Laws. These laws (found in the Jewish Book of Laws) meant that Jews were only allowed to eat kosher food, and did not work on Saturday’s.
I agree with this statement, although there have been many things similar to it in the past; I feel the reasons I have given to agree with the statement. Count for much more than the others.
