In the aftermath of World War I, Germany remained in turmoil throughout the 1920s, providing the setting for the rise of extremist ideologies and political leaders. To Germans burdened by reparations payments to war victors, and threatened by very high rise in inflation, political chaos, and a possible Communist takeover, Adolf Hitler offered scapegoats and solutions.
Germans were provided with an easy explanation to all their problems: Jews and democracy. It was the “International Jewry” that had been responsible for Germany’s defeat in World War I and the humiliating peace treaty. The Third Reich's aggressive population policy encouraged "racially pure" women to bear as many "Aryan" children as possible. Within this framework, …show more content…
This was followed by a wave of anti-Semitic laws and decrees. More than 2,000 racist laws and decrees were issued between 1933 and 1945. The most explicit expression of anti-Semitism was seen in the violent atrocities committed during the Night of Broken Glass, or Kristalnacht. in 1938. Tens of thousands of Jews were imprisoned in concentration camps, while Jewish businesses, property and synagogues were destroyed. The Jews were even presented with the bill for the atrocities committed by the regime: a fine of 1 billion Reichmark for their ‘hostility towards the German people’. In schools, the Nazi regime put much energy into showing the children why it was necessary to take action against the Jews. Through anti-Semitic literature, the pupils were indoctrinated with delusions of the Jews hunger for world dominance, that the Jews were an inferior and criminal race, and that the Jews were a serious danger to the German people. According to an official guideline for teaching about the Jewish Question from 1937, the teaching should ensure that every person, "Remain an enemy of the Jews for the rest of his life and raise his children as enemies of the
Germans were provided with an easy explanation to all their problems: Jews and democracy. It was the “International Jewry” that had been responsible for Germany’s defeat in World War I and the humiliating peace treaty. The Third Reich's aggressive population policy encouraged "racially pure" women to bear as many "Aryan" children as possible. Within this framework, …show more content…
This was followed by a wave of anti-Semitic laws and decrees. More than 2,000 racist laws and decrees were issued between 1933 and 1945. The most explicit expression of anti-Semitism was seen in the violent atrocities committed during the Night of Broken Glass, or Kristalnacht. in 1938. Tens of thousands of Jews were imprisoned in concentration camps, while Jewish businesses, property and synagogues were destroyed. The Jews were even presented with the bill for the atrocities committed by the regime: a fine of 1 billion Reichmark for their ‘hostility towards the German people’. In schools, the Nazi regime put much energy into showing the children why it was necessary to take action against the Jews. Through anti-Semitic literature, the pupils were indoctrinated with delusions of the Jews hunger for world dominance, that the Jews were an inferior and criminal race, and that the Jews were a serious danger to the German people. According to an official guideline for teaching about the Jewish Question from 1937, the teaching should ensure that every person, "Remain an enemy of the Jews for the rest of his life and raise his children as enemies of the