The term Holocaust refers to Nazi Germany’s systematic murder of European Jews. In the 1850s, European Jews were facing a new form of anti-Jewish prejudice. This hostility and discrimination of Jews came to be known as anti-Semitism. The huge amounts of suffering that took place after the Great Depression and World War I caused several people to search for someone to blame. The theory of anti-Semitism helped many Germans to find the pride they had lost before. Adolf Hitler was a key figure in reviving this theory. In 1933, Hitler was named chancellor of Germany. As chancellor, Hitler made anti-Semitism the official policy of Germany. Thus began the killing of some six million Jews, and some five million others, including gypsies, homosexuals
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However, there was already a concentration camp located in Treblinka. After the construction of the Treblinka death camp, Treblinka the concentration camp became known as Treblinka I. The Germans later built a railroad line which connected the Treblinka labor camp to the Treblinka death camp (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, “Treblinka). Treblinka II opened on July 23, 1942, which the Nazi’s said was to be for “resettlement” of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, and later Jews from Poland and Western Europe, such as Greece and France, as well (Bauer 209). In reality, the sole purpose of this camp was extermination. The victims, however, did not know this before entering the camp. If a prisoner arrived at Treblinka II and appeared to be strong enough to work, they would be sent to Treblinka I. However, if a prisoner arrived at Treblinka II and appeared to be weak, they would be exterminated. Treblinka II was heavily camouflaged from the outside. The Nazi’s tried to disguise the camp from their victims by making the unloading platform to look like any other railway station and posting schedules and timetables, as well as by making empty buildings near the camp appear to be thriving shops. However, the victims quickly saw through these disguises. Treblinka consisted of three main parts: the reception area, the living area, and the killing area (USHMM, “Treblinka”). The reception area was the place in which the …show more content…
If a prisoner had a special talent or skill which could be used to help the Nazis, he or she would be spared. One prisoner who was spared was Jankiel Wiernik, a Polish Jew. Upon entering the camp, he was spared by the Nazis because of his skill as a carpenter. Wiernik had been visiting his neighbors in Warsaw when German sergeants and Ukrainian militiamen entered the city. The people were arranged into ranks and their possessions were divided among the Ukrainians right in front of their eyes. The Ukrainians and German sergeants began to photograph the crowd. Unaware of what was taking place, part of the crowd seemed pleased to have their picture taken. Then, reality struck when empty railroad cars arrived. Wiernik recalled the say and stated “The beautiful, bright, radiant sun disappeared behind the clouds as if loath to look down upon our suffering and degradation.” (Wiernik 103). The crowd was then commanded to board the train, filling the cars with as many as eighty people in each car. When they arrived at Treblinka, armed Ukrainians were on the roofs of the barracks. Corpses lay all over the camp yard, with blood everywhere. It was then when Wiernik realized what the Nazis referred to as “resettlement” actually meant “removal into the great beyond and under untold tortures.” When they got out of the cattle cars, two large signs listed instructions to give up all silver, gold, diamonds, cash, and other things of value. Failure to
However, there was already a concentration camp located in Treblinka. After the construction of the Treblinka death camp, Treblinka the concentration camp became known as Treblinka I. The Germans later built a railroad line which connected the Treblinka labor camp to the Treblinka death camp (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, “Treblinka). Treblinka II opened on July 23, 1942, which the Nazi’s said was to be for “resettlement” of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, and later Jews from Poland and Western Europe, such as Greece and France, as well (Bauer 209). In reality, the sole purpose of this camp was extermination. The victims, however, did not know this before entering the camp. If a prisoner arrived at Treblinka II and appeared to be strong enough to work, they would be sent to Treblinka I. However, if a prisoner arrived at Treblinka II and appeared to be weak, they would be exterminated. Treblinka II was heavily camouflaged from the outside. The Nazi’s tried to disguise the camp from their victims by making the unloading platform to look like any other railway station and posting schedules and timetables, as well as by making empty buildings near the camp appear to be thriving shops. However, the victims quickly saw through these disguises. Treblinka consisted of three main parts: the reception area, the living area, and the killing area (USHMM, “Treblinka”). The reception area was the place in which the …show more content…
If a prisoner had a special talent or skill which could be used to help the Nazis, he or she would be spared. One prisoner who was spared was Jankiel Wiernik, a Polish Jew. Upon entering the camp, he was spared by the Nazis because of his skill as a carpenter. Wiernik had been visiting his neighbors in Warsaw when German sergeants and Ukrainian militiamen entered the city. The people were arranged into ranks and their possessions were divided among the Ukrainians right in front of their eyes. The Ukrainians and German sergeants began to photograph the crowd. Unaware of what was taking place, part of the crowd seemed pleased to have their picture taken. Then, reality struck when empty railroad cars arrived. Wiernik recalled the say and stated “The beautiful, bright, radiant sun disappeared behind the clouds as if loath to look down upon our suffering and degradation.” (Wiernik 103). The crowd was then commanded to board the train, filling the cars with as many as eighty people in each car. When they arrived at Treblinka, armed Ukrainians were on the roofs of the barracks. Corpses lay all over the camp yard, with blood everywhere. It was then when Wiernik realized what the Nazis referred to as “resettlement” actually meant “removal into the great beyond and under untold tortures.” When they got out of the cattle cars, two large signs listed instructions to give up all silver, gold, diamonds, cash, and other things of value. Failure to