Although it seemed nearly impossible for many Jews to resist the Nazis due to the limited access to weapons, it would be a grave mistake to believe that all Jews went to their death like sheep to slaughter. The term resistance, when related to the Jews and the Holocaust meant not only the active resistance against the Nazis, but also the cultural and spiritual resistance that the Jews had. There were many Jews that rebelled and resisted against the SS officers of the camp, but some Jews could only commit acts of cultural and spiritual resistance to oppose Nazi tyranny. The Active/Armed Resistance, Cultural and Spiritual Resistance, and Partisans allowed the Jews to practice a form of resistance and inspired Jewish hope. Without these significant factors, it would be impossible for the Jews to oppose the Nazis, accelerating the mass murder and genocide.
In “Resistance During the Holocaust,” Jewish people in ghettos carried on hope by participating in everyday things. They scheduled literary events, put on concerts, maintained religion, and even had schools: “...they included literary events...concerts...creating schools...maintaining religious customs…”(1). The Jews tried to make their lives normal, despite everything going on. Although it does not seem like it is a form of resistance, you must remember that Adolf Hitler wanted to crush all remaining hope the Jews had. Making their lives feel normal allowed them to “temporarily forget the worries of ghetto life and were a source of encouragement”(2).
________________ ____ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ Working Title : Jewish Resistance: When Arms Go Up & Flags Come Down “Between 5 & 6 million Jews-out of the Jewish population of 9 million living in Europe-were killed during the holocaust.” This quote, derived and utilized in this paper from a website that is most focused upon history and its historical background and contents. The Holocaust was the mass/systematic extermination of a specific race or group of people, places, or things. The German Nazi party, which was recognized as a political party and a political movement at the time of its creation, disrespected and displayed acts of cruel and unusual punishment towards the Jewish People, and this message was spread around to the masses through multiple very calculated moves and acts of propaganda at the time, spread by ex-German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, whom of which displayed and possessed a definitive hate of the Jewish
Passive Resistance In 1939, WWII began when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party invaded Poland, causing six million Jewish people to fear for their lives. This fear began when all people and citizens had to complete a census and carry an identification card. Second, the Jews had to wear the Star of David and they were forced into ghettos. Third, they were taken to the concentration camps and the death camps. In “Resistance During the Holocaust” resistance was so hard because many Jews were murdered by the Nazis and they had very little access to weapons.
When things were getting worse and worse, Jews still resisted no matter where they were or what their situation was. Spiritual resistance was an effective, non-violent way to resist what Nazis tried to take away from the Jewish community.
They resisted without risking anybody’s life, yet still maintained their Jewish culture and beliefs. During the Holocaust citizens could best respond to conflict by passively resisting so they could celebrate the holidays of their culture, create art that reflected their beliefs, and preserving their culture, way of life, and identity. Jewish citizens used passive resistance to celebrate the holidays of their culture. For instance, when the Frank family celebrated Hanukkah, they were practicing their religion, despite was the orders of the Nazi’s and the threats of torture and execution: “It is the first night of the Hanukkah celebration [Mr. Frank reading from a prayer book] (pg 314 paragraph 2320 & 2330). The Franks were very courageous to be able to withstand the
The reason he provided for the Germans loss of WW1 was because of the Jews of Germany, specifically the bankers. When he came to power he organized one of the largest mass murdering schemes in history, that being the Holocaust. In states in his book Mein Kampf, “Rational anti-Semitism, however, must lead to systematic legal opposition.…Its final objective must unswervingly be the removal of the Jews altogether.”. Hitler further emphasized his anti-Semitic feelings by passing the Nuremberg Laws. Encyclopedia Britannica describes this law as, “the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour and the Law of the Reich Citizen—became the centerpiece of anti-Jewish legislation and a precedent for defining and categorizing Jews in all German-controlled lands.” The law also set strict regulations on marriage and business.
Regardless of all the difficulties jews encountered, they managed to keep their tradition alive to ensure hope and emphasis determination. In cultural and spiritual Resistance, “ for most Jews acts of cultural and spiritual resistance were the only possible means to oppose Nazi tyranny. Such acts undermined Nazi power and inspired Jewish hope,” #5. Sacrifices were high and risks were taken to maintain the customs and rituals alive. Some may say, however, to keep the culture, ore needs to live with dignity not in shame or misery.
When people were active so many lives were lost. In the text, “Resistance During the Holocaust,” it states that “However, the risk of resisting Nazi policies were grave; often an act of resistance by one person would mean the death of many others” (paragraph 5). If all Jews would have fought who knows where we could be today. Maybe they would have won their fight but many more lives would have been lost, but maybe no one would even know they fought. However, some may say that writing and keeping records may have never seen the light of day.
In 1939, World War II began when the Nazi Party, invaded Poland, causing six to nine million Jewish people to fear for their lives. This fear began when all citizens had to register with the government, and the Jews had to wear the Star of David. Second, the Jews were forced into ghettos. Third, they were moved to concentration and death camps. For example, in “Resistance During the Holocaust” we see different ways of actively and passively resisting Nazi atrocities.