The Holocaust refers to the attempted intentional massacre of Jewish people and others deemed "undesirable" by the Nazi party. This mass murder was led by Adolf Hitler, a leader who rose to power by exploiting Germany's weakness: the country was in the midst of a Depression, and was shunned by foreigners because of their actions in World War I. The citizens of Germany were desperate for positive change, unhappy with the current state of their country, and needed somebody to blame. Hitler won the hearts of many through his confidence, promises to put Germany back together, and restoration of national pride. He also provided a common scapegoat for the current issues of Germany: the Jews. Hitler established an ideology based on the idea of an elite group, the “Aryans” (non-Jewish) ruling over inferiors. These inferiors include but are not limited to Jews, Homosexuals, the Disabled, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Gypsies.

      Once Chancellor of Germany, Hitler slowly eliminated all political competitors through illegal means and began to strip citizens of their rights. By July 1933, Germany was a one-party state. In 1935, the Nuremburg Laws were passed, institutionalizing the racial theories present in Hitler’s ideology. These laws deprived Jews of their citizenship, and prohibited them from marrying non-Jews. The Nuremburg laws were only one example of anti-Jewish legislation that occurred during this time period.

     In addition to state-enforced racism and anti-Semitic legislation, Hitler and his Nazi Party staged boycotts of Jewish stores and Pogroms. The most horrendous Pogrom of the time was Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass”. This nationwide Pogrom resulted in destruction of Jewish shops, businesses, and houses, along with casualties. Kristallnacht, aimed to remove Jews from society, along with these other occurrences, would evolve into a plan to wipe the Jews off the face of the Earth.

     The Nazis forced Jews to abandon their homes to live in ghettos- separate, isolated areas containing the majority of the Jews. They called this "resettlement". Jews were struck with a choice: to flee, to hide, or to follow Nazi orders. The ghettos were overcrowded- it was common for 25 Jews to live in an apartment. These Jews suffered from starvation and had to live under terrible conditions. The ghettos segregated Jews from the Aryans until the Nazis could determine an option to achieve their goal of removing the Jewish population.

     With the application of the “Final Solution”, ghettos were eventually destroyed. The Nazis either shot ghettos residents in mass graves, or deported them by train to killing centers, where they were assassinated. A small group of Jews were deported from ghettos to forced-labor groups or concentration camps.

     The aftermath of the “Final Solution” is overwhelming. When Allied troops entered the camps, they encountered bones, human ashes, and bodies. The people who were still alive suffered from starvation and sickness, and often never recovered from their horrific experiences. Even after all of this, anti-Semitism was a common aspect of daily life. Riots broke out, and Jews were killed or beaten. Survivors from the camps were apprehensive to return to their homes. Many Jews migrated Westward, to Israel, or to the United States.