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Year 9 - History

Victims and perpetrators

The Holocaust: what was the Holocaust?

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils investigate what the Holocaust was. They place this significant event in context, examine Jewish life in Europe before WW2 and analyse Nazi persecution of the Jewish people. They also reflect on Jewish resistance and the role of various perpetrators in this event.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to assess different experiences of and responses to the Holocaust.

Key Notes

  • Six million Jews from many different backgrounds were murdered during the Holocaust.
  • Many people acted as perpetrators during the Holocaust.
  • Many more people knew about the Holocaust but did not intervene.
  • There were Holocaust perpetrators and collaborators across Europe.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • collaborator: a person or group who works together with others for a particular purpose
  • perpetrator: someone who has committed a crime or a violent or harmful act
  • bystander: in the context of the Holocaust, a person who did not intervene to help Jews or resist their persecution

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Only German Nazis were involved in the Holocaust.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

Six million Jews from many different backgrounds were murdered during the Holocaust. Many people acted as perpetrators during the Holocaust.

2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'collaborator'

a person or group who works together with others for a particular purpose.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: Only German Nazis were involved in the Holocaust. Correction: Examples such as the Vel' d'Hiv Raid in France, carried out in 1942, show that other Europeans collaborated and helped to perpetrate the Holocaust.

More Lessons In This Unit

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