Existing comment:
Prejudice and Lies:
Survivors of the World War II Holocaust and their families are living among us. They are European Jews who have survived the Nazi effort to systematically exterminate the world Jewish population between 1933 and 1945. Their stories and artifacts shared in this exhibit remind us that we must be ever watchful to prevent its recurrence to people anywhere.
Germans were proud of their cultural heritage and some came to believe that they were superior to other people and nations. After losing World War I and being forced to pay heavy reparations, many Germans were angry because people were out of work and food was scarce. High inflation impoverished the middle class as people were forced to bring wheelbarrows full of money to pay for a loaf of bread. The Germans looked for someone to blame for the loss of the war and for their troubles.
The National Socialist Workers Party, or Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, gave the German people a comfortable answer. He blamed the Jews. One of six Jews had fought and 12,000 died alongside other Germans in World War I. Many others received awards for heroism.
Still the Nazis blamed the Jews for everything that went wrong. Hitler was a charismatic speaker. He claimed the Jews were intent on destroying the German people. Logic was replaced by emotion. The truth was replaced by old lies and prejudice. |