by Lacey Simmons

Created on: August 18, 2008

Victims of the Holocaust
The explicit aim of Adolf Hitler to create a European world both dominated and populated by the "Aryan" race was the Nazi Regime that would later create the murder of approximately eleven million people with the genocidal policy. The Nazi's deemed people as undesirable because of who they were, genetic or cultural origins, health conditions, what they did. On Hitler's list of undesirable were Jews, gypsies, poles, Slavs, people with mental or physical disabilities, Jehovah's Witness', homosexuals, communists, socialists, dissenting clergy and other political enemies. Most people that belonged to these groups were banished to concentration camps. Prisoners were forced to wear various colored triangles on their uniforms, each color denoting a different group. Letters were worn on them denoting what country of origin.

Jewish people were the majority of victims during the holocaust. Hitler translated his hatred for Jews through a series of policies and statues which eroded the rights of German Jews from 1933 through 1939. Legislation excluded Jews from certain professions. Jews were no longer allowed to enter cinemas, theaters, swimming pools, and resorts. Publishing of Jewish newspapers were forbidden as well. Laws forbade Jewish children from attending school. At this time Jews were required to carry I.D cards and wear the Star of David badges. Approximately six million died just because they were Jewish.

Gypsies also known as the roma, a nomadic people believed to have come originally from India. The group consisted of several tribes or nations and had been persecuted for years. The Nazi Regime continued the persecution and deprived them of their civil rights. By 1938 they were deported to concentration camps in various locations. Gypsies went through the same selection as Jews and some were immediately murdered while others were used for medical experimentation or forced labor.

Poles and other Slavs were considered subhuman to the Nazi's. Many were deported to concentration camps for forced labor. Those sent to the camps had to wear badges, there was not one specific badge designated for the poles and Slavs. They were categorized as a criminal asocial political prisoner.

Political dissidents and dissenting clergy were yet another group considered undesirable to the Nazi regime. Remnants of the communist and socialist parties and members of the trade unions resisted Nazi regime. . A Pastor of a church set up a pastors' emergency league

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