What Caused the Holocaust?

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The Holocaust could best be defined as the mass killing of about 6 million Jewish people during World War II. A lot of events led up to the Holocaust, during the Holocaust, and even after the Holocaust. Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi party and was held most responsible for this terrible genocide. The Holocaust was a terrible time in our world’s history.

It all began after World War I when Germany was humiliated due to the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles was given to the German power to sign following World War I in 1919. The Treaty forced Germany to give up land to other countries and any colonies that Germany had over seas were now owned by the League of Nations. Although Germany lost a lot of land due to the treaty, the humiliation was truly what punished the German Moral. This part of the treaty was called the “War Guilt Clause”. This “forced the German nation to accept complete responsibility for initiating World War I” (livingston.org). Aside from taking responsibility for starting the war, Germany was also given the responsibility to repair the damages of the war. The humiliation that Germany suffered allowed for new power to rise in Germany. This new power was Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party.

In the year 1929 their was a large depression in the country of Germany. This depression was made up of power struggle and economic distress. The people of Germany no longer trusted the democratic government that they once knew. This allowed Adolf Hitler, the great speaker that he was, to persuade the German people to bring him and his Nazi party into power. Adolf Hitler approached the German people speaking of nationalism which was very much needed after World War I. Not only did he need the...

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Bloxham, Donald. Genocide on Trial: War Crimes Trials and the Formation of Holocaust History and Memory: War Crimes Trials and the Formation of Holocaust History and Memory. Oxford University Press, 2001.

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