Antisemitism Dbq Essay

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The Holocaust is viewed now as one of the biggest and most atrocious genocides in history, many factors influenced it, but in my belief, antisemitism was the most significant contributing factor to the Holocaust. As history reveals, the persecution of Jews across Europe created an atmosphere that laid the groundwork for the systematic genocide of six million Jews. I have found this to be true for three reasons. Firstly, the deep-rooted historical prejudice against Jews started the notion that they were somehow inferior and a threat to society. Secondly, Jews were thought of as power behind the enemy. It was believed that they were an outlet for the bad things happening to the Germans. Lastly, the rise of Nazi propaganda effectively mobilized the masses, even children, to accept and participate in the mass persecution of Jews. These factors combined demonstrate the overwhelming influence of antisemitism in the horrors of the Holocaust. …show more content…

The antisemitic beliefs held for centuries (Document 3) painted Jews as outsiders, inhuman, or even conspirators against society. They blamed the Jewish people for their problems and painted them as the cause of the social and economic issues in the country. Secondly, the Jewish people were shown to be ”Behind the enemy powers” as quoted from Document 1. This message was pressed through stereotypes spread daily to as many people as possible. This made everyone view them as terrible people and made their image viewed in infamy. The deep-seated prejudice against Jews for many years further laid the foundation for the dehumanization that later manifested in the

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