Resistance: it takes many forms, from the simplest denial to an armed revolt. The Jews exhibited almost every form of resistance against the Nazis which proved to the world the Jews are not that easy to extinguish. The Jews had several ways of exhibiting resistance, but "Organized armed resistance was the most powerful form of Jewish opposition"(Jewish Resistance). Armed resistance is an important aspect to revolting not only because it reinflicts the pain lashed upon the Jews, but it also shows the Jews have the ability to fight back and gives the world the knowledge that Jews do not go down easily. However, resistance is not only an act of violence since the Jews demonstrated several non-violent forms of resistance while locked up or being transported. Jews would escape into the forest and figured that by escaping they resisted the Nazi Party and reduced their chances of achieving their goal of exterminating all Jews on the planet(Acts of Resitance). By escaping Jews gave themselves a chance to live and warn others of their fate which was an excellent form of non-violent resistance since, generally speaking, no Germans were hurt. Resistance can take many shapes and forms which is why all Jews resisted one way or another, simply living is resistance(Acts of Resistance). The other reason Jews struggled so desperately to survive was not to merely see the light of another day, but to see the Germans become enraged by their "resistance", living. Several camps resisted through violent ways which is what greatly impacted the Germans and the concentration or death camps located there. Resistance took a violent appearance in the camp Treblinka when the inmates rose against their oppressors and set fire to Treblinka; however, only abou... ... middle of paper ... ...Organization of the Revolt in Treblinka". The Nizkor Project. The Nizkor Project, n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. "Armed Resistance". Holocaust/Genocide Project. iEARN's HGP, n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. "Jewish Resistance". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. "Jewish Uprising in Ghettos and Camps, 1941-1944". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. "Theresienstadt: Spiritual Resistance and Historical Context". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. "Treblinka Death Camp Revolt". Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team. Niau S. Archer H.E.A.R.T., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. Weinstock, G. Yael. "Spiritual Resistance During the Holocaust". Yad Vashem. Yad Vashem, n.d. Web. 18 May 2014.
resisted by refusing to comply” “Jewish Resistance”. This is an example of unarmed resistance because these young Jewish people did not fight with guns like the Nazis, they instead peacefully fought by escaping the ghettos before any more harm would be done to them. By doing this, they could be physically free from the abuse and humiliation from the Nazis. Along with unarmed resistance, Jewish people also took a stand with armed forces in order to fight against the Nazis.
During the Holocaust there were many different forms of resistance undertaken by Jewish people. These can be categorised into two main forms, armed resistance and passive resistance. Armed resistance was resistance by Jews and civilians who actively fought back, sometimes they managed to scavenge weapons and use them in attacks on Germans and the different enforcement groups such as the SS. Armed resistance took place mainly in ghettos and concentration camps however, also occurred on the streets of Nazi occupied Europe. Passive resistance was less aggressive and usually meant that Jewish people refused to deny their faith and still practiced their religion in some form.
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"A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust-Victims." A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust-Victims. University of South Florida. Web. 19 May 2014.
Examining any issue pertaining to the Holocaust is accompanied with complexity and the possibility of controversy. This is especially true in dealing with the topic of Jewish resistance to the Holocaust. Historians are often divided on this complex issue, debating issues such as how “resistance” is defined and, in accordance with that definition, how much resistance occurred. According to Michael Marrus, “the very term Jewish resistance suggests a point of view.” Many factors, both internal such as differences in opinion on when or what resistance was appropriate, as well as external, such as the lack of arms with which to revolt, contributed to making resistance, particularly armed resistance, extremely difficult. When considering acts of Jewish resistance, it is important to consider both direct and indirect forms of resistance, as well as avoid diminishing what efforts were made at resistance. Despite many factors making resistance difficult, Jews did perform both direct and indirect resistance, often more than historians have credited to them. As a whole, Jews did not accept their death mutely, as sheep to the slaughter.
Museum, United States Holocaust Memorial. "Introduction to the Holocaust." 6 January 2011. United Sates Holocaust Memorial Museum. 19 February 2011 .
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia, last modified June 10, 2013, http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005425.
We must first realize that resistance was in no way a survival strategy. Yet, even when it seemed obvious that death was near inevitable, why did they not put up a fight? This argument is still puzzling to many holocaust historians, yet the arguments of Raul Hilberg and Yehuda Bauer offer insight to possible reasons why they did not fight and that resistance was more widespread than most people think.
Treblinka is a concentration camp run by the nazi’s. The Nazi’s decided to put Treblinka in Poland. More than 700,000 jews were sent to Treblinka in just 12 months. “Treblinka is not only pride and the committee, but a large number of prisoners”(steiner, jean-francois, pg:34). “In 1942, germans began to transport jews from the Warsaw ghetto to Treblinka” (Judy Bartel, pg:24,29,30). On the train going to Treblinka the jews traveled without food, no water unless it rained and the water dripped through the wood, and there was no bathroom facilities( Judy Bartel). Without food and water some of the jews would die of starvation or lack of water (Judy Bartel). Treblinka had over 400,000 jews jammed together inside its walls, making it the largest concentration camp/ghetto established by the jews (Betty N. Hoffman). With Treblinka is so large there is not much space for the jews to sleep. Therefor Treblinka is not good living it is more like slavery(Betty N. Hoffman).
The resistance was a key part of survival for many of the Jews during the Holocaust.
There were many cases where Jewish people stood against the Nazis and fought back, the most famous of which was the Warsaw uprising. “Jews in the Warsaw ghetto rose in armed revolt against rumors that the Germans would deport the remaining ghetto inhabitants to the
One form of resistance perpetrated by the Jewish people was armed resistance; which is where the Jews would arm themselves with whatever could be used as a weapon and stand against Nazi soldiers. An example of armed resistance is the
Armed resistance was one way that the Jewish people fought back against the Nazis. Weapons that were smuggled into the ghettos were used during Jewish deportations. “Weapons were smuggled into ghettos. Inhabitants in the ghettos…, resisted with force when the Germans began to deport ghetto populations.” (Jewish uprisings) Since they had the weapons they fought back against the soldiers when they were being taken. Instead of letting themselves be taken and killed they fought and died on their own terms. This was not the only form of armed resistance that was used.
“Introduction to the Holocaust.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 9 Jan 2014.
This type of resistance still had a major effect and helped jewish believe they could survive. This type is more of the synagogue services that occurred regulatory even though praying was against the rules. They also had the underground newspaper that were printed and given out even though it was a great risk. There was also many poets, artists, and writers that wrote the truth and drew things in much detail and truth even though it wasn’t always the safest choice