Rationale

When teaching the history of the Holocaust, the complexity of the subject matter can often seem daunting or challenging for educators. Teaching the Holocaust requires contextualizing the events of the Holocaust within many different strands of history. To understand how individuals and organizations behaved at the time, students need to know a number of key concepts and information. Below are recommended resources and topics to address when planning lessons or units on the Holocaust. 

The objective of teaching any subject should always be to engage the intellectual curiosity of students in order to inspire critical thought and personal growth. With this in mind, it also is helpful to structure a lesson plan on the Holocaust by considering your main goals and purposes for teaching the subject matter. Find more information on how to craft learning objectives for teaching the Holocaust

Historical Background

The Path to Nazi Genocide provides general background information on the Holocaust for the instructor and for classroom use. 

This 38-minute film examines the Nazis’ rise and consolidation of power in Germany. Using rare footage, the film explores their ideology, propaganda, and persecution of Jews and other victims. It also outlines the path by which the Nazis and their collaborators led a state to war and to the murder of millions of people. By providing a concise overview of the Holocaust and those involved, this resource is intended to provoke reflection and discussion about the role of ordinary people, institutions, and nations between 1918 and 1945.

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This film is intended for adult viewers, but selected segments may be appropriate for younger audiences. The final 8 minutes of the film present very graphic material.

There is a worksheet with an answer key to go along with the film. Many of these questions could be used as discussion questions in class. Additionally, there is a one-day lesson that provides an introduction to the Holocaust by defining the term and highlighting the story of one Holocaust survivor, Gerda Weissmann.

Accessibility

To make the content of the Holocaust Encyclopedia more broadly available, any materials translated into various languages. Please select your language by using the globe icon. 

The Holocaust Encyclopedia also includes provides a glossary for students.

New

The following key articles in the Holocaust Encyclopedia now have audio versions for greater accessibility and to match different learning styles. 

Context for Understanding the Holocaust

The encyclopedia articles below provide background and more context on the Holocaust. 

General

1933-1939

1939-1945

Post-1945

If You Have One Class Period

Provide a historical overview of the history through use of the Path to Nazi Genocide film or other materials. Or refer to the one-day lesson, which provides an introduction to the Holocaust by defining the term and highlighting the story of one Holocaust survivor, Gerda Weissmann.

Based on your rationale, choose one or more topics to highlight. Include personal testimonies from the Museum's ID Cards or oral history excerpts as appropriate.

Critical Thinking Questions

The most visited articles in the Holocaust Encyclopedia include critical thinking questions to encourage reflection on connections to contemporary events and genocide prevention, analysis of the range of motivations and behaviors, and further research on key topics.

The following are examples of articles with critical thinking questions. You'll find these questions at the foot of each page: 

Discussion Questions

A set of Discussion Questions aim to provide a framework for understanding how and why the Holocaust was possible. 

What made it possible?

Responses

After the war

Other topics