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Holocaust Chapter 1 Summary

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CHAPTER 1
The definition of the concept human rights can differ for each person. The basic definition of human rights is the rights each person deserves to live their life in an equal and just society regardless of where they live, what they believe in, or the color of their skin. The years between 1933 and 1945, post-World War I, is sometimes viewed as the worst decade in history. The Holocaust, was a big reason for this belief. Holo meaning whole, and Kaustos meaning burned or burning was the phrase used to describe this horrific genocide . Should there be limits to state sovereignty when basic human rights are threatened by genocide? It began around 1933, when people in Germany, Poland, and many other places in Europe, started to separate …show more content…

After Germany’s humiliating defeat in World War I, Germans had little faith in their government, and in the early 1930s following the stock market crash in New York, Germany was economically struggling . Millions of people were out of work due to the world wide catastrophe making it an opportune time for Hitler and the Nazis to rise into power. Hitler, who was a powerful and spellbinding speaker, attracted Germans desperate for change. He promised to make Germany a better country and promised the disenchanted, a better life. Nazis appealed especially to the youth, unemployed, and members of the lower to middle class. Hitler’s rise to power seemed instantaneous. Before the economic depression, Nazis were virtually unknown, winning less than 3 percent of the vote to the Reichstag, which was the German Parliament. However, in the 1924 elections, the Nazis won a whopping 33 percent of the votes which was more than any other party. In January of 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor, the head of German Government . The Germans were convinced that they had found a savior for the Nation. The timing of his rise made it very easy for Hitler to gain power in a democratic government because people were hopeless and wanted a fast solution to the deficit. He promised things like a stronger economy, prosperity, and anything that they desired . He focused on first getting noticed and then grew from there. He didn’t say anything but what the people wanted to hear. Getting the people of Germany to trust him was how he started to gain so much control. Unfortunately, Hitler’s charm and persuasion was not the sole reason why Hitler gained so much power in a democratic

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