🕊️

Understanding Auschwitz and the Holocaust

May 30, 2025

KS3 / KS4 / GCSE History: World War Two - Conditions at Auschwitz

Overview

  • Dan Snow presents the history of the Holocaust using BBC archival clips.
  • Focus on Auschwitz, a notorious Nazi concentration camp during WWII.

Auschwitz Facts

  • 1.3 million people were sent to Auschwitz; 1.1 million died.
  • Victims included:
    • Jews (1 million, including 200,000 children)
    • Jehovah's Witnesses
    • Homosexuals
    • Soviet POWs (15,000)
    • Gypsies (21,000)
    • Polish political prisoners (70,000)

Survivor Testimony

  • Alice Lok Cahana identifies family members, highlighting personal loss.

Holocaust Denial

  • Oskar Groning's testimony aimed to combat Holocaust denial.
    • Worked at Auschwitz managing possessions of Jewish prisoners.
    • Prosecuted as an accessory to murder; sentenced to four years but died before prison.

Discussion Points

  • The sheer scale of the atrocities is challenging to comprehend.
  • Historical revisionism and denial remain issues.

Educational Relevance

  • Suitable for KS3, KS4/GCSE, and National 4/5 in Scotland.
  • Encourages discussions on:
    • Nazi persecution of minority groups
    • Propaganda used by Nazis
    • Ethical considerations of prosecuting historical figures

Related Materials

  • Rudolph Hőss' Evidence: Role as commandant and testimony.
  • Auschwitz Expansion: Addressing the influx of Jewish prisoners.
  • Use of Gas Chambers: Development and implementation in the Holocaust.
  • Survival Stories: Anka's survival and childbirth story at Auschwitz.

Classroom Use

  • Teacher Discretion: Recommended review before use due to sensitive content.
  • Suitable for exploring themes of anti-Semitism, genocide, and memory preservation.
  • Resources available for broader context and additional exploration.