World War II and the Holocaust · Term 3

The Turning Point: Stalingrad

Study the Battle of Stalingrad as a critical turning point on the Eastern Front and in the entire war.

About This Topic

The Holocaust: Origins examines the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime. For Year 11 students, this topic is a critical study in the dangers of prejudice, the power of propaganda, and the collapse of moral norms. They will investigate the transition from early discrimination and the Nuremberg Laws to the 'Final Solution' formalized at the Wannsee Conference.

This unit aligns with ACARA standards regarding the nature of genocide and the impact of ideology. A key focus is the use of language to dehumanize victims and the role of the 'bystander' in allowing the genocide to occur. Students will analyze the 'intentionalist' vs. 'functionalist' debate, whether the Holocaust was a long-term plan or an 'evolution' of radicalization during the war. This topic must be handled with extreme sensitivity and respect. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the process of radicalization through collaborative investigations and primary source analysis.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: The Language of Dehumanization

Groups analyze Nazi propaganda and decrees to identify the specific words and metaphors used to describe Jewish people (e.g., 'vermin,' 'parasites'). They create a chart showing how this language was used to 'prepare' the public for violence.

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Think-Pair-Share: The Wannsee Conference

Pairs read the minutes of the 1942 Wannsee Conference. They discuss the 'business-like' and bureaucratic way the genocide was planned and share their thoughts on how this 'banality of evil' made the Holocaust possible.

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Generate mission

Gallery Walk: The Path to Genocide

Stations feature a timeline of events from 1933 to 1942 (e.g., Kristallnacht, the creation of ghettos, the Einsatzgruppen). Students record how each step made the next more 'thinkable' for the perpetrators.

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The Holocaust started with the gas chambers.

What to Teach Instead

The Holocaust was the end result of a decade of gradual marginalization, legal discrimination, and state-sponsored violence. Using a 'pyramid of hate' activity helps students see how 'small' acts of prejudice can lead to genocide if left unchecked.

Common Misconception

Ordinary Germans didn't know anything about the persecution of Jews.

What to Teach Instead

While the details of the death camps were kept secret, the public discrimination, the Nuremberg Laws, and the violence of Kristallnacht were highly visible. Peer discussion of 'public knowledge' helps students understand the role of the bystander.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the 'Final Solution'?

The 'Final Solution to the Jewish Question' was the Nazi plan for the systematic genocide of the Jewish people of Europe. It was formalized at the Wannsee Conference in 1942 and involved the use of ghettos, mobile killing squads (Einsatzgruppen), and eventually purpose-built extermination camps.

What was the Wannsee Conference?

It was a meeting of high-ranking Nazi officials in 1942 to coordinate the implementation of the 'Final Solution'. The conference is significant because it shows the bureaucratic and industrial nature of the Holocaust, where government departments worked together to organize mass murder.

How can active learning help students understand the Holocaust?

Active learning, such as 'analyzing the stages of genocide' or 'engaging with survivor testimonies,' helps students move beyond abstract numbers to a deeper understanding of the human experience. It encourages critical thinking about individual responsibility and the social conditions that allow such atrocities to happen, fostering a commitment to human rights.

What were the Einsatzgruppen?

The Einsatzgruppen were mobile killing squads of the SS that followed the German army into the Soviet Union. They were responsible for the mass shooting of over a million Jews and others, often with the help of local collaborators, in what is sometimes called the 'Holocaust by Bullets'.

Browse curriculum by country

• Americas
• US
• CA
• MX
• CL
• CO
• BR

• Europe
• UK
• IE
• FR
• DE
• ES
• IT
• NL
• PT
• SE

• Asia & Pacific
• IN
• SG
• AU