History of the Holocaust Final Exam Study Guide part 1 (1st half material)

Agreeing to be a Sonderkommando guaranteed a Jewish inmate's survival through the Holocaust True or False?

False

Jews in the ghetto knew what was happening to those deported from the ghettos from the first deportations to Chelmno. True or False?

False

Jews were not allowed to leave Germany during the time the Nazi party came to power True or False?

False

Mischlinge were exempt from forced sterilization and compulsory divorce in the West. True or False?

False

Scholars who believe that intentionalism and functionalism converged to cause the Holocaust say that everyday German people had nothing to do with it. True or False?

False

The Nazi party was the one who deposed the Kaiser of Germany and took power after World War I True or False?

False

The phrase emblazoned on the gates of Auschwitz and other camps, "Arbeit Macht Frei," literally translates to "Your Freedom Ends Here." True or False?

False

Auschwitz had a beer garden and a nearby villa for recreation for the guards True or False?

True

Countries like America and Britain knew about the German persecution of Jews but did not accept many refugees because of issues with their own immigration policies. True or False?

True

Jehovah's Witnesses refused to participate in the Nazi party or acts of Nazi loyalty. True or False?

True

The press and international community did not investigate rumors of killings at Babi Yar True or False?

True

How did the 2nd- and 3rd-century Christian church act toward Judaism? a. It encouraged anti-Semitism. b. It condemned anti-Semitism. c. It had no position on anti-Semitism. d. It maintained many Jewish practices

a. It encouraged anti-Semitism.

How is Hitler's imprisonment in 1923 related to the spread of his Nazi ideology? a. It gave him time to write Mein Kampf, which laid out his political and racial goals. b. The Nazi party picketed and protested the arrest of Hitler, causing publicity for his cause. c. Putting him in prison showed other Nazis that the rhetoric would not be tolerated. d. The public was shocked at the attempted silencing of Hitler and rallied to him.

a. It gave him time to write Mein Kampf, which laid out his political and racial goals.

While the world was shocked to hear the reports of Kristallnacht, most countries felt they could do little to help German Jews. Britain did come forward with an operation called Kindertransport. Which theory serves to BEST explain the success of Kindertransport? a. It was easier to appeal to British people to save children. b. Britain's postwar economy was more successful than others. c. The Nazis were more sympathetic to the plight of Jewish children. d. Those involved did not realize they were transporting Jews.

a. It was easier to appeal to British people to save children.

Which Polish citizen would MOST likely have been spared by the Einsatzgruppen? a. Lena, the daughter of a poor milkman in a small village b. Aleksandr, professor at the University of Warsaw c. Maximillian, a Franciscan priest in charge of a monastery d. Janina, elderly countess whose husband had passed away

a. Lena, the daughter of a poor milkman in a small village

Even though they are detained in Dachau, Elizar and his bunkmates are determined to at least observe the Passover. They smuggle in a few supplies and arrange for one of the prisoners to say the Kiddush, or blessing. For what reason does the senior block captain likely refrain from joining in when the men hold their makeshift Passover? a. Most senior block captains were Aryan so he would not be interested in Passover. b. The senior block captain must not have felt worthy to participate because he worked with SS. c. The senior block captain was probably standing as a lookout while the Passover was observed. d. In the case that the SS later asked, he would most likely want to deny his involvement.

a. Most senior block captains were Aryan so he would not be interested in Passover.

Why was there little evidence of the 120,000 people who had been killed at Babi Yar? a. The Nazis built huge ovens to burn the bodies. b. The bodies had been transported to Siberia afterwards. c. No one was really killed there as the Nazis said. d. The bodies were buried deep into the Russian permafrost

a. The Nazis built huge ovens to burn the bodies.

International organizations supplied soup kitchens to feed the ghetto populations. What conclusion can be drawn from that effort? a. The conditions that Jews were being exposed to in the ghettos were not secret. b. Other countries did not know what the situation in Jewish ghettos was like. c. There was not prejudice against Jews internationally like there was in Germany. d. The German authorities did not allow interference by outside countries.

a. The conditions that Jews were being exposed to in the ghettos were not secret.

Which ghetto served as a public face of Nazi ghettos, accessible to the Red Cross for inspection? a. Thierenstadt ghetto b. Warsaw ghetto c. Lodz ghetto d. Vilna ghetto

a. Thierenstadt ghetto

As Eichmann began orchestrating the Final Solution, what was the FIRST step he took? a. deporting prisoners from the West to the Eastern concentration camps b. creating an area in Germany dedicated to extermination camps c. giving Einsatzgruppen permission to act within Germany's borders d. announcing the dissolution of the concentration camps in Germany

a. deporting prisoners from the West to the Eastern concentration camps

When the construction plans for Auschwitz were made, what was the original purpose for the camp? a. to house Soviet POWs b. as a women's concentration camp c. to manufacture weapons and tanks d. as a killing center for Jews

a. to house Soviet POWs

What was the original, unstated purpose of the Nazi-era ghettos? a. to use disease and overwork to reduce the Jewish population b. to prevent mixed marriages and the purity of the Polish race c. to provide a holding area for eventual transport to death camps d. to provide space for Poles who had been moved from the country

a. to use disease and overwork to reduce the Jewish population

Paul manages a shop that his family has owned for generations. With the Nazi occupation of Poland, Paul is informed that his family's business now belongs to Kuba, a Polish businessman he has known for many years. According to the new policy, what can Kuba now decide? a. whether Paul can work for him as an employee b. whether Paul should be sent to the ghetto or not c. whether the business is still Paul's or not d. whether Paul's family must leave their home or not

a. whether Paul can work for him as an employee

As Daniel and the other Jews depart from the cramped train they have been standing in for hours at Sobibor extermination camp, most are immediately sent to the gas chambers. Daniel is pulled aside, and the guard tells him that there is an assignment for him here in the camp. For what purpose is Daniel MOST likely spared from immediate execution? a. Daniel will be used as a decoy for any inspectors that want to see the inmates. b. Daniel will likely be used to sort belongings of those killed or to bury bodies. c. Daniel will be put to work building shelters and huts to house prisoners. d. Daniel will likely be given the assignment of buying food from the nearby village.

b. Daniel will likely be used to sort belongings of those killed or to bury bodies.

Besides any Jewish citizens listening to Hitler giving his Reichstag speech, who else should have been alarmed at his announcements? a. Nazi officials b. European rulers c. German businessmen d. the Catholic Pope

b. European rulers

After the war is over, Franz gives an interview about his time at the camps. He explains that he was part of Sonderkommando who worked to sort through belongings of Jewish prisoners sent to the gas chambers. Considering his work during the Holocaust, in which article would Franz's story MOST likely be featured? a. The SS Was My Future b. I Worked to Survive c. Rising as a Nazi Administrator d. Performing Surgeries in the Camp

b. I Worked to Survive

How did the addition of disrobing rooms attached to the showers affect the extermination process? a. It allowed families to stay together until the end. b. It ended the panic that often broke out in the tube. c. It made sorting through their belongings easier. d. It kept soldiers and bystanders from seeing.

b. It ended the panic that often broke out in the tube.

If you had a special skill, you might be spared the immediate selection for the gas chamber. Which prisoner would LEAST likely be set aside to help at the camp? a. Magda, age 20, who was a seamstress by trade b. Klaus, a 78-year-old milkman from a small village c. Hermann, a 41-year-old barber from Warsaw d. Eliza, age 31, a doctor from northern France

b. Klaus, a 78-year-old milkman from a small village

Of the 300 prisoners who escaped from Sobibor, 150 managed to survive until the end of the war. Since they had been Sonderkommando, it is likely that these prisoners were weak from extreme labor. What MOST likely led to the survival of some after their escape? a. They were able to band together and hold off the SS forces with weapons. b. Local citizens must have hidden or fed them during their escape. c. They used survival skills to make it alone in the countryside. d. SS guards most likely smuggled some of them to safety.

b. Local citizens must have hidden or fed them during their escape.

Anna is recounting her time during the Nazi's rule. She discusses how the laws began to separate Jews from non-Jews. Anna discusses the first time her mother had to sew a yellow star of David on her shirt. She says that her area was the first to require this marking on Jews to identify themselves. Later, this marking would be clearly visible on the uniforms of thousands of concentration camp prisoners. From which country did Anna MOST likely hail? a. Germany b. Poland c. Austria d. Rome

b. Poland

The Warsaw ghetto had existed peacefully for a couple of years but then had a large uprising in 1943. What MOST likely contributed to the change? a. Residents were getting tired of being held captive within the walls. b. Residents began to understand that the next stop was the death camps. c. Local Polish non-Jews rallied to help free their countrymen from the ghettos. d. Residents decided to strike in order to get higher food rations

b. Residents began to understand that the next stop was the death camps.

Although the Allied forces fought Germany, their motive was not to free the Jews held captive in concentration camps. Which fact would support this idea? a. When Allied forces liberated the camps, they only rescued non-Jews. b. The Allies knew about mass killings in Poland as early as 1942. c. The invasion of Poland put Nazi forces right at the border of Britain. d. Concentration camps were kept so secret that even German citizens didn't know.

b. The Allies knew about mass killings in Poland as early as 1942.

The work in the quarries and factories was dangerous and since prisoners were not given adequate food or nutrition, there were frequently worker deaths. What is MOST likely the reason that business owners did not worry about improving work conditions for their workers? a. No one was complaining about the conditions. b. There were plenty of new prisoners every day. c. The SS guards did not inspect the work conditions. d. They did not know about the worker's deaths.

b. There were plenty of new prisoners every day.

Why were Jews traditionally discriminated against in ancient times? a. They did not look the same as the people around them. b. They did not worship many gods or emperors. c. They were known to be a mean, aggressive people. d. They came from a land far away from everyone else

b. They did not worship many gods or emperors.

With the idea of building their master, or Aryan, race, Germans forbade marriage between Jews and non-Jews. How did they handle the possibility of defects within their own race? a. They did not acknowledge any defects in their own race. b. They forced sterilization on anyone with a perceived defect. c. Nazi scientists worked to isolate any genetic defect and fix it. d. Citizens had to get a permit in order to have a child

b. They forced sterilization on anyone with a perceived defect.

As the Nazis realized that they were going to need much bigger facilities to house all of their prisoners, for example at the Dachau concentration camp, they were also pouring money into the armament in preparation for war. How would they be able to afford building and expanding the concentration camp facilities? a. They would use funds that had been taken from Jewish businesses. b. They used the inmates as free labor to deconstruct and rebuild the camps. c. They appealed to all German citizens to donate to the effort. d. They took money that had been set aside for social services to build the camps.

b. They used the inmates as free labor to deconstruct and rebuild the camps.

Why were railway authorities not present at the Wannsee Conference? a. They were unnecessary. b. Transportation plans were already in place. c. German and other Western European Jews had already been transported east. d. Western Jews were exempted from the Final Solution.

b. Transportation plans were already in place.

Bernard knew something was changing. Instead of heading to work after roll call, he and the other prisoners in his barrack were ordered into lines. With guards in front of them and guards to the rear, Bernard hesitantly marched along with his fellow prisoners right out of the gates of Auschwitz. The guards shouted to them to face forward but Bernard could not help but take a look around. He could only see lines and lines of prisoners, marching west. Bernard would estimate that there were 50,000 individuals being slowly forced across Poland. Before they reached their destination, how many of Bernard's fellow prisoners would likely die? a. only a few b. almost a third c. about half d. all of them

b. almost a third

Seeing the plight of the Jews who were refugees caught between the borders of Germany and Poland, what did one Jewish citizen in Paris decide to do? a. offer relief in the form of free passage to France b. assassinate a Nazi official in protest c. plead with the French government to accept the refugees d. found an underground resistance movement

b. assassinate a Nazi official in protest

What BEST describes the conditions of most prisoners as they arrived at the concentration camps? a. healthy and able to work b. beaten and starved c. already sanitized and shaved d. well cared for

b. beaten and starved

Even though the first camps that were close to the Russian's advancing forces were liquidated, for what reason did Himmler choose to evacuate Auschwitz instead? a. because he couldn't liquidate all the prisoners in time b. because he thought he could still use the prisoners as pawns c. because he received orders from Hitler to evacuate all other camps d. because the prisoners had blown up the gas chambers

b. because he thought he could still use the prisoners as pawns

As the Allied forces approached a camp, what was the Nazi solution? a. free the prisoners as long as they promised not to testify b. liquidate the camp by killing prisoners and burning buildings c. send troops to the camp to defend it from being taken d. dig underground tunnels for the prisoners to hide in

b. liquidate the camp by killing prisoners and burning buildings

Later, during the subsequent Nuremberg Trials, Nazi cabinet members would be faced with evidence that they knew about the Final Solution. From where would the evidence of their knowledge MOST likely come from? a. communications between Hitler and the officials detailing the gas chambers b. the protocol ordered by Eichmann and Heydrich of the Wannsee Conference c. personal letters and diaries that each kept of the acts they committed during the war d. notes that had been recorded by Himmler during the Munich Agreement

b. the protocol ordered by Eichmann and Heydrich of the Wannsee Conference

President Hindenburg pushed for the institution of the Reichstag Fire Decree in response to a Communist act toward the state building. What may have been the outcome if the Reichstag Fire Decree had not been instituted, suspending judicial process for political opponents? a. Hitler would likely have won the presidency in the next German election. b. The president would have been assassinated by agents from the Soviet Union. c. Another political party may have survived to push back against the Nazis. d. Citizens of Germany might have had their rights to a fair trial jeopardized.

c. Another political party may have survived to push back against the Nazis.

Hans has been a guard at Buchenwald for five years now. He hears about the construction of new camps, such as Treblinka 2 and Sobibor. He hears that a position in one of these camps could be especially good for career advancement. How would things have changed for Hans if he had transferred to Treblinka 2? a. Treblinka 2 was a work camp and the officials reported to a different branch of the SS. b. The guards at Treblinka 2 were not a part of the SS but were considered military soldiers. c. Camps like Treblinka 2 were for extermination, and officials there reported directly to Hitler. d. Treblinka 2 reported to the German government in Poland, so guards were paid with land.

c. Camps like Treblinka 2 were for extermination, and officials there reported directly to Hitler.

Joseph is 14 years old. He has lived in Warsaw, Poland, his whole life. Now that it is 1939 and the Nazis have taken over, Joseph is told that he must always identify himself as a Jew to protect other citizens. How is Joseph to do this? a. He must sew a yellow Star of David on his clothing. b. He must shout 'Jew' wherever he goes in town. c. He must wear a white armband with a blue Star of David. d. He must wear a blue fringe at the bottom of his shirt

c. He must wear a white armband with a blue Star of David.

Later, when the trials of the Nazis commenced to hold them accountable for crimes such as the death march, most defendants attempted to use the excuse that they were following orders from higher up. If these defendants had their way, who should be the only one held responsible for the death march? a. Adolf Hitler b. Rudolf Hoess c. Heinrich Himmler d. Hermann Goering

c. Heinrich Himmler

What conclusions can be drawn from the famous poem written by Martin Niemoller? a. Only Jewish people were ever at risk under the Nazi rule. b. While Jews had no one to protect them, Hitler was going to pay for persecuting Protestants. c. Many failed to speak against the Nazis until it impacted their own lives. d. Niemoller had always been opposed to the Nazis and their actions.

c. Many failed to speak against the Nazis until it impacted their own lives.

What conclusion might be drawn from the fact that the SS was put in charge of guarding the concentration camps? a. The SS were the only trained military that Germany had available. b. Members of the SS were not trained military, so they were more useful as guards. c. Members of the SS were staunch believers in the Nazi ideology and loyally followed Hitler. d. The SS were looked down on and given the worst assignment of guarding the Jews.

c. Members of the SS were staunch believers in the Nazi ideology and loyally followed Hitler.

Why did Nazi authorities like the Madagascar Plan better than the idea of settling the Jews in Poland? a. The Madagascar Plan would take less personnel to implement. b. The Madagascar Plan was a more humane solution. c. The Madagascar Plan got the Jews out of Europe completely. d. The Madagascar Plan was approved by the Judenrat.

c. The Madagascar Plan got the Jews out of Europe completely.

What does the establishment of the Office to Combat Homosexuality and Abortion indicate about the ultimate goal of the Nazi party? a. The Nazis hated everyone different from themselves. b. The Nazis worried that homosexuals would fight to save the Jews. c. The Nazis wanted the Aryan race to grow in numbers. d. The Nazis had standards that they based on the Bible

c. The Nazis wanted the Aryan race to grow in numbers.

How is the Muslim practice of kneeling over in prayer related to the term Muselmanner? a. The children selected for medical experimentation would pray to escape the terrible treatment of the doctors. b. The individuals who worked with the dead would say a special prayer over them as they piled them up for cremation. c. The dying individuals in the camp would walk bent over, and it reminded the Nazis of Muslims. d. Muslims who were sent to the camps were derided for trying to keep up their daily call to prayers.

c. The dying individuals in the camp would walk bent over, and it reminded the Nazis of Muslims.

How would you best characterize the words Judenhass and Juden-frei? a. They are terms used to describe Jews that are opposite in meaning. b. They are terms used to describe Jews and they mean exactly the same thing. c. They both express anti-Semitic sentiments. d. They are related to supporting Jewish people's religious freedom.

c. They both express anti-Semitic sentiments.

How were some of the 29 survivors of Babi Yar able to get past the Einsatzgruppen? a. They bribed the soldiers with jewels and cash. b. They fled to a nearby farm and hid in a barn. c. They pretended to be dead along with other bodies. d. They were not wearing the Star of David

c. They pretended to be dead along with other bodies.

How did the death march end for those in the Stutthof camp? a. They were taken to Bergen-Belsen for holding. b. They became lost in the wilderness and disappeared. c. They were driven towards the Baltic Sea and shot. d. They were greeted at the border by French and American troops.

c. They were driven towards the Baltic Sea and shot.

Prior to the establishment of the extermination camps, which prisoner had the LEAST likely hope of surviving in the camp? a. Kezia, 38-year old Roma seamstress b. Simon, 12 years old and very tall for his age c. Walter, age 26, who was born with Down's syndrome d. Jürgen, 40-year-old former opposition party leader

c. Walter, age 26, who was born with Down's syndrome

What BEST describes the policy of Aryanization? a. a series of reproductive policies to encourage a high Aryan birth rate b. forced movement of Jewish populations into specific neighborhoods c. boycotts and policies encouraging Jews to sell businesses to Aryan owners d. laws banning Jews from certain places and jobs

c. boycotts and policies encouraging Jews to sell businesses to Aryan owners

Anti-Semitism began during which time period? a. during the rise of the Nazi party b. the 19th century c. in ancient Rome d. in Ancient Greece

c. in ancient Rome

What disagreement was there among attendees of the Wannsee Conference? a. whether the Jews should be sent to Madagascar or not b. who would be able to take the property confiscated from Jews c. who qualified as a Jew and who did not d. whether gas vans or mass shootings were more efficient

c. who qualified as a Jew and who did not

After Germany was made to sign the Treaty of Versailles, the German economy was under a huge amount of strain. How much did the Allies demand German citizens repay for their part in the First World War? a. $1 billion b. $10 billion c. $13 billion d. $33 billion

d. $33 billion

How long were poor, physically emaciated Jewish resistance fighters able to hold off the Nazi army during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising? a. 28 hours b. 3 days c. 1 week d. 27 days

d. 27 days

Daniel's family has owned a jewelry store in a town in Germany for many generations. Daniel can see that the attitudes of the townspeople are changing when it comes to Jews. He watched as bricks were thrown through his storefront windows during Kristallnacht. Daniel wants to take his family and go to America. When he begins to make inquiries about depositing his money into American banks what will Daniel MOST likely find? a. American banks will refuse to accept Daniel's money. b. Daniel's German bank will have already closed because of the Depression. c. Daniel's money will be transferred quickly to American banking systems. d. Daniel can only transfer a small amount of money out of Germany

d. Daniel can only transfer a small amount of money out of Germany

How did Chelmno differ from later Operation Reinhard installations? a. It had no crematoria. b. It was a work camp. c. It housed Soviet prisoners of war. d. It relied on mobile gas vans to kill prisoners.

d. It relied on mobile gas vans to kill prisoners.

In what Russian city did the Nazis find a population of over 175,000 Jews? a. St Petersburg b. Moscow c. Volgograd d. Kiev

d. Kiev

It is 1937 and Anna has been arrested for her part in publishing an anti-Nazi underground newspaper. Anna is arrested by the Gestapo and, without a trial, sent for detainment in a concentration camp. To which camp will Anna MOST likely be sent? a. Dachau b. Sachsenhausen c. Buchenwald d. Lichtenburg

d. Lichtenburg

Who were the first known peoples to call themselves arya? a. Vikings from the north b. Mongols who invaded Europe c. Nazis in the 20th century d. Persian or Indian people

d. Persian or Indian people

After working in Bergen-Belsen for 14 months, Gerda is told to get on a train. Her fellow prisoners are all nervous as they are packed in, wondering if they are headed to another ghetto or a work camp. One of the guards laughs, asking them if they have heard of Treblinka. A hush goes through the packed train, as the prisoners shiver together. Thinking of the purpose that Nazis have for Treblinka, what will MOST likely happen to Gerda at the end of this train journey? a. She will be sent home. b. She will be put to work in a quarry. c. She will be held until being sent on to another camp. d. She will be killed.

d. She will be killed.

Benjamin has been imprisoned at Dachau and works on a building crew. He is singled out by the guards who tell him that the commandant requires work on his own house. Benjamin is to report to work immediately. Who is MOST likely the man that Benjamin will now work for? a. Heinrich Himmler b. Josef Mengele c. Rudolf Hoess d. Theodor Eicke

d. Theodor Eicke

Why did some members of the Nazi party question Eicke's appointment? a. He was illiterate. b. He had not been a Nazi long enough. c. They believed he was weak-willed. d. They questioned his sanity.

d. They questioned his sanity.

What reason did Ella Lingens give for the inaction of most local Polish citizens around Auschwitz? a. They were also prejudiced against the Jews. b. They were making money off free slave labor. c. They did not know what was happening. d. They were afraid to speak up for the Jews.

d. They were afraid to speak up for the Jews.

What was the purpose of doctors such as Josef Mengele in the camps? a. They were to make sure that any pregnant inmates delivered safely. b. They were there to treat work related injuries. c. They were to keep the typhus and other infection rate down. d. They were experimenting on prisoners.

d. They were experimenting on prisoners.

Although the einsatzgruppen had been successful in shooting large groups of people, Christian Wirth knew that the Germans could never shoot the number of Jews they needed to. How did the plan he implemented help speed up the Final Solution? a. Wirth oversaw the building of mobile gas vans, used to quickly kill prisoners during transport without a need for housing them. b. Wirth ordered the building of trains that could fit hundreds of people, outfitted with carbon monoxide canisters c. Wirth contracted with a chemical company to begin construction on gas chambers operated by Zyklon B. d. Wirth designed permanent gas chambers that would be powered by internal combustion engines.

d. Wirth designed permanent gas chambers that would be powered by internal combustion engines.

Which fact could be used to elaborate on the reason that Rudolf Hoess chose to use Zyklon B instead of carbon monoxide in the newly constructed gas chambers of Auschwitz? a. Zyklon B was made to be used in a smaller chamber, causing less suspicion as fewer prisoners were executed at once. b. Zyklon B was less expensive than carbon monoxide, leaving money in the budget for a zoo and playground for his children. c. Zyklon B worked faster than carbon monoxide, allowing camp guards to clear the chambers more quickly. d. Zyklon B could be dispersed in a large chamber, allowing for the execution of more prisoners at a time.

d. Zyklon B could be dispersed in a large chamber, allowing for the execution of more prisoners at a time.

At what point in the process did the realization hit for many prisoners that they were about to be executed? a. as they were loaded into trains bound for the camp b. as they were unloaded from the trains at the camp c. as they were told to undress and hand over valuables d. as the guards used whips to drive them in the tube

d. as the guards used whips to drive them in the tube

According to Globocnik, Operation Reinhard filled four goals or purposes. Two focused on disposing of the Jews themselves. What did the other two focus on? a. getting rid of the evidence b. getting rid of Roma and others c. resettling new German-Aryan families d. taking the possessions of the Jews

d. taking the possessions of the Jews