Coming to Terms with the Holocaust

Lecture for Module 6: Coming to Terms with the Holocaust

My expectation: We have looked at Germany, Romania, the USSR and France and their responsibility in the Holocaust. You will gain a basic understanding about other governments and the Vatican in the Holocaust.

The questions I will ask for each country is

1. What background information is required?

2. What was the county’s record on anti-Semitism?

3. What was the country’s record in the Holocaust?

4. How did Jews survive?

Following the names of each country, I listed key historical figures and terms, as appropriate.

1- Finland

Answer the four question:

historical terms: the “Winter War” (Nov. 1939-June 1940), parallel war,

historical figures: Prime Minister Johann Wilhelm Rangell; Chief of the Finnish State Police Arno Anthoni

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2- Sweden

Answer the four question:

historical terms: a neutral country, Swedish Red Cross. Ravensbrueck Concentration Camp

historical figures: Raoul Wallenberg

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3- Norway

Answer the four question:

historical terms: government-in-exile

historical figures: King Haakon VII, Vidkun Quisling

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4- Denmark

Answer the four question:

historical terms: SS Race and Resettlement Office, Theresienstadt

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5- Italy

Answer the four question:

historical terms: Wehrmacht (German army), co-belligerent, the Republic of Salò, Racial Laws (1938)

“Führer” = “duce” = leader

historical figures: Benito Mussolini

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6- The Vatican (the seat of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide)

Answer the four question:

historical terms: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lateran Accords (1929), concordat, encyclical, ghetto, Venice (adj. Venetian), heretical, ghetto, the Reichskonkordat (Concordat between Germany and the Vatican – 1933), encyclical, Mit Brennender Sorge (1937), Kristallnacht (1938)

historical figures: Jorge Bergoglio (now, Pope Francis), Pius XI (1922-1939), Pius XII (1939-1958)

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7- The United States of America

Answer the four question:

historical terms: the “St. Louis” (May 1939), Bermuda Conference (April 1943)