"Propaganda attempts to force a doctrine on the whole people... Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea." Adolf Hitler wrote these words in his book Mein Kampf (1926), in which he first advocated the use of propaganda to spread the ideals of National Socialism--among them racism, anti-Semitism, and anti-Bolshevism.
At the core of the Holocaust we find modern anti-Semitism, the current version of Jew Hatred - that same phenomenon which appeared throughout the centuries, perhaps finding its most blatant manifestation with the medieval Church. The modern German anti-Semitism was based on racial ideology which stated that the Jews were sub-human (untermensch) while the“Aryan” race was ultimately superior. The Jew was systematically portrayed as a low-life, as untouchable rot (faulniserscheinung), and as the main cause of Germany's difficulties
The Nazi ideal of a “community of the people” tapped into German traditions that lauded social harmony over conflict and in addition valued hard work, clean living, and law and order. For the Nazis, this idealized community could never see the light of day unless it was based on racial purity. To this end, the new regime set out to mobilize the nation around certain missions, including the elimination of recognizable social types (and stereotypes) who disturbed the peace or who did not conform to well-established German values, but also those who did not fit into the white “Aryan” race.
Auschwitz: Inside the Gas Chambers
Death of the people inside the gas chamber occurred after a few minutes as a result of internal suffocation caused by the prussic acid halting the exchange of oxygen between the blood and tissues.
Those standing near the shafts died almost instantly, those who shouted, the old, the sick and children also died a quicker death.
In order to ensure that no one remained alive, the gas chamber was not opened until half an hour had elapsed. In periods when the pressure of incoming transports was particularly intense, the gassing time was shortened to ten minutes.
Most of the corpses were found near the door through which the victims had tried to escape from the spreading gas. The corpses, which covered the entire floor of the gas chamber, had their knees half bent, and were often cloven together. The bodies were smeared with excrement, vomit and blood. The skin assumed a pink hue.
According to Hitler’s plans, the Jews of Poland were to be quickly exterminated, and then their property and possessions were to be exploited for the good of the Reich. But conditions soon necessitated the injection of a new element into the plan – the exploitation of Jewish labour. The SS did not despair at being thwarted from their final goal. Not only did they rent out Jews to industry and to the military, but they conceived of a plan to exploit Jewish labour themselves so the SS could become economically independent of both state and party. Besides using Jewish labour in SS industries, they exploited Jewish property and possessions. That far sighted enterprise enabled the SS to become a state within a state, industrially and economically, as well as politically and militarily. Himmler entrusted the development of the SS industry to Amstgruppe W of the WVHA, which was headed by fanatical Nazis, like Oswald Pohl, who had transformed themselves into ruthless businessmen.
First the Jews of Poland were deported from the large ghettos where they had been concentrated – second the majority were killed – third the labour of the remaining Jews was utilised for private and SS industries and fourth , Jewish labour was used to exploit Jewish personal property.
And the two major centres for the exploitation of that labour were Majdanek and Auschwitz.. It was Majdanek and its sub –camp at the Old Airfield that received the bulk of the Jewish possessions within Poland. Every watch, gold fountain pen and pair of shoes represented a dead man, women or child – and monetary profit for the SS.
On 26 September 1942 SS General Frank issued basic instructions to the WVHA agents in Majdanek and Auschwitz on the utilisation of property resulting from the resettlement of the Jewish population.
Prior to December 1943 the WVHA collected primarily at Majdanek / Lublin Old Airfield personal property of Jews in the Lublin area alone valued at more than 180 million Reichmarks- or at the exchange rate of 2.5 $72 million. That figure included foreign currency of forty-eight countries, with $1 million in US money.
Much of the money went into a revolving account used to finance SS economic enterprises.
Remembering The Holocaust
Learn About The Facts About The Biggest Genocide In The History Of Man
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