SECTION 1: Beginnings
The Nazis were not the creators of Jewish ghettos. In fact, ghettos were created during midieval times. In most midieval ghettos, Jewish residents were mostly able to center an exit the ghettos freely. Although, there were many rullers who put fierce restrictions on the inhabitants of the ghettos. For example, from 1648-1656, Bogdan Chmielnicki killed approximately 500,000 Jews. After Czar Alexander II was assasinated in 1881, Polish Jews were victim to harsh violence. Thus, many Jews emigrated to western Europe.
The first ghetto created by the Nazis was constructed in October 1939, in Trybunalski, Poland. In the Germans' eyes, Jewish ghettos were not meant for long term containment. They believed the ghettos were only temporary places to hold the Jews until the could be transported by train to concentration camps.
SECTION 2: Event
Life in the Jewish ghettos of World War II was very difficuilt. Often, the ghettos had terrible sanitation, medical supplies and facitilites, food, and housing. One surivor described the ghettos as "a prison without a roof". Those who perished in the ghettos most commonly died from starvation or executions. Less people died in the ghettos trather than in concentration simply because the ghettos were only temporary holding places.
The ghettos were very orderly, highly protected, and highly policed places. Upon the creation of a ghetto, the Nazis would create a council of Jews known as the Judernate, to oversee day to day activities. A Jewish police force was also put in place in the ghettos. They were meant to enforce rules and act as though a normal police force would. Often, the nazis believed that the police force was not doing satisfactory work and would often execute members of the Jewish Police.
With such great restrictions put upon the Jews in the ghettos, many ghettos formed underground resistance groups. These groups would often smuggle weapons, food, and medical supplies into the ghettos. They would also gather intelligence and sometimes sabotage the Nazi war machine. Allthough, the more the resisitance pushed the Nazis, the more the Nazis pushed back.
With all the hardships the residents endured, one would thing that there would have been many revolts to overthrow the Nazi oppressers. In fact, there were many uprisings and revolts. The most famous and most succesful was the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in the spring of 1943. Heinrich Himmler claimed in January 1943 that as a birthday present for Hitler, he would dispose of all Jews in the Warsaw ghetto by April of that same year. The revolt started in late March, 1943, when 1,500 Jews overrran the Nazis and forced them to retreat. This would be the only victory for the Jews during the revolt. Nearly a month of fighting continued until the ghetto was bombarded into submission. When all the smoke had cleared, only about 100 of the original 330,000 residents were still there. By the end of the conflict, the ghetto had been completely destroyed.
SECTION 3: Results
The legacy of the ghettos of World War II is unforgettable. From the origins dating back hundreds of years all the way to the infamous ghettos created by the Nazis, the thought of such hatred towards one race is unbelieveable. Incredible stories of heroism, pain, courage, and death are only known by the survivors of these terrible ghettos.
NAME: Nick Cundari
SECTION 1: Beginnings
The Nazis were not the creators of Jewish ghettos. In fact, ghettos were created during midieval times. In most midieval ghettos, Jewish residents were mostly able to center an exit the ghettos freely. Although, there were many rullers who put fierce restrictions on the inhabitants of the ghettos. For example, from 1648-1656, Bogdan Chmielnicki killed approximately 500,000 Jews. After Czar Alexander II was assasinated in 1881, Polish Jews were victim to harsh violence. Thus, many Jews emigrated to western Europe.
The first ghetto created by the Nazis was constructed in October 1939, in Trybunalski, Poland. In the Germans' eyes, Jewish ghettos were not meant for long term containment. They believed the ghettos were only temporary places to hold the Jews until the could be transported by train to concentration camps.
SECTION 2: Event
Life in the Jewish ghettos of World War II was very difficuilt. Often, the ghettos had terrible sanitation, medical supplies and facitilites, food, and housing. One surivor described the ghettos as "a prison without a roof". Those who perished in the ghettos most commonly died from starvation or executions. Less people died in the ghettos trather than in concentration simply because the ghettos were only temporary holding places.
The ghettos were very orderly, highly protected, and highly policed places. Upon the creation of a ghetto, the Nazis would create a council of Jews known as the Judernate, to oversee day to day activities. A Jewish police force was also put in place in the ghettos. They were meant to enforce rules and act as though a normal police force would. Often, the nazis believed that the police force was not doing satisfactory work and would often execute members of the Jewish Police.
With such great restrictions put upon the Jews in the ghettos, many ghettos formed underground resistance groups. These groups would often smuggle weapons, food, and medical supplies into the ghettos. They would also gather intelligence and sometimes sabotage the Nazi war machine. Allthough, the more the resisitance pushed the Nazis, the more the Nazis pushed back.
With all the hardships the residents endured, one would thing that there would have been many revolts to overthrow the Nazi oppressers. In fact, there were many uprisings and revolts. The most famous and most succesful was the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in the spring of 1943. Heinrich Himmler claimed in January 1943 that as a birthday present for Hitler, he would dispose of all Jews in the Warsaw ghetto by April of that same year. The revolt started in late March, 1943, when 1,500 Jews overrran the Nazis and forced them to retreat. This would be the only victory for the Jews during the revolt. Nearly a month of fighting continued until the ghetto was bombarded into submission. When all the smoke had cleared, only about 100 of the original 330,000 residents were still there. By the end of the conflict, the ghetto had been completely destroyed.
SECTION 3: Results
The legacy of the ghettos of World War II is unforgettable. From the origins dating back hundreds of years all the way to the infamous ghettos created by the Nazis, the thought of such hatred towards one race is unbelieveable. Incredible stories of heroism, pain, courage, and death are only known by the survivors of these terrible ghettos.