What Is Yad Vashem's Response To The Justification Of The Nazi Holocaust

295 Words2 Pages

Throughout World War II from 1939-1945, many non-Jews risked their own lives to rebel against the actions and beliefs of the Nazi Holocaust. Although the majority of occupied Europe and Germany did not agree with the Nazi policies against Jews, they did very little to interfere and intervene as they knew it would lead to prosecution. This can be seen in both the extract from the Holocaust resource centre website, Yad Vashem (Yad Vashem, 2014), and a photograph taken in November of 1938 of residents in Nazi occupied Austria standing by and watching a Jewish cemetery ceremonial Hall burn (Documentation Centre of Australian Resistance, 2014).These sources both accurately depict how these bystanders were so terrified of the Nazi party and the power that they, that very few dared interfering as it would result in severe punishment. …show more content…

Though, not everybody accepted the Holocaust as they knew that a change needed to be made for these innocent people. This is evident in an extract for a letter written by Irena Sendler who was a nurse and social worker throughout World War II and saved over 2,500 Jews. The letter was read to the Polish parliament in 2007 and it states that “Every child saved with my help is the justification of my existence on this earth…” (Irena Sandler, 2014). This primary source depicts a very different approach to as it describes how Sendler recognized that whenever she saved somebody she was not only opposing the Nazi policies but also validating her life through her work. These who disagreed with the Nazi Holocaust and risked their lives for the Jewish community are considered ‘Righteous among the

More about What Is Yad Vashem's Response To The Justification Of The Nazi Holocaust