Exploration of the Art of Miriam Brysk for Lesson 2
Toward the Final Solution
In order to place the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising within the historical context of events of the Holocaust, here is some background material definitions of the first German attempts at dealing with the “Jewish Problem.” These passages are taken from a "Lecture: Toward the Final Solution" in the online curriculum Life Unworthy of Life.
| The First Solution: The so-called “first solution” to this problem was to remove Jews from the economy and to isolate them within Germany. An example of this was the Nuremburg Laws of 1935 that defined the Jewish “race” as anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent. These laws also designated Jews as “subjects” rather than “citizens” and forbad them from marrying non-Jews, have intercourse with non-Jews, or staying in hotels. Previous laws forbad Jew from serving in any government jobs like lawyers, public school teachers, postal workers, fireman, policeman, etc. |
| The Second Solution: The “second solution” was to expel Jew from Germany. In October of 1938, over 17,000 Jews in Germany were expelled to a Polish border town. Many other deportations of this kind occurred before 1939. |
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The Final Solution: The third or “final solution” was adopted in January of 1942 at the Wannsee Conference when it was decided that all the Jews of Europe and elsewhere would be annihilated and six extermination camps would be built for this purpose-Majdanek, Treblinka, Sobibor, Belzec, Chelmno and Birkenau. Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive. "Lecture: Toward the Final Solution." Life Unworthy of Life. |