Definition/Brief History

Holocaust literally means a sacrificial offering that is consumed entirely by flames. It was the systematic killing of 6 million Jews and others by Nazis and their collaborators in 1939-1945 during WWII. The Nazis were led by Adolf Hitler. He sought to eliminate races he thought were inferior or politically dangerous. This included not only Jews, but Gypsies, communists, homosexuals, mentally retarded, physically disabled, and emotionally disturbed. Many people went into hiding to save their lives. Others were not so lucky and were sent to concentration camps where they were killed or forced into slave labor. Many were killed via gas chambers and then were cremated.

Keywords

The following is a list of words that could be used when searching for more information at your library or via databases. It is not all encompassing, but should lead you in the right direction. Remember to take you time typing and to spell correctly!  You may also want to try them with boolean expression/connector words such as "and", "not", or "or".

Holocaust                                World War II                                Hitler                                 Nazi Germany      Kindertransport                       Concentration Camps                 Gas Chambers                 Auschwitz
Anne Frank                              Holocaust Survivors                  Anti-Semitism                   Nazism
Children of the Holocaust        Genocide                                    Righteous Gentiles           Hitler Youth


Dewey Numbers

Most books about the Holocaust can be found in 940.53. You may also be able to find additional information  in 940.54 (World War) or 943.086 (Hitler). Specialized topics (literature/bibliographies) may be located in different areas; please consult a librarian/card catalog for help

Andrea Sowers, 02/18/08