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Classroom Handouts Handouts Classroom Handouts Handouts 1. Lesson One: And Introduction to the Holocaust in Hungary • Timeline of Antisemitism in Hungary from 1349 -1900 • Choosing Sides 2. Lesson Two: Collaborate or Resist • Vocabulary • Activity One: Choices and Consequences - Events • Activity One: Choices and Consequences - Evaluation • Activity Two: Resistance and Levers of Power/The White Rose and the Jewish Partisans 3. Lesson Three: Friendships in the Camps • Hope and Resistance • Saying Thank You 4. Lesson Four: • No handouts 5. Lesson Five: The Value of Oral History • Family Oral History Project • Family Oral History Project Evaluation 6. Lesson Six: Victim or Survivor? It’s All in the Word • Activity One: Words Have Power Lesson One: An Introduction to the Holocaust in Hungary Timeline of antisemitistism in Hungary from 1349-1900 1349 – 1480 - Jews expelled from Hungary and blamed for the Black Plague and for refusing to convert to Catholicism. They were eventually allowed to return once the disease passed and when Hungary needed their money (Jews paid an extra tax) and skills. 1490s – Christian Hungarians stole property, money, and goods from Jewish families. The government did nothing to stop them and imposed heavy taxes on Jewish land and business owners. 1500s – The Ottoman Empire conquers Hungary. Ottoman leaders resettle Jewish communities throughout the empire. Some rulers evict all Jews from their provinces while others tax them double the rate of non- Jews. Under Ottoman rule, it is illegal to “harbor” (be friends with, give shelter to) Jews or do any business with them. 1600s – New laws passed by the Ottoman rulers put a double tax on Jews and forbid them from any agricul- tural work, owning real estate, or hiring Christian servants. 1700s – Charles III, who ruled the Austrian province of Hungary, decreed that Jews could only have one child per household. Under the rule of Maria Theresa, Jews were removed from many more cities and towns, taxed at a rate two to three times that of other citizens, and owed an extra tax directly to the queen at the end of every year. Joseph II (Maria’s son), cancels all the oppressive laws against the Jews. However, he also requires all Jews to choose and use a Germanic last name, establish Jewish schools that teach the same curriculum as the nation- al schools, hire Christian teachers for their schools, wait 10 years after attending a school to open a business or start a trade, and serve in the military. Marriage between Jews and non-Jews is still forbidden. 1800 - 1867 – An outbreak of antisemitic riots and demonstrations spread across Hungary during the Hun- garian Revolution. The attacks are directed against Jewish homes, property, and Jewish people. 1867 – The Austro-Hungarian Empire becomes Austria-Hungary. The Hungarian government is granted full governing power over its diverse population. Many ethnic groups are given more rights and Hungarian Jews are granted equal rights under the law. Jewish men may now serve in the government and other jobs denied to them for years. Several Hungarian leaders, afraid that Jews will actually become equal citizens, begin to spread antisemitic ideas in their speeches and in writing. 1879 – The Parliament opens a debate about allowing intermarriage between Catholics and Jews, which was illegal at that time in Hungary. Leaders in the Catholic church, on a national and local level, begin to preach and teach antisemitic ideas. They warn their followers about the dangers of mixing with Jews.1 Intermar- riage is not allowed. 1882 – Two young Jewish men are accused of ritual murder of a young Christian girl, which was a lie. When they are found not guilty, anti-Jewish riots break out across Hungary. This leads to the establishment of an antisemitic political party which gains many followers and a petition to the government to stop Jewish im- migration.1 1.https://events.ceu.edu/2020-02-26/numerus-clausus-hungary-antisemitism-gender-and-exile-hun- dred-years I Danced for the Angel of Death Handouts Lesson One: An Introduction to the Holocaust in Hungary Choosing Sides As with every major event in histo- would support Austria-Hungary if ry, there is a backstory to Hungary’s they went to war. Russia promised choice to ally itself with the Nazis the same to Serbia. On July 28, 1914 in World War II. Events and choic- Austria-Hungary chose to declare es prior to World War II paved the war on Serbia. On August 1, Ger- way that led to Hungary’s collabo- many chose to declare war on Rus- ration. Here is the brief summary of sia and World War I began. those choices. Four years into the war, in March Before World War I, Hungary was of 1918, Russia left the war due to part of Austria-Hungary, an empire revolutions in Russia. The Allied composed of many different ethnic- forces made steady gains and in ities who identified more with their October, the Turks surrendered. On ethnic and cultural origins (Serbi- November 4, influenced by internal an, Croatian, Romanian, etc.) than uprisings, Austria-Hungary chose with the Austro-Hungarian Em- to sign an armistice. On November pire. The choice to maintain these 11, Germany was forced to sign an identities led to internal struggles as armistice and “the War to end all well as difficult confrontations with wars” came to an end. neighboring nations. One of these countries was Serbia. One of the After World War I, the Treaty of Ver- political groups in Serbia chose to sailles took effect and Austria-Hun- “In the end, we will re- commit an act of violence, hoping to gary became two countries. The member not the words gain the part of Austria-Hungary in world leaders who wrote the terms of our enemies, but the which many ethnic Serbians lived. of the treaty intentionally chose to silence of our friends.” This group assassinated Archduke punish Hungary and Germany by Franz Ferdinand (of Austria-Hun- removing land and much more. Martin Luther King Jr. gary). Hungary lost ⅔ of its territory as well as 50% of its multiethnic pop- At that time, Russia was an ally of ulation. Germany lost 13% of its Serbia and Germany was an ally land and a tenth of its population.1 of Austria-Hungary. After the as- Communities and families were sassination, the government of broken apart. A German narrative Austria-Hungary wanted to go to blamed the Jews for the loss of the war with Serbia but did not have war. This idea spread to many other the resources to fight a awar on countries, including Hungary. their own. Germany sent word they I Danced for the Angel of Death Handouts Lesson One: An Introduction to the Holocaust in Hungary Choosing Sides Continued After the war, Miklos Horthy Between 1941 and 1944 the 1. German territorial losses, took power in Hungary and be- Horthy government chose to Treaty of Versailles, 1919 | Ho- gan a military crackdown tar- stop sending Jews to the Nazi locaust Encyclopedia (ushmm. geting Jews and other counter- camps in the east. Instead, org) 2.https://events.ceu.edu/2020- revolutionaries. He approved they chose to use Jewish men 02-26/numerus-clausus-hun- of a new law that limited the as forced laborers within the gary-antisemitism-gen- number of Jewish students country and in the military. der-and-exile-hundred-years who could attend Universi- These laborers performed the 3.https://www.theholocaust- ties. Thousands of Hungarian most dangerous and difficult explained.org/life-in-na- Jewish students fled to oth- work without pay and with zi-occupied-europe/occupa- er countries to continue their little food or rest. Many were tion-case-studies/hungary/ studies.2 In 1938 the Hungar- worked to death. ian government chose to pass In March, 1944, Miklos Horthy more antisemitic laws, inspired realized that the Allies would by those enacted in Nazi Ger- win the war. He hoped to turn many. (By 1944, over 300 an- the story of “Hungary as a part- ti-Jewish laws were passed). ner to the Nazis” into “Hungary as a victim of the Nazis,” so he By 1940, the Nazis annexed chose to stop cooperating with Austria and invaded Czecho- the Nazis. The Nazis then took slovakia. As a result, Hungary military control of the country. regained some of the territo- Horthy stayed in power and ry it lost after WWI. Miklos helped to appoint new, more Horthy chose to ally Hungary Nazi-friendly, government of- with Nazi Germany in the war ficials. because he saw benefits for his country. Rather than appoint Between May and July, 1944, a new leader, Hitler allowed thousands of Hungarian gov- Horthy and his government to ernment officials, military and remain. Hitler told the Hun- police, chose to help with the garian government to decide deportation of 437,402 Hun- how to deal with “the Jewish garian Jews, primarily to Aus- problem.” During the next six chwitz where almost all of months, 20,000 Jews were de- them were murdered.3 ported to Ukraine and killed. I Danced for the Angel of Death Handouts Lesson Two: Collaborate or Resist Lesson Two Vocabulary Perpetrator - a person who performs a harmful or immoral act, particularly against another person or groups of persons. During the Holocuast, perpetrators were the Nazis and any person who committed acts of violence against targeted groups. Collaborator - a person who supports a system, group, or individual working on a proj- ect or activity. During the Holocaust, the term collaborator refers to a person who sup- ported the projects or activities related to the persecution and murder of Jews and other group sof ‘undesireables.’ Collaborators often did not commit acts of violence, but made those acts possible.
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