Virtual Tour of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum

Name______

Go to: http://www.ushmm.org/

1. On the left-hand side, under “inside history,” click on, “Introduction to the Holocaust.” a. What is the Greek meaning of “the Holocaust?”

b. Other than Jews, what other groups were persecuted by the Nazi regime?

c. What was Hitler’s “Final Solution?”

2. Near the bottom of this page, scroll down and click on “View Historical Film Footage.” a. Define Einsatzgruppen.

b. How would it be possible for an entire town to be destroyed by this group?

c. Based on the video clip, where did each executed body fall?

d. Do you think executioners were affected emotionally by this style of execution? How do you think some executioners avoided guilt in this type of situation?

3. Click on the “Back” button. On the left-hand side, under “Related Links,” click on, “USHMM Mapping the Holocaust.” a. Scroll down to MAPPING THE HOLOCAUST: ANIMATED MAPS and choose the “View Map” link under “The Holocaust”. By May, 1945, ______out of every ______Jews in Europe had been exterminated. b. Click on “Start.” 1. Prewar Jewish European population______2. Postwar Jewish European population______3. In what country were the Nazi extermination camps located? ______4. What was the biggest extermination camp? ______

4. Close out of the animated map, and return to the site’s homepage. On the far left-hand side, scroll down to “Education.” Click on, “For Students.” -On the left, click on “Online Activities.” -In the middle section, click on “Online Exhibitions.” -Scroll down to “Silent Witness: The story of Lola Rein and her dress,” click on it. -Click on, “Enter Silent Witness Site.” -Click on, “Explore the Story.” Read Lola’s story. a. What happened to Lola’s dad?

b. What happened to Lola’s mother?

c. What is the one artifact that Lola had to remind her of her mother? Why do you think this artifact is especially important to Lola?

d. Describe the bridge that Lola hid under while waiting for her grandmother’s friend.

-What do you think she was thinking about while she was waiting by the bridge?

-What dangers were Lola’s rescuer facing when Lola was picked up at the bridge?

e. What difficulties did Lola experience while she was in hiding?

5. From the home page, click on the Holocaust Encyclopedia link (left side). Then, select the “What is Genocide?” link at the middle, bottom of the page. a. Define genocide.

b. Go back to the site’s main page and select the “more” button under the PREVENTING GENOCIDE heading at the top right. Mouse over the map on the right and click when the pop up box says “Darfur.”

c. What year did this genocide begin, and what country or group is forcing the genocide? When did the worst part of this action end?

d. What groups of people are the target of the genocide, and describe what is happening to them.

e. Compare and contrast the current examples of genocide in Darfur with the Nazi genocide of the Jews during the Holocaust.