The Final Solution was a plan to annihilate all Jews in Europe. Adolf Hitler was the leader of the Nazi party. He decided on the Final Solution in late 1941. It didn’t get into full gear until 1942. He ordered Adolf Eichmann to carry out the plan. Through the plan, Jews couldn’t wander the streets without a yellow star on their clothes. They couldn’t go except on out certain hours.
During the Holocaust most Jews were taken prisoners to the ghettoes or to Nazi party houses. Nazi party houses were old abandoned buildings where young Nazis would hang out, sleep, eat, and tell stories of their adventures. They also stored weapons, ammo, food, and stolen items. Prisoners were led on death marches to other camps. Hundreds of Jews died from exhaustion, illness, beatings, or were murdered on these marches.
Many organizations were established to help the Jews. The Zionist group helped Jews from the early1930s to the late 1940s. They gave Jews fake IDs, rescued prisoners, smuggled them into Romania, and set up homes to help hide them. Roual Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat who led a rescue operation in Hungary saved over one hundred thousand.
On April 4, all Jews had to move into designated buildings marked with a yellow star. If they didn’t go, they were shot or taken as prisoners. Kristallnacht happened in November 1938on Kristallnacht, the Jewish stores and homes were damaged, burned, and ransacked. The Jews had to repair most of the damaged.
In October of 1941, Fuhror quoted, “When we finally stamp out the plague, we shall have accomplished for man a deed whose significance our men out there on the battlefield cannot even imagine yet.” Fuhror was one of Hitler’s henchmen. In that same month, the Belzac extermination camp was constructed. Also, Zykon B was first used. A few months later, Auswitch, Sober, and Treblinka were established. Jews were transported and gassed at these camps.
On January 20, 1942, the Wannsee Conference took place. This is where Heydrich admitted received orders from Hitler about the Final Solution.
Hungary was a safe place for Jews until Nazis invaded it in March of 1944. On March 19, Horthy made the announcement that Hungary wanted a separate peace from the Allies and the government had stopped all military action against the U.S.S.R. Before Horthey’s announcement, Germans were already occupying every town in Hungary. In Spring, U.S., British, and Soviet air forces started to bomb Hungarian cities daily.
In the 1940s to the end of World War II, many of the ghettoes and camps were evacuated. On April 14, 1945, the Bergen-Belson extermination camp was evacuated instead of surrendered. Hundreds of prisoners died on the march to the next camp.
During the Holocaust, hundreds of thousands of Jews died of Hitler’s commands. After the Final Solution, many Nazis killed themselves or were taken as prisoners for genocide.

Jeff Badura 7^th Social Studies Rossville Jr. High Holocaust Project Spring 2003

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