Since the subject of the Holocaust is vast, complex, and profoundly disturbing, considerable deliberation must be given to its teaching, especially because of the emotional sensitivities that may be evoked.

However, information about the Holocaust must be transmitted and understood by every generation, by all faiths, all ethnic groups, and all nationalities. The lessons must be shared because:

• The Holocaust is an undeniable, unprecedented event in history. If we do not learn from past tragedies, we are in danger of repeating them.
• Moral and political choices that our children may some day have to make for themselves are presented through study of the Holocaust.

1933

JANUARY 30

Adolf Hitler becomes the chancellor of Germany .

FEBRUARY 28

Nazis declare emergency after Reichstag fire; consolidate fire.

MARCH 22

First concentration camp is opened in Dachau .

Common Criminals
German criminals convicted usually of violent crimes, such as rape and murder. These criminals ran the Auschwitz concentration camp. Their sadistic dispositions were apparently the reason for their selection as camp leaders. These criminals were released upon serving their terms.

When non-Jews saw whole families of their Jewish neighbors, including women and children, being rounded up by the Nazis to be shipped to an undisclosed destination, what was their reaction? Most stayed indifferent, probably out of fear for their own well-being if they objected or interfered. Some even encouraged and participated in the roundup; however, a righteous few could not tolerate standing by and watching these gross injustices. Instead, they took clandestine action to counter Nazi brutalities. What these righteous individuals did was the ultimate in courage and humanitarianism.

• The Auschwitz Album . New York . Random House. 1981.
• Berenbaum , Michael. The World Must Know . Boston-Toronto-London. Little, Brown and Company, 1993.
• Davidowicz. Lucy S. The War Against the Jews . New York . Holt, Rinehart and Wilson, 1975.
• The Courage to Care . Edited by Carol Rittner and Sondra Meyers. New York-London. New York University Press, 1986.
• Encyclopedia of the Holocaust . Vols. 1-4. Edited by Israel Gutman. New York-London. Macmillan, 1990.

• Bishop, Claire Huchet. Twenty and Ten , c1952, 1990.
• Bunting Eve, Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust, c 1989
• Drucker, Malka and Michael Halperin. Jacob's Rescue: A Holocaust Story , 1993.
• Finkelstein, Norman H., Remember Not to Forget: A Memoir of the Holocaust , c 1985
• Fluek, Toby Knobel. Memories of My Life in a Polish Village1930-1949 , 1990.

• Akiva Hebrew Day School , 9th Grade Class of 1980. Lest We Forget. 100p. Southfield , MI. Akiva Hebrew Day School , 1980.

• Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District. Holocaust Unit Grade 10 . 27 p. Merrick, N. Y. Bellmore-Merrick High School District , 1978.

• Bolkosky, Dr. Sidney M., et al. Life Unworthy of Life : A Holocaust Curriculum . Book, 216 p. instructional unit with videotape, 318 p. Farmington Hills, MI. Center for the Study of the Child, 1987.

• Cleveland Heights High School . Times of the Holocaust . 23 p. Cleveland Heights , OH . Cleveland Heights High School , 1976.

• Holocaust Curriculum for Jewish Schools (series) Littell, Prof. Franklin H. Unit on the Righteous Among the Nations . 37 p. New York : American Association for Jewish Education, no dates.

Annotated Listing of  Sources Useful in Teaching the Holocaust

• Epstein, Eric Joseph and Philip Rosen . Dictionary of the Holocaust : Biography, Geography and Terminology. Westport: Greenwood Press; 1997; ISBN: 0-313-30355-X.  *Comprehensive listing of terms, people and organizations with brief description and source.

• Goldberg, Esther, editor and compiler. Holocaust Memoir Digest:  Survivors' Published Memoirs with Study Guide and Maps.  Volumes 1-2. London, Portland, OR: Vallentine Mitchell; 2004.  *Detailed analysis of published survivor memoirs.  Highlights unique qualities of each experience, with subject specialties listed for each.

• Arad, Yitzhak, editor. The Pictorial History of the Holocaust. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1990.

• Edelheit, Abraham J. and Hershel Edelheit. History of the Holocaust: A Handbook and Dictionary. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1994.

• The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust / Editor-in-Chief  Shmuel Spector. Washington Square, NY, Jerusalem: NYU Press, Yad Vashem, 2001. Vols. 1, 2, 3