The Holocaust and Geography

This lesson builds on student understanding of the Holocaust, and uses that understanding to make connections with the impact of geography on Holocaust victims.

Guiding Question

• How does the physical geography of an area impact the distribution of people?
• How, and why, were Jewish people distributed across Europe the way they were?

Preparation

Gather additional materials:

• Map of Europe from World War Two
• Provide a simple timeline of the Holocaust. A timeline could also be constructed together as a class, or taken from a trusted source.

Introduction

Project a map of Europe from World War Two.

In small groups, invite students to share and discuss the physical locations of any known major events or key locations during World War Two on the map. Ask them to analyze why events took place where they did. Connect students’ analyses with historical evidence.

NOTE: If students have limited knowledge about the geography of World War II, it should be presented before proceeding with this lesson.

Lesson Activities

Creating a Timeline of Antisemitism in Europe

Using trusted resources, develop a timeline of significant events in the history of antisemitism in Europe; placing the major events (Spanish inquisition, plague, Martin Luther, major pogroms, etc.) in chronological order.

The timelines could start from 1492 and extend through the Holocaust, or alternately focus in on the 20th century.

The timeline could be a straight line or reflect the positive and negative change experienced by the Jewish population in Europe. This will create the historical background to understand the geography.

Suggested resources could include:

• The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre Workshop on Antisemitism
• The US Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Yad Vashem

Focusing in on Regional Antisemitism

Using a local resource or gathering documents as a class, focus in on regional antisemitism.

You may want to use a tool such as Canva to build the timeline.

• For example, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre resource kit, Too Close to Home: Antisemitism and Fascism in Canada 1930s and 1940s, provides an artefact kit and documents with resources for teachers.

Conclusion

Compare and Contrast

Using the two timelines, compare and contrast the broader European experience of antisemitism and regional or local experiences of antisemitism.

• Review the key factors for the movement and distribution of Jewish people across Europe based on the significant events.

Extension

Extend the students’ engagement to annotate a map. The class could be divided into three groups. Each group will work on creating a map that covers one of the following events/places:

• concentration camps
• ghettos
• massacres

In order to create these maps, encourage students to use Yad Vashem, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and other reliable Holocaust-focused resources. Maps should include important details such as: cities or towns, major physical resources (water, forests, etc.), prominent landmarks, countries, and any other relevant details.

Students from each group can teach the others about their maps, as well as the information these maps provide about the Holocaust. In their discussions, students should consider the relationship between methods of extermination/elimination and the places and spaces where extermination occurred. For instance, why were ghettos and modes of deportation clustered in urban settings? Groups should establish well-reasoned and supported arguments for their positions.