The Forgotten Victims The Holocaust - 1450 Words

The Forgotten Victims: The Consideration of Gay Victims of the Holocaust as Sufferers of Genocide Yasmina Lawrence CHG 381 P. Spitzer Friday June 3rd, 2016 During the reign of the Third Reich, the symbolization of the pink triangle was used to identify the thousands of gay prisoners who were sent to extermination camps under Paragraph 175, the law that criminalized homosexuality between men. Researchers say that an estimated 5,000 to 15,000 gay men died in these camps, however this figure does not include those who were interned and later released, let alone those who died undocumented and forever forgotten to history. ¹ These thousands of men were forced through excruciating cruelties with little to no reprieve or recognition of the atrocities perpetrated against them. It is because of this that while they are not a distinct racial, ethnic, or religious group, the treatment of those who bore the pink triangle during the Holocaust follows the genocidal process and as such gay Holocaust victims should be considered sufferers of genocide. The dehumanization and organization of non-heteronormative (gay) men took place long before the Hol ocaust began, starting with the legislative passage of Paragraph 175 in Germany. This legislation resulted in highly detailed police records of men suspected of homosexual activities readily accessible. Inevitably these records made it easier than ever for gay men to be arrested and detained for their identities, and for theirShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Mischlinge: The Forgotten Victims of The Holocaust2506 Words   |  11 PagesThose of half and quarter Jewish descent remain largely forgotten in the history of the Third Reich and genocide of the Holocaust. Known as Mischlinge, persons of deemed â€Å"mixed blood† or â€Å"hybrid† status faced extensive persecution and alienation within German society and found themselves in the crosshairs of a rampant National Socialist racial ideology. Controversially, these people proved somewhat difficult to define under Nazi law that sought to cleave the Volk from the primarily Jewish â€Å"other†Read MoreCauses Of The Ho locaust783 Words   |  4 PagesThe Holocaust was an atrocious and tragic event. Jews were forced into labor camps, mass murdered, turned into sex slaves, etc simply because they were seen as an inferior race towards the Nazis. 5-6 million Jews were killed during the Holocaust through starvation or murder. Their living conditions were unfathomable and the way they were treated was unthinkable. Jews lived in crammed spaces and were treated like animals which soon led them to act like animals. The perpetrators of genocide are usuallyRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder During The Holocaust Essay1297 Words   |  6 Pages PTSD in Holocaust Survivors The Nazis killed over six million Jews and millions of other Polish and Soviet civilians in the Holocaust. They also killed gypsies, physically and mentally disabled people and homosexuals. The number of survivors today are quickly dwindling down. Clinical psychologist Natan Kellermann defines a Holocaust survivor as any Jew who lived under Nazi occupation and was threatened by the â€Å"final solution† (Kellermann 199). This definition can be applied to not only Jews, butRead MoreLasting Effects of the Holocaust1195 Words   |  5 PagesThe Holocaust not only affected the areas where it took place, it affected the entire world. Even though Jewish people were the main victims in the Holocaust, it also left lasting effects on other groups of people. Both the Nazi and Jewish decedents still feel the aftermath of one of the most horrific counts of genocide that the world has ever encountered. The cries of the victims in concentration camps still ring around the globe today, a nd they are not easily ignored. Although the Holocaust tookRead MoreThe Victims Of The Holocaust836 Words   |  4 PagesHowever, one of the most infamous genocides to occur was the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the â€Å"massive destruction of European Jewry during World War II, when millions were systematically persecuted and exterminated solely because of their social, cultural, ethnic, or religious characteristics† (Barel, Van Ijzendoorn, Sagi-Schwartz, Bakermans-Kranenburg). Contrary to popular belief, Jews were not the only group targeted in the Holocaust, as five million more lives were taken in groups other than theRead MoreThe Mass Killings : The Holocaust Vs. The Rape Of Nanking991 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mass Killings: The Holocaust Vs. the Rape of Nanking Most people in the world never seem to realize the mass number of raping or killings that are going on around them. Meanwhile, during the holocaust, no one understood how much it was happening around them then either, except for the people it was happening to. Most people are aware of the savagery that occurred during the holocaust in Germany, but few have ever even heard of Nanjing, much less the rape of Nanjing. Both genocides share veryRead MoreLastig Effects of the Holocaust1058 Words   |  5 PagesThe Holocaust not only affected the areas where it took place, it affected the entire world. Even though Jewish people were the main victims in the Holocaust, it also left lasting effects on other groups of people. Both, the Nazi and Jewish decedents, still feel the aftermath of one of the most horrific counts of genocide that the world has ever encountered. The cries of the victims in concentration camps still ring around the globe today, and they are not easily ignored. Although the HolocaustRead MoreWhy Is The Killing Of A Million A Lesser Crime?1440 Words   |  6 Pagesthe killing of a million a lesser crime than the killing of an individual?† -Raphael Lemkin referring to genocides. Genocides are organized exterminations committed with intent to destroy a whole group based on religion, ethnicity, and race. The Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, Darfur, and the Rwanda genocide were all terrible events in history, but why did they occur? The form of genocide had existed since the perception of superiority and inferiority was known. As a superior group gains moreRead MoreThe Jewish cemetery in Victoria, British Columbia1220 Words   |  5 Pageswas murder victim Morris Price. In 2012, the cemetery was victimized by vandalism, which resulted in the destruction of multiple gravestones. Since, individuals should request approval before visiting the gated cemetery. The Jewish doctrine believes that sacred items should never be disposed. Therefore, t he cemetery has an open grave where items that are no longer in use are placed. There is a large monument in the cemetery which commemorates individuals who did not survive the Holocaust. The cemeteryRead MoreNight By Elie Wiesel Character Analysis849 Words   |  4 PagesTraumatic and scarring events occur on a daily basis; from house fires to war, these memories are almost impossible to forget. The Holocaust is only one of the millions of traumas that have occurred, yet it is known worldwide for sourcing millions of deaths. Elie Wiesel was among the many victims of the Holocaust, and one of the few survivors. In the memoir, â€Å"Night†, by Elie Wiesel, Elie, the main character, is forever changed because of his traumatic experiences in the Auschwitz concentration camps