What was it like to grow up in Nazi Germany?
VA Standard USII.7b
On April 1, 1933
Nazi Germany placed a boycott on all Jewish shops and business across the country. Here are some photos from the Bundesarchive, part of Germany's government, from the boycott in Berlin:
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Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-14468 / CC-BY-SA
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What do you think the woman on the left is thinking in the above photo?
 Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-14469 / CC-BY-SA
What do you think is happening on the right? (The sign reads Germans! Defend yourselves! Don't buy from Jews!")
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 This photo is from Hamburg, what can you infer from the young man holding the sign? What about the bystanders? What do you think they thinking? |
Ten year old Irmgard Marx lived in Frankfurt and she remembers the day when some customers weren't allowed inside her father's store:
On the day of the boycott, on April 1. 1933, an SA (Nazi) man stood in uniform before our store and hindered customers from coming inside. A few brave souls came in through the courtyard (backdoor) in order to buy their goods, but the largest share of our customers stayed away. In one case a man, very agitated, came to us in our apartment after he had an exchange of words with the SA man. But this was an exception, and I cannot remember his name. My parents told told us children nothing about the boycott, I myself was shocked when I saw the SA man, but had no inkling of what all this meant for the future. After the boycott, the business went on. The circle of customers had grown smaller, but there was still enough to do. No, in any event, Christian businesses did not shut down for the day out of solidarity [with us]. Things like that that just didn't happen in those days. Later one could see certain Christian-owned stores with signage that said "German or "Aryan". Many were businesses that had formerly belonged to Jewish owners. I can still remember very well the signs which appeared on the restaurants, cafes, and movie theaters--when this I can't remember any more---which said that Jews were not desired there or that entry was forbidden to Jews. These signs were also posted for swimming pools. In one bakery in our neighborhood, there was once a sign that read, "We do not say Gross Gott anymore but Heil Hitler! Even as young as I was I was horrified. Now I can't say "Good day" when I entered a shop or store in order to buy bread or rolls. There was a steady stream of new discriminatory laws which made the daily lives of Jews more difficult. Even my parents and their business were affected. ..[T]here were several "faithful customers" who came to buy from us long after the boycott, but that circle---especially after 1936---became smaller and smaller. My parents closed their business either in late 1937 or 1938. How high their losses were I can't say ...
Heberer, P. (2011). Children and the holocaust (J. Matthaus, Ed.) Lanham: AltaMira Press.
Questions:
From the context clues what do the words hinder and solidarity mean?
Why do you think the Nazi want to stop Jewish businesses?
Do you know of another time and place where signs like these were used?
Irmgard says that she's shocked and horrified at some of the events, what were they and why do you think that she had this reaction?
Read her account at least twice, when do you think she gave this testimony? Just after this took place or long afterwards? Cite specific passages to support your answer.
Why do you think that the sign reads that Germans should defend themselves? What does this say about the Nazis?
Possible activity: The second photo, can you create a short skit or dialogue between the woman and the SA officer?
Please give me feedback!
Amy :)
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