🌍 Shoah–Holocaust: A Context for Research

Scope

In an effort to build a tutorial on researching the Holocaust era, this guide includes pointers to information provided by ManyRoads to help researchers find their way through the confusion created as the legacy of this catastrophic historical period. The tutorial shares anecdotes on research experiences, provides links, site synopses, and sets research expectations.

To begin let me say


Holocaust research is in many ways similar to other genealogical research, but in other ways it is quite unique. For the purpose of this tutorial, I will not focus on every aspect of the Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazis during and before WW2; I will concentrate on 4 crucial populations and aspects of the holocaust. My focus will be on some of the largest populations targeted by the National Socialists (Nazis) for elimination/ extermination/ removal. These “murdered” peoples include, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:

[27 Jan 1945 - Survivors of Auschwitz are shown during the first hours of the concentration camp's liberation by soldiers of the Soviet army. Photo by B. Fishman-Corbis-Bettmann REUTERS]

Survivors of Auschwitz during the first hours of the concentration camp’s liberation by soldiers of the Soviet army, January 27, 1945. Photo by B. Fishman-Corbis-Bettmann REUTERS

Not addressed in this tutorial are


Note: There were other populations/groups as well targeted by the Nazis, but most were, also, ‘war time opponents of the Reich’. The Geneva War Conventions were flagrantly violated by all sides of the conflict. The slaughter of the conflict (WW2) was enormous. I’ll leave that for others to untangle. I, also, will not discuss the Soviet civilian murders perpetrated by Stalin before, during, and after WW2.

📚 Background and Foundation

Like most genealogy or family history research, Holocaust Research (as a unique research domain) requires you build upon a good, sound foundation in order to achieve optimal results with minimal frustration. Trust me Holocaust research can be VERY challenging, frustrating, disturbing.

So, if you do not already possess a reliable degree of competency or ‘high-level of comfort’ in conducting ‘basic’ genealogical/ historical research, I recommend you take advantage of the free courses and materials discussed in ManyRoads’ Genealogy: Getting Started area/section. The courses and materials I have cataloged there are largely free (no-cost) and are both designed and available for distance learners (meaning you need not sit in a class room somewhere to benefit from these tools and courses).

Included on the Getting Started page are the following ‘instructional’ categories:

Because the Holocaust took place on German or Third Reich controlled lands, between the years 1933 and 1945, many more of the traditional Prussian-German-Polish research techniques and databases apply.

If you are unfamiliar with research in these regions, you’ll find ManyRoads materials and help-aids helpful.

Once you feel you are on reasonably firm footing with the basics of researching this geographic region (Central & Eastern Europe); and, in using traditional genealogical historical research techniques and resources, then the guidance that follows in these tutorials provide pointers on how to conduct Holocaust research.

💡 The Adventure Begins: Unexpected Realities

"Demons and surprises lurk here."

Before we go into the bread & butter sites & links discussion, I will share the following story, as an example of what can happen.

Sometimes genealogy research leads to unexpected places. It can dash assumptions and destroy illusions; such was the result of my casual search for information and photographs from the ‘former’ area of Zeyer in Kreis Elbing. I had hoped to find photos of churches and hidden information about the community; instead I uncovered something more ominous and disturbing.

I know this tutorial is the Holocaust, but bear with me. Perhaps like many of you, I had always assumed that Mennonites did their best to avoid military service, as well as political involvement in more ‘earthly’ pursuits. I had assumed Mennonites were people of peace. But, I was wrong.

In my search for pictures & images I stumbled across an old newspaper clipping (see below).

[Communique

“Translated” into non-Gothic typeface:

An den Herrn Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler- Berlin

Die Heute zu Tiegenhagen im Freiestaate Danzig tagende Konferenz der Ost- und Westprußischen Mennoniten empfindet mit tiefer Dankbarkeit die gewaltige Erhebung, die Gott durch Ihre Tatkraft unserm Volk geschenkt hat und gelobt auch ihrerseits freudige Mitarbeit am Aufbau useres Vaterlandes aus dem KrĂ€ften des Evangeliums heraus, getreu dem Wahlspruch unserer VĂ€ter: Einen andern Grund kann niemand legen außer dem, der gelegt ist, welcher ist Jesu Christus.

Von dem Herrn Reichskanzler ist inzwischen folgendes Antwortschreiben eingetroffen:

FĂŒr die mir Ihrer Zuschrift zum Ausdruck gebrachte treue Gesinnung unf Ihre Bereitwilligkeit am Aufbau des Deutschen Reiches mitzuarbeiten, spreche ich Ihnen meinen aufrichtigen Dank aus.

— Adolf Hitler

Translated the document reads

The Mennonites of East and West Prussia sent an official greeting to the new Reichskanzler (Imperial Chancellor) Adolf Hitler on September 10, 1933:

Those gathered here today at the meeting of the Conference of East and West Prussian Mennonites in Tiegenhagen within the Free City of Danzig, feel with deep gratitude the great uplifting that God gave our people through your strength of will, and pledge, for our part, joyful cooperation in the building of our Fatherland from the power of the Gospel, faithfully from the Motto of our fathers: “Other foundation can no man lay, other than that which is already laid, Jesus Christ.”

From the Lord Chancellor the following reply has arrived:
I offer my sincerest appreciation and thanks for your Communication, in which you expressed your loyalty and willingness to work together with me to rebuild the German Reich.
-Adolf Hitler

I was shocked; here was a newspaper clipping indicating that the broad East- and West Prussian Mennonite Community was expressing joy, fealty, and adherence to Adolf Hitler and his efforts to make Germany great again.

I had to see if there was more. I immediately decided to look for information via Google (something I do frequently).

What I found next was evidence of two Stutthof Concentration Sub-camps in the Zeyer area, one in Zeyersniederkampen and the second in Zeyersvorderkampen. Both camps had Mennonite involvement and the one in Zeyersvorderkampen was even run by Mennonites.

For more see this posting on ManyRoads.

The sad truth is that for this “time and place” these sub-camps were not exceptional.  Stutthof, alone, had dozens of sub-camps. The shock was that these atrocious activities were ‘everywhere’ and they were ‘ordinary’.

Having said that, I am left to ponder the following:

I share this in order to demonstrate that the information and facts you seek may not all be found where you expect. Next, I am going to briefly discuss what I believe are among the best “traditional” website resources from which to gather excellent Holocaust related data. Collectively these sites offer a wealth of data and information; although, you will soon discover that they also simply are unable to offer enough information to satisfy the needs of those who seek it. And as I pointed out a little while ago,

“You never know where you might encounter additional information.”

Perhaps the single most important document enabling the Holocaust:

Reinhard Heydrich’s letter to Martin Luther on 26 February 1942 (Digital Image- pdf)

German Text

[seite 1]

Der Chef der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD; Berlin, den 29. November 1941
Geheime Reichssache
Herrn UnterstaatssekretÀr Luther im AuswÀrtigen Amt, Berlin
Lieber Parteigenosse Luther!

Am 31.7.1941 beauftragte mich der Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches, unter Beteiligung der in Frage kommenden anderen Zentralinstanzen alle erforderlichen Vorbereitungen in organisatorischer, sachlicher und materieller Hinsicht fĂŒr eine Gesamtlösung der Judenfrage in Europa zu treffen und ihm in BĂ€lde einen Gesamtentwurf hierĂŒber vorzulegen. Eine Fotokopie dieser Bestellung lege ich meinem Schreiben bei.

In Anbetracht der außerordentlichen Bedeutung, die diesen Fragen zuzumessen ist und im Interesse der Erreichung einer gleichen

(seite 2)

Auffassung bei den in Betracht kommenden Zentralinstanzen an den ĂŒbrigen mit dieser Endlösung zusammenhĂ€ngenden Arbeiten rege ich an, diese Probleme zum Gegenstand einer gemeinsamen Aussprache zu machen, zumal seit dem 15.10.1941 bereits in laufenden Transporten Juden aus dem Reichsgebiet einschließlich Protektorat Böhmen und MĂ€hren nach dem Osten evakuiert werden.

Ich lade Sie daher zu einer solchen Besprechung mit anschließendem FrĂŒhstĂŒck zum 9. Dezember 1941, 12.00 Uhr, in die Dienststelle der Internationalen Kriminalpolizeilichen Kommission, Berlin, Am Kleinen Wannsee Nr. 16 [handschriftlich geĂ€ndert in: Großen Wannsee 56-58] ein.

Ähnliche Schreiben habe ich an Herrn Generalgouverneur Dr. Frank, Herrn Gauleiter Dr. Meyer, die Herren StaatssekretĂ€re Stuckart, Dr. Schlegelberger, Gutterer und Neumann, sowie an Herrn Reichsamtsleiter Dr. Leibbrandt, SS-ObergruppenfĂŒhrer KrĂŒger, SS-GruppenfĂŒhrer Hoffmann, SS-GruppenfĂŒhrer Greifelt, SS-OberfĂŒhrer Klopfer und an Herrn Ministerialdirektor Kritzinger gerichtet. Heil Hitler. Ihr [Unterschrift]

English Translation of the German Text
[page 1]

The Chief of the Security Police and the SD; Berlin, November 29, 1941
Secret Reich matter
Mr. Undersecretary Luther in the Foreign Office, Berlin
Dear Party comrade Luther!

On 31 July 1941, the Reich Marshal of the Greater German Empire (Reich) instructed me to make all necessary organizational, factual and material preparations for an overall solution to the Jewish question in Europe, with the participation of the other central authorities in question, and to present him with an overall draft of this in the near future. I enclose a photocopy of this order with my letter.

Given the extraordinary importance of these matters and in the interest of achieving an equal result

(page 2)

I propose that these issues be addressed in a joint discussion, especially since Jews have already been evacuated from the territory of the Reich, including the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, to the East in ongoing transports since October 15, 1941.

I therefore invite you to such a meeting, followed by breakfast, on December 9, 1941, 12:00 noon, at the office of the International Criminal Police Commission, Berlin, Am Kleinen Wannsee No. 16 [handwritten change to: Großen Wannsee 56-58].

I have sent similar letters to Governor General Dr. Frank, Gauleiter Dr. Meyer, State Secretaries Stuckart, Dr. Schlegelberger, Gutterer and Neumann, as well as to Reichsamtsleiter Dr. Leibbrandt, SS-ObergruppenfĂŒhrer KrĂŒger, SS-GruppenfĂŒhrer Hoffmann, SS-GruppenfĂŒhrer Greifelt, SS-OberfĂŒhrer Klopfer and Ministerialdirektor Kritzinger.

Heil Hitler!

Yours [signature]

Important Internet Resources

Based on a reader’s request on Facebook, I have provided background links and information on the history of WW2-era Mennonites and their involvement with the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and the Holocaust:

🌐 Sources and Further Reading

I. Holocaust and Mennonite History

II. Foundational Genealogy and Contextual Resources (ManyRoads)

III. Primary Document

Credits and Licensing

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.

All materials licensed: CC BY-ND 4.0 by eirenicon llc.