How did the Holocaust happen?

The Holocaust was an idea planted into the Germans heads by Adolf Hitler. After their humiliating defeat in WW1 the Germans wanted to blame someone or something for their loss. This coupled with the unfair punishment enacted on the Germans through the treaty of Versailles and Hitler’s speech’s of a strong Germany further increased the people’s desire for power. The Germans were a very nationalistic people believing themselves superior, so they decided to purge their country of any minority that they considered as inferior. Lastly when Germany started to invade other countries they realized that the allies wouldn’t step in to stop them so they continued with their plan, this led to the Holocaust.

How did an individuals geographic location, group, or WW2 events impact one’s experience?

The Germans believed themselves superior to those they deemed lesser than them. They believed the Jews, communists, people with  disabilities, and gypsies were all below them and if someone was apart of these groups they would be sent to concentration camps and most likely killed. Depending on where you came from or what group you belonged to could be the difference between life and death, a life in concentration camps or a regular life.