Holocaust Remembrance Day & Neo-Nazis

The United Nations General Assembly has designated January 27 as an annual international day of commemoration to honor the victims of the Nazi era—Holocaust Remembrance Day. Activities on this day are designed to help people remember the destructive power of prejudice and hate toward any ethnic group, if left unchecked, can lead to genocide.

The Holocaust was caused by the acceptance of the German people of a racist doctrine of Aryan (Nordic) supremacy propagated by Hitler and Nazi government. It touted the biological superiority of the blond-haired and blue-eyed people of northern Europe. Non-whites, including Jews, were designated as inferior races. Many people believe the Holocaust started with the passage of the Nuremberg Laws in 1935, which denied Jews in Germany their civil rights.

Even with all the lessons of history presented each year in Holocaust Remembrance Day, hate groups continue to flourish with Jews as a primary target. The neo-Nazis are a prime example of this type of group that functions today. The term neo-Nazism refers to post-World War II political movements, social movements, and ideologies seeking to revive the core aspects of Nazism such as racial or ethnic nationalism.

Neo-Nazis rarely use the word neo-Nazi to describe themselves, often opting for labels such as National Socialist, or Nationalist, or "neo-National Socialism." Some groups and individuals who support the ideology openly eschew Nazi-like terms to avoid social stigma or legal consequences. Some European countries have laws prohibiting the expression of pro-Nazi, racist or anti-Semitic views.

Neo-Nazis often use the same symbols that were in use by Nazi Germany, such as the Swastika, Sig Runes, and the red-white-black color scheme. Neo-Nazi activity appears to be a global phenomenon, with organized representation in many countries, as well as international networks. Incredibly, there are even neo-Nazi groups functioning in Israel today.

Assign students to write a report of at least 150 words that cites at least three resources and addresses the following essential questions for critical thinking (you can create or substitute others):

• What are some of the basic beliefs of neo-Nazi groups?
• What type of people typically join these groups?
• What are some major types of hate activities they sponsor?
• Why do Jews continue to be a major target of the neo-Nazis?
• What do you think motivates the formation of neo-Nazi groups?

Pathfinder: Click Topic Search tab > type "Nazi groups AND Anti-Semitism" > click Anti-Semitism AND Nazi groups > View Documents

Use our custom ProQuest models for written or PowerPoint reports written and PowerPoint-style reports.

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