What is Genocide? “Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction of racial, cultural or political groups. » (Feldman 29) What was the Holocaust? “The Holocaust, the period between 1933 and 1945 during which Nazi Germany systematically persecuted and murdered millions of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses and many others. » (Feldman 29) These two things are related to each other. The Holocaust was a genocide. . Many innocent people were separated from their families, and many never saw them again. This murder of “the Jewish people of Europe began in the spring of 1941.” (Feldman 213) The Holocaust was one of the harshest things done to humanity. What led to the Holocaust? Some say Germany was devastated by the loss of the first war. “The Germans were forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles feeling betrayed. » (Aretha 11) They used their hatred of the Jews as the reason they lost and used them as scapegoats. People didn't know that "the Treaty of Versailles led to World War II, a war more terrible than anyone could imagine." » (Rossel 14) Many people before the Holocaust and before Hitler still hated Jews. But Hitler made it his goal to kill this imperfect race. “Born in Austria, Hitler served in the German army during the First World War. » (The Holocaust) For him, the Jews were an inferior race that had to be eliminated. He believed that by using anti-Semitism he would become more popular with the crowd. “During his imprisonment, Hitler wrote “My Struggle,” in which he predicted war that would result in the deaths of many Jews. » (The Holocaust)The Jews were used as scapegoats by the Germans. They were treated terribly and lived in very poor conditions. Many Jewish children were placed in homes, in the middle of paper, even branded like cattle. They died of starvation and many contracted infections that were not treated properly. They were beaten for the simplest things and used as experiments. They were taken to gas chambers where they were made to believe they were taking baths. They lost their friends and family, they were taken from their children and for the most part, they were never seen again. In the final months of the war, they were taken on marches, killing even more of them. When they returned to their old homes (even though some ceased to exist), they were still hated, beaten and killed by rioters. Many were lost, but in the end, there were survivors who survived this tortuous place. “No tiger can eat me, no shark can beat me... even the Devil would lose his teeth biting me, I feel it; I'm going to get out of this place. -Fritz Loehner.(Aretha)