The Spanish Inquisition (1492)
and
The Nazi Holocaust (1939-1945)
Parallels in Persecution
Overview:
Anti-Semitism, the hatred and persecution of the Jews, was not the creation of the Nazis. As we saw in our study of the Spanish Inquisition, there is a long history of anti-Semitic beliefs, preaching, and persecution in Europe. We have studied about the anti-Semitism of one period of history, and we will now see how the Nazis used these beliefs and added new ones in their effort to eradicate all Jews from the Nazi empire.
Objectives:
- Review episodes of anti-Semitic belief in Western European history
- Reflect on the meaning of the study of anti-Semitism in the modern world
- Compare and contrast the anti-Semitism of Renaissance Spain with that of Nazi Germany
Procedure:
- Discuss the Spanish Inquisition and how it parallels the events leading up to the Final Solution of the Nazis
- Write about one aspect of anti-Semitism and how it relates both to the Spanish Inquisition and the Holocaust
Materials:
- Discussion/question sheet
- Reference collection
Evaluation:
- Class discussion: application of knowledge of Spanish Inquisition to the background of the Holocaust
- Essays
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