Dreyfus Accused
Read through a translation of the famous text J’Accuse! and answer questions based off of the text. Students will learn about bias, perspective, and the construction of history.
Topic: Kristallnacht
Lesson Plan
Hitler Youth and Kristallnacht
This lesson centers on interviews of Alfons Heck who became a high-ranking member of the Hitler Youth. This lesson will allow students the opportunity to hear his recollection of Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass.”
Enduring Understanding
The desire for people to belong, coupled with unrelenting propaganda, aided by the belief that the Jews were inferior beings, led to actions being taken by some Germans to harm their former friends and neighbors.
Essential Question
- 1How did so many citizens come to believe that the Jews, those who had been close friends and neighbors of so many, were enemies of the state?
Readiness
Ask students what they might already know about Kristallnacht, “The Night of Broken Glass.”
Input
Provide a brief overview of Kristallnacht with the students. Use the resource, Kristallnacht by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum Holocaust Encyclopedia article as a resource for this. You do not need to go over the entire article, merely use it as a reference to provide some background information.
Output
Divide the class into groups and ask them to watch the video Confessions of a Hitler Youth.
Ask them to answer these questions:
- Why do you think Alfons Heck believed so strongly in Hitler and the Nazi’s message? Why do you think he continued to believe in this message even after witnessing Kristallnacht?
- Do you think it would have been possible to prevent the events of Kristallnacht?
- Based on what Alfons Heck tells us about what he witnessed, why do you think he said, “From now on, not one of us could ever maintain that we did not know what was in store for the Jews”?
- What was meant by the comment, “Children are like empty vessels”? What is the danger in this?
Wisconsin Academic Standards
This lesson meets the following Academic Standards required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Teacher Primer
Know Before You Go
Before you teach, use our teacher primer to freshen up on your content knowledge.
Lesson Plan
Kristallnacht: The November 1938 Pogroms
This lesson will help students understand the events of Kristallnacht and the different views and perspectives of those who witnessed it. This lesson will allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the varying human reactions to this violent pogrom against the Jews.
Enduring Understanding
Those who witness injustice, without participation in the action, have the ability and the power to shape the consequences of those injustices through their response.
Essential Questions
- 1What do the responses to Kristallnacht tell us about how people react to violence and terror?
- 2What role do people play in preventing these violent acts against others and what role do they play in encouraging or participating in these acts?
Readiness
Ask students, “What happened on November 10, 1938?”
Input
Show students the video, Kristallnacht: The November 1938 Pogroms by Facing History and Ourselves.
Output
Teacher's Note
You may need to create a free account with Facing History and Ourselves in order to access some of the resources. It could be beneficial to print out the resources to give to the groups prior to starting the lesson.
Divide the class into groups of three to five and assign a reading to each group.
Group 1: The Night of the Pogrom
Group 2: Opportunism during Kristallnacht
Group 3: A Family Responds to Kristallnacht
Group 4: Thoroughly Reprehensible Behavior
Group 5: A Visitor’s Perspective on Kristallnacht
Group 6: World Responses to Kristallnacht
Ask students to complete these steps after they read their group assigned reading as outlined in the Facing History lesson:
- Who was the author of this reading? Who was the audience (if it is stated)? What kind of document is this?When was it created or written?
- Based on the background information you gather, what was the document’s significance or purpose? What new information does the document contribute to your understanding of this historical moment?
- Discuss one of the “Connection Questions” found at the bottom of your resource with your group.
Once completed, pose the question again, “What happened on November 10th, 1938?” What can they now add to this question? Where did they get this information?
Wisconsin Academic Standards
This lesson meets the following Academic Standards required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Teacher Primer
Know Before You Go
Before you teach, use our teacher primer to freshen up on your content knowledge.
Lesson Plan
Kristallnacht – Night of Broken Glass
This lesson summarizes the events leading up to, the event of, and the aftermath of Kristallnacht.
Enduring Understanding
The Jewish people were abandoned by most of their fellow citizens and by those meant to protect them. Because of this Kristallnacht was a watershed moment which further ignited Hitler and the Nazi party’s intent to destroy the Jews.
Essential Question
- 1What message did Kristallnacht send to the people of Germany? To the Jews?
Readiness
Ask students what they might already know about Kristallnacht.
For the younger grades, or if the students are newly being introduced to Holocaust education, include some additional information. For example, tell students the name “Kristallnacht” is translated as “Night of Crystal” but is often referred to as the “Night of Broken Glass.” Some may know this name more than the official one. If they are not sure, have them guess what it could be based on the name.
Input
Direct students to the resource, Kristallnacht by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Read through the document as a class. Start with the three key facts at the top of the page so students understand the main points as they go through the reading.
In a class discussion, go over the following questions:
- What led up to the event of Kristallnacht?
- How did the events of Kristallnacht compare to previous anti-Jewish actions and violence in Germany under the Nazis?
Output
Divide the class into groups of three to five and ask them to answer these questions about the reading. Ask students to take notes on their answers.
- How did Kristallnacht propel the Nazi agenda forward?
- What steps were taken to help the Jews by the German government and by other countries following that night and the next months?
- What do you suppose the response from other nations was to Hitler and the Nazi party?
If time permits, come together as a class to go over the answers the groups came up with.
Wisconsin Academic Standards
This lesson meets the following Academic Standards required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Teacher Primer
Know Before You Go
Before you teach, use our teacher primer to freshen up on your content knowledge.