Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

NJ Holocaust Grades 9-12 Curriculum: Unit 4

Unit Topic: Rescue and Resistance 
Grade(s): 9-12

Unit Goal: Students will understand the diverse forms of resistance and rescue efforts undertaken by Jews and non-Jews during the Holocaust, including the risks involved, the motivations of individuals who helped, and the ethical dilemmas faced in light of extreme oppression, while critically analyzing the impact of these actions on the lives of those affected.

Objectives:

  1. Explore different types of resistance, including armed, cultural, and spiritual; examine how each form of resistance challenged Nazi oppression and preserved human dignity.
  2. Examine the obstacles to resistance during the Holocaust.
  3. Investigate the various reasons why individuals and groups, including both Jewish and non-Jewish rescuers, chose to risk their lives to save others, and understand the ethical and moral dimensions of their actions.
  4. Analyze the formation, activities, and impact of Jewish partisan groups, gaining insight into the ways Jewish communities actively fought against Nazi forces and resisted dehumanization.
  5. Reflect on the difficult “choiceless choices” faced by individuals in extreme circumstances, considering how factors such as fear of retaliation, family circumstances, and community affected decisions.
  6. Examine how specific social, political, and cultural contexts shaped both the methods and perceptions of resistance, recognizing that acts of defiance are often shaped by circumstance.
  7. Evaluate how the stories of those who resisted and rescued have shaped collective memory, helping to understand their enduring impact on discussions about human rights, justice, and moral courage.

  1. How does the concept of resistance differ depending on historical, cultural, and individual contexts, and what counts as an act of resistance?
  2. How did people resist the Nazis, and what do these actions show about their beliefs and identities?
  3. What factors influence peoples’ choices to act as perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, upstanders, or rescuers?
  4. How did Jewish Partisan groups show strength and resistance, and what impact did they have?
  5. What did non-Jewish rescuers do during the Holocaust, and what dangers did they face?
  6. What factors prevented people from becoming rescuers, and how did fear of retaliation, societal pressures, and personal circumstances influence their decisions?
  7. How can studying rescue and resistance during the Holocaust inform our understanding of moral courage and civic responsibility in today’s world?

  1. Resistance during the Holocaust included armed, cultural, and spiritual methods, illustrating that defiance can take varied forms.
  2. Rescue and resistance efforts demonstrate that individuals and communities have the capacity to act in the face of moral dilemmas, and even small acts of defiance can have a significant impact. 
  3. Jewish Partisans showed strength and resistance by fighting against the Nazis. Their actions disrupted the enemy and proved that courage and determination could make a difference, even in the darkest times.
  4. Fear of retaliation, societal pressures, and personal circumstances often prevented individuals from becoming rescuers during the Holocaust. These factors highlight the complex choices individuals had to make in times of extreme danger.
  5. Studying rescue and resistance helps us understand the importance of moral courage and teaches us that each person has the power to make a difference, reminding us of our responsibility to act against injustice in today's world.

METHODS OF RESISTANCE 

      PARTISANS

      UPSTANDERS

      RESCUE 

      UNIT LITERATURE 

        RESISTANCE

        • Leap into Darkness: Seven Years on the Run in Wartime Europe -Leo Bretholz
        • 28 Days: A Nov­el of Resis­tance in the War­saw Ghetto -David Safi­er
        • Beyond Courage: The Untold Sto­ry of Jew­ish Resis­tance Dur­ing the Holocaust -Doreen Rap­pa­port
        • Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust -Neal Shus­ter­man
        • The Librarian of Auschwitz -Antonio Iturbe. Tr. from Spanish by Lilit Thwaites.
        • Resistance During the Holocaust -USHMM 
        • The Oneg Shabbat Archives “Let the world read and know” -Yad Vashem

            PARTISANS 

            UPSTANDERS

            RESCUE

            EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

            CROSS-CURRICULAR TIES

            Women’s Studies

            Music and Art

                World Languages - French

                • 6.2.12.HistoryUP.4.b: Report on the influence of war, economic depression, and genocide on the arts, cultural values, and social ideas.
                • 6.2.12.HistoryUP.4.c: Compare and contrast the actions of individuals as perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers during events of persecution or genocide, and describe the long-term consequences of genocide for all involved.