October contains several important moments in Holocaust history that help us understand both the Nazi persecution of European Jews, and the many ways people responded to it.

On October 15, 1941, Nazi authorities began deporting German, Austrian, and Czech Jews to ghettos, camps, killing sites, and killing centres. Between October 1941 and October 1942, approximately 183,000 Jews were deported in this way. The deportations were part of a much larger system of persecution and mass murder.

October also reminds us that people resisted Nazi persecution. In October 1943, Danish citizens helped thousands of Danish Jews escape Nazi deportation. Approximately 7,200 Danish Jews escaped to Sweden, assisted by members of the Danish resistance and many ordinary citizens.

On October 14, 1943, Jewish prisoners at the Sobibor concentration camp launched an armed uprising. About 300 prisoners escaped, although the majority were later captured and killed. Approximately 50 escapees survived the war. The revolt demonstrated the courage and determination of people resisting a system designed to destroy them.

Looking at these events in Holocaust history can help students understand the . It can encourage questions about courage, responsibility, resistance, choices, and the importance of helping others. It also reminds us that Holocaust history is the history of individual human beings, each with a family, community, identity, and story.

Possible Classroom Questions:

1. What choices did ordinary people face during the Holocaust?

2. What might make someone decide to help a person in danger?

3. How were the Danish rescue efforts different from the Sobibor uprising? What circumstances shaped the types of resistance possible during this time?

4. What can historical events teach us about responsibility toward others today?

Resources:

1. The Holocaust Encyclopedia – a great place for students and teachers to start

2. Government of Canada – Canada and the Holocaust

www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/canada-holocaust.html

This is an excellent starting point. It covers Canada's role during the Holocaust, antisemitism, remembrance, museums, survivor testimonies, and educational resources.

3. Canadian Holocaust Resources

www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/canada-holocaust/resources.html

This government page brings together resources from across Canada, including the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Canadian War Museum, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Virtual Museum of Canada, and Canadian survivor testimony collections

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