Holocaust by Bullets

Guided Lesson and Exhibit Guide

Introduction

The exhibition Holocaust by Bullets: Yahad – In Unum, 10 Years of Investigation presents the results of hundreds of days of fieldwork that enabled Yahad – In Unum to collect evidence of the mass shootings in order to commemorate the murdered Jewish victims and reclaim their dignity. It also underscores the Holocaust by bullets as a precursor and model for mass crimes today. It consists of five modules representing the steps of the killing process: The Arrestation, The Road, The Undressing, The Shooting, and The Looting. Each of the five exhibition modules combines evidence collected by Yahad – In Unum and obtained from archival collections.

This guide follows the narrative of the exhibition and its thematic modules. It is designed to assist educators teaching about the Holocaust by bullets with incorporating first-hand accounts of eyewitnesses as students go through the exhibit.

A full extension study guide with resources is available. Ask your docent for more details. 

The Holocaust by Bullets

Overview

Nazi Germany and its Allies

Nazi Germany, along with its allies and collaborators, carried out mass shootings of Jews in territories seized from Soviet forces, a tragedy often referred to as the Holocaust by bullets. Up to 2 million Jews were murdered in these mass shootings and associated massacres.

Historical Context 

In 1939–1940, following the partition of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union, the Soviets annexed the Baltic states and parts of prewar Poland and Romania, all of which had significant Jewish populations. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 (Operation Barbarossa), German forces, along with their allies and collaborators, conducted thousands of mass shooting actions across these seized territories. 

The Start and Escalation of Mass Shootings, Summer 1941

Operation Barbarossa

In June 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, initiating a "war of annihilation" against perceived racial and ideological enemies, including Jews and other Soviet civilians.

Initial Targets

Initially, German SS and police units targeted Jewish men of military age. By August 1941, entire Jewish communities, including women and children, were being massacred, marking an escalation in Nazi anti-Jewish policies.

Perpetrators

Various German units, including the Einsatzgruppen, Order Police battalions, Waffen-SS units, and the Wehrmacht, were involved in these shootings. Local auxiliary units and forces from Nazi allies like Romania also played significant roles.

Large Scale Massacres

Kamenets-Podolsk

In August 1941, German SS and police units, with Ukrainian auxiliaries, murdered 23,600 Jews in Kamenets-Podolsk, including local Jews and those deported from Hungarian territories. 

Babyn Yar 

In September 1941, at Babyn Yar near Kyiv, 33,771 Jews were massacred over two days by SS and police units. Babyn Yar remained a killing site for tens of thousands more victims, primarily non-Jews, until 1943. 

Operation Harvest Festival

The largest mass shooting of the Holocaust occurred during Operation Harvest Festival in November 1943, resulting in the deaths of approximately 42,000 Jews in the General Government region of occupied Poland.

Killing Sites: Multiple Massacres 

These sites saw the repeated murder of tens of thousands of Jews and other victims, often with the help of local collaborators.

Rumbula and
Bikernieki Forests
near Riga 

Fort IX in Kovno
(Kaunas) 

Maly Trostenets
near Minsk

Ponary near
Vilna (Vilnius)

Thematic Modules

Thematic Module 

Module 1: The Arrestation

Overview:

This section details the first step of the killing process where victims were forcibly removed from their homes and gathered at central locations.

Key Concepts:

  • Deception and euphemisms used by perpetrators

  • The role of local collaborators

  • Initial reactions of the victims

Activity:

Observe the photographs and artifacts. Write down your thoughts on the experiences of the victims during the arrestation process.

Discussion Question:

  • How and where were the victims assembled? How were they deceived?

  • What would you assume were the roles and motivations of the photographers?

Thematic Module 

Module 2: The Road

Overview:

This section covers the transportation of victims to the execution sites, often conducted in full view of local communities.

Key Concepts:

  • Public nature of the transportation

  • Responses of Jewish victims and non-Jewish witnesses

  • The concept of "choiceless choices" 

Activity:

Draw a map or write a description of the route victims took from their homes to the execution sites. Include any significant details.

Discussion Question:

  • What were the responses of Jewish victims and non-Jewish eyewitnesses?

  • How did the public nature of these transports affect the local communities? 

Module 3: The Undressing

Thematic Module 

Overview:

Here, the focus is on the dehumanization and humiliation experienced by the victims as they were forced to undress before execution.

Key Concepts:

  • Humiliation and dehumanization of victims

  • The role of Nazi propaganda Resistance and defiance 

  • Resistance and defiance 

Activity:

Write a short diary entry from the perspective of a victim or a witness describing the scene at the execution site.

Discussion Question:

  • What was the role of propaganda in the dehumanization of victims?

  • What psychological impact did the process of undressing have on the victims? 

Thematic Module 

Module 4: The Shooting

Overview:

This section delves into the actual shootings, exploring the methods and psychological impacts on both victims and perpetrators.

Key Concepts:

  • Execution methods

  • Psychological impact on perpetrators

  • The totality of the genocide 

Activity:

Analyze the detailed accounts of the shootings. Reflect on how these events were witnessed by the local communities.

Discussion Question:

  • What were the immediate and long-term effects of these shootings on local communities?

  • How do eyewitness testimonies help us understand the full scope of the crime? 

Thematic Module 

Module 5: The Looting

Overview:

The final section examines the looting of victims' belongings by the perpetrators and local collaborators.

Key Concepts:

  • Motivations behind looting 

  • Ethical implications

  • Post-war justice and memory preservation 

Activity:

Discuss the different motives that might have driven individuals to participate in the looting. How do these actions reflect broader societal values and norms?

Discussion Question:

  • How should society deal with the ethical implications of looting during genocides?

  • Why is it important to remember victims as individuals? 

Activity Guide

Introduction and Context
(10 minutes)

Read the exhibit introduction and watch the introductory video.

1

Explore the Five Thematic Modules 
(30 minutes)

Complete the activities and reflect on the key concepts and discussion questions for each module.

2

Group Reflection and Discussion 
(10 minutes)

Share observations and reflections with your group.

Discuss the provided questions. 

3

Creative Expression
(15 minutes if time allows)

Create a poem, drawing, or short story inspired by the exhibit.

4

Conclusion
(10 minutes)

Discuss the overall experience and the importance of remembering the Holocaust by Bullets.

5

Reflective Questions

What new insights did you gain about the Holocaust by Bullets?

How do the testimonies of eyewitnesses help us understand the human impact of these events?

What lessons can we learn from this history to prevent similar atrocities in the future?

Resources

  • In Unum's website for more information and resources: www.yahadinunum.org

  • Explore the online map and database of execution sites: YahadMap.org

  • Reference "The Holocaust by Bullets: A Priest’s Journey to Uncover the Truth Behind the Murder of 1.5 Million Jews" by Father Patrick Desbois.

*It is crucial that educators put the lessons in a broader historical context. Eyewitnesses are not historians. They share with us their memories and their own perspectives. While preparing to teach any of the activities, in addition to the resources they are already using to teach this subject matter, educators are advised to use some of the resources from the suggested bibliography, webography, and from the list of online resources recommended.