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What were the Nazi policies towards Jewish people?

Nazi policies towards Jewish people were discriminatory, oppressive, and aimed at their systematic extermination during the Holocaust.

The Nazis implemented a series of anti-Jewish laws and actions that escalated in severity from 1933 to 1945. Initially, Jews were excluded from public life through laws like the Nuremberg Laws of 1935, which stripped them of German citizenship and prohibited marriage or sexual relations between Jews and non-Jews. Jewish businesses were boycotted, and Jews were barred from many professions.

As the regime's grip tightened, Jews were forced into ghettos, segregated areas in cities where living conditions were dire. The Nazis also orchestrated violent pogroms, such as Kristallnacht in 1938, where Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues were destroyed, and thousands of Jews were arrested or killed.

During World War II, Nazi policies became even more brutal. The Wannsee Conference in 1942 marked the formal adoption of the "Final Solution," a plan to exterminate all Jews in Europe. This led to the establishment of extermination camps like Auschwitz, where millions of Jews were murdered in gas chambers. Others were subjected to forced labour, starvation, and inhumane medical experiments.

The Nazis also used propaganda to dehumanise Jews, portraying them as subhuman and a threat to society. This propaganda was widespread, appearing in newspapers, films, and school textbooks, to ensure public support for their anti-Semitic policies.

In summary, Nazi policies towards Jewish people were characterised by escalating persecution, segregation, and ultimately, genocide. These actions resulted in the deaths of six million Jews and left a lasting scar on human history.

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