How could it happen? The Allied soldiers who entered the camps in 1945 as well as stunned visitors to Holocaust museums today asked themselves, "How could such things occur in the world?" "How could it go so far? Why weren't they stopped? Why didn't they stop themselves?

To answer that question is beyond the scope of this site. We leave that to the Sages and Philosophers -- and to God Himself. As it says in Deuteronomy (29:28), "The hidden things belong to God . . . and the revealed ones are for us and our children. . . .

These four pages form a brief outline of the history of the Holocaust: some of the events preceding it, the progression of the maelstrom, and the post-war struggles that the survivors faced.

Smoldering Embers: Germany Before 1929
German anti-Semitism had a long history prior to the emergence of the Nazi party. The winds of hate blew for many years before the Nazis entered to stir up the smoldering coals.

Nazis Triumphant: 1930-1939
In 1930, the National Socialist party became the second largest in Germany. The next nine years saw their tightening hold on the minds and hearts of the nation, and the darkening of the fortunes of Europe's Jews.

Engulfed in Flames: The War Years, 1939-1945
When war broke out in 1939, the Jews of Europe were completely vulnerable. Hitler's troops rolled across Europe, consuming every Jewish community it their path. The bonfire reached the sky.

Aftermath: Life from the Ashes
1945 saw the end of the war, but not the end of the Holocaust. Thousands of survivors continued to die from disease, mistreatment and the neglect of nations who turned away from them. Miraculously, from the ashes, the survivors rose to build new lives.