What is Fascism?

6. The Holocaust

The Holocaust was the systematic genocide carried out by Nazi Germany during World War II, targeting Jews and other groups the regime deemed undesirable. It began in 1938 with widespread destruction of Jewish businesses and places of worship during Kristallnacht. What followed was a state-sponsored campaign of harassment, segregation, and violence.

Over time, Nazi policies escalated to mass deportations, forced labor, and murder in concentration and extermination camps. Six million Jews were killed, along with millions of others — including Roma people, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, political dissidents, and prisoners of war. The Holocaust remains one of history’s most horrific examples of where unchecked fascist ideology can lead.