Essay on Great Depression in The Diary of Anne Frank

Time after time, we have read texts in which history has played a significant role. In the play, The Diary of Anne Frank, there was many historical events that was reflected. The Great Depression was a vigorous time the Germans had to endure. Along with that, the Rise of the Nazi Party and the Nuremberg Laws which segregated the Jews. These events led to the Holocaust and helped us remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust.

The Great Depression was one of the most distressing events recorded in history. The major effect of the economic crisis was mass unemployment. Americans who lost their job could not repay their debts, feed themselves, pay their rent or support their family. According to the text, “The Rise of the Nazi,” the text states, “The Great Depression began in 1929 and wrought worldwide economic, social and psychological consequences.” Unemployment during the Great Depression increased drastically from 19219 to 1932. According to the previous text, it states, “The Weimar democracy proved unable to cope with national despair as unemployment doubled from these million to six million, or one in three, by 1932.” This ties into The Diary of Anne Frank because the Great Depression led Hitler to become powerful and increased the chances of more Germans joining him. Hence, the Great Depression was one of the events that led to the Holocaust and helped us remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust.

Hitler’s association with the Nazi Party began in 1919 when he became a member of the unknown political group. He promptly began to rise within the party and eventually became the potent impact in the party. According to the website, www.history.com, it states, “Soon after Hitler became Germany’s chancellor in 1933, he began instituting policies that isolated German Jews and subjected them to persecution.” This portrays when the Nazis gained more power and control, the Jews were more restricted, and anti-Semitism grew. Furthermore, the previous website also states, “… Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses and killed close to 100 Jews.” This depicts that conditions for German Jews grew gradually worse. This connects to The Diary of Anne Frank because Otto Frank became unemployed since Jewish businesses had to be closed. Therefore, the Rise of the Nazi Party, was one of the events that led to the Holocaust and helped us remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust.

The Nuremberg Laws was another event that led to the Holocaust. On September 15, 1935, at a party rally in Nuremberg, the Nazis announced two new laws that changed who could be a German citizen. According to the text, “Jews in Germany (Nuremberg Laws),” it states, “The first law, the Law of the Reich citizen, declared that Jews were no longer German citizens.” In addition to that, the previous text also states, “The second law, the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor, placed legal restrictions on the lives of Jewish people. It declared that a Jew could not marry a German.” The Nuremberg Laws deprived Jews of their rights as citizens, and Jews were barred from marrying non-Jews. This links to The Diary of Anne Frank because they had to wear the Star of David to be identified by other Germans and the Nazis. The new anti-Jewish regulations separated Jews further and made daily life very difficult for them. Consequently, the Nuremberg Laws were one of the events that led to the Holocaust and helped us remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust.

Thus, often we read texts in which history has played a big role. The Great Depression was a devastating time for people and led Hitler to be more prevailing. The Rise of the Nazi party was when Hitler was nearly certain that he could then legally perform oppressive power without any legal objection. Lastly, the Nuremberg Laws caused conditions for German Jews to grow increasingly worse and made daily life very problematic for them. There are thousands of unrecognized heroes of the Holocaust, both Jewish and non-Jewish, who fought the Nazis in ways big and small. Through literature, readers can not only learn the facts about the World War II, but they can also praise and honor the victims who lived and died during the Holocaust.