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By *rtyIanMan
2 weeks ago
Gateway to the Beacons |
Went to Belsen several times when I was in Germany in the Army, and the one thing that struck me every time was the total silence, the surrounding area was full of wildlife but inside the camp, it was eerily quiet. Lest We Forget. Along with 6 million Jews, several other groups were also targeted due to their race, ethnicity, political beliefs, religion, disability, or perceived threat to Nazi ideology. Here are estimates of the losses among other groups:
1. Roma and Sinti (Gypsies):
Estimates: 220,000–500,000
The Roma and Sinti were subjected to forced sterilization, deportation, and mass executions. They were labelled as "racially inferior" under Nazi racial ideology.
2. Polish Civilians:
Estimates: 1.8–3 million (non-Jewish Poles)
Ethnic Poles were targeted for extermination as part of the Nazi plan for "Lebensraum" (living space). Many were killed in massacres, forcedlabourr camps, and mass executions.
3. Soviet Prisoners of War:
Estimates: 2.8–3.3 million
Soviet POWs were subjected to starvation, disease, and summary executions. They were considered racially and ideologically inferior.
4. Disabled Individuals:
Estimates: 250,000–300,000
Under the Nazi "T4 Program," people with physical and mental disabilities were murdered through forced euthanasia, starvation, or lethal injections.
5. Political Prisoners:
Estimates: Tens of thousands
Communists, socialists, anarchists, trade unionists, and others opposed to the Nazi regime were imprisoned in concentration camps and often executed.
6. Jehovah's Witnesses:
Estimates: 2,500–5,000
Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted for refusing to pledge allegiance to the Nazi regime or serve in the military due to their religious beliefs.
7. LGBTQ+ Individuals:
Estimates: 5,000–15,000
Gay men, in particular, were imprisoned in concentration camps, where they were subjected to medical experiments, torture, and execution.
8. Other Ethnic Groups:
Estimates: Thousands
Groups such as ethnic Serbs, Slovenes, and others in occupied territories were killed in massacres, deportations, and concentration camps.
9. Religious Minorities:
Estimates: Thousands
Certain Christian groups, such as Catholic priests and Protestant pastors, were targeted for opposing Nazi ideology.
10. Others Deemed "Asocial":
Estimates: Tens of thousands
Homeless individuals, vagrants, alcoholics, and those labelled as "socially deviant" were also sent to camps and often killed.
Total Non-Jewish Victims:
Estimates vary, but the total number of non-Jewish victims is believed to be around 5–6 million, bringing the overall death toll of the Holocaust to 11–12 million people. |
