Teach & Learn: The Nazi State
PrintObjectives
Students learn about the Nazis' early policies of persecution and consider what the reports of one Canadian journalist reveal about the Nazi state.
Links to Historical Thinking Concepts:
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Use Primary Source Evidence - Students respond to Matthew Halton's eyewitness reports. What do they convey about Nazi Germany?
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Analyze Cause & Consequence - How did the Nazis' early persecution of Jews contribute to the Holocaust?
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Take Historical Perspective - How is our understanding of Halton's reporting and warnings affected by to our knowledge of the Holocaust that followed?
A Silent Conversation
Let students explore this section of the website or pre-assign Student Reading: The Nazi State, which provides contextual information for Halton's reporting.
Introduce Matthew Halton to students and explain that they are going to read excerpts from his reports about Nazi Germany.
Before the "silent conversation" activity begins, explain that there is to be absolute silence for the first two parts of the process. All communication will be done in writing. Students should be told that they will be given time to speak in pairs and as a class later. Ask students if they have questions before the activity starts to minimize interruptions once the silence has begun.
Students work in pairs. Distribute a copy of Document: Matthew Halton Reports to each pair, as well as a large sheet of paper. Each student will also need a marker or pen.
Pairs read the text in silence. After both students in each pair have read, they comment on the text, and ask questions of each other by writing on their paper. The written conversation should first focus on the text but can stray to wherever students take it. Students should be given approximately 15 minutes for this step.
Still working in silence, students leave their partners and walk around reading the other sheets of papers. Students bring their marker or pen with them and write comments or further questions on other students' papers. The length of time for this step should be based on the number of groups and your knowledge of the students’ learning styles.
The silence is broken. The pairs meet back at their own paper. They should look at any comments written by others. Now they can have a free, verbal conversation about the text, their own comments, what they read on other papers, and comments their fellow students wrote back to them.
Class Discussion
Debrief the process with the class. The discussion can touch upon the process (the difficulties of remaining silent, for instance) and delve deeper into the content by using the prompts on the sheets of paper to elicit students’ thoughts.
Additional questions to consider:
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What do Halton’s writings contribute to our understanding of Nazi Germany?
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How do you imagine Canadians reading Halton’s articles in the Toronto Daily Star in 1933 and 1936 responded to his reports?
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Based on Halton's writings, do you think Canada should have participated in the 1936 Olympics? Why or why not?
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Are there any events covered in the media today that are comparable to Matthew Halton's coverage of the 1936 Olympics? How do you react to these reports?
Written Reflection
In 1933, Halton wrote: "What else is in store for them [the Jews of Germany], apart from what the history of this year has already recorded will soon be known."
At this time, it was impossible to know that the outcome of the Nazis persecution of Jews would be the Holocaust - the murder of six million men, women and children. Yet signs of persecution were evident, and reported by Halton for Canadian newspapers.
Students write a journal entry in response to Halton's warning. Suggested prompts:
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Based on Halton's reporting and the background reading, how do you think the Nazis' persecution of Jews between 1933-36 contributed to the Holocaust?
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In what way did events reported by Matthew Halton forewarn of the Holocaust?
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How does knowing about the genocide that followed affect your reading of Halton?
Extension: Eyewitness & Journalist
Students write a news report about a social justice issue in their school or community. They should incorporate first-hand observations and make a case for why it important for people to be aware of their issue.