Why did people not do anything about the Jews being killed?

Answer 1

The Holocaust----- Original answer:

I believe that the people in Germany did not do anything about the Jews being killed because they were too scared and wanted to keep out of the whole thing. Some Germans may have even believed that the Jews were truly evil.

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Many native germans did not know of the extermination camps at all, as they were mostly located in the conquered east and there was no free media at all to report on such things and if anyone tried to leak it, it would be suppressed completley and the dissenters would lose home, family and possibly be sent to the camps themselves. And if you are refering to the guards, then they were desensitized and battered with Propaganda for years and years, and truly thought of the Jews as lowly non-human creatures, equal not even to rats and insects.

I can add that the native poles near the areas was also rather indoctrinated by the catholic church to not help the jews, as they held them responsible for Jesus death.

Section 2: Added by Egon Ruuda

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One needs to say who is meant by 'people' and what they might have done in practical terms.

As for German civilians, many were aware that Jews and others were being massacred on a large scale in Eastern Europe. (There is a lot of debate about exactly what and how much they knew). After all, soldiers came home on leave and some talked about what they had seen and heard. The German historian, Helga Grebing, writing in the 1950s (and therefore quite close to the time) suggests that many people in Germany knew at least something of what was happening, but did not want to know more.

One also needs to say what ordinary Germans might have done, if they cared enough. Demonstrations and the like were not a practical proposition.

Answer 2

Some did, but part of the Nazi appeal was that it had something for everybody. The Treaty of Versailles was extremely unfair to Germany, saddling its economy with crippling war reparations. Many business owners, especially industries that profited from munitions and war materiel, sought economic stability. The runaway inflation made German money worthless. Many people wanted a scapegoat for the worldwide economic panic caused by the Great Depression. Many politicians and business people thought that they could use the Nazis and then dispose of them once they had served their purpose, only to find that they were the ones being played.

Answer 3

Fear. They were afraid if they spoke up against it, their family might be next.