During Adolf Hitler’s regime in Nazi Germany, millions of people were targeted and killed as part of the Holocaust and other systematic campaigns of persecution. The breakdown of groups targeted by Hitler can be summarized as follows:
Jews: The Jewish population was the primary target of Hitler’s genocidal policies. Approximately six million Jews, including men, women, and children, were systematically murdered in what is known as the Holocaust.
Romani People: The Romani people, also known as Roma or Gypsies, were subjected to persecution and mass killings. Estimates of Romani deaths during the Holocaust range from 220,000 to 1.5 million.
Disabled Individuals: Under Hitler’s Aktion T4 program, disabled individuals, including those with physical and mental disabilities, were targeted for extermination. It is estimated that tens of thousands of disabled individuals were killed.
Political Dissidents: Hitler’s regime targeted political opponents, including communists, socialists, trade unionists, and other dissidents. Many were imprisoned, executed, or subjected to forced labor.
Homosexuals: Homosexual men were persecuted and imprisoned under Nazi rule. It is estimated that thousands were sent to concentration camps, where they faced harsh conditions and often died.
Jehovah’s Witnesses: Members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious group were targeted because they refused to pledge allegiance to the Nazi regime or participate in its activities. Many were imprisoned and subjected to persecution, and an estimated 2,500 were killed.
Slavic Peoples: Hitler’s ideology considered Slavic peoples, such as Poles, Russians, and others, as racially inferior. Millions of Slavs were killed or died as a result of forced labor, starvation, and other brutal conditions.
Other Minority Groups: Various other minority groups, including black people, ethnic minorities, and people deemed socially undesirable, were persecuted, subjected to forced sterilization, and killed.
It is important to note that these numbers are estimates, as accurate records were not always maintained by the Nazi regime. The Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., provides detailed information and resources for further study on this topic.