Holocaust
Definition
The Holocaust refers to the systematic mass murder carried out by Nazi Germany shortly before and during World War II against Jews and, more broadly, disabled people, homosexuals, Romanis, Slavs, and others. The word can also refer more generally to the state-sponsored mass murder of a particular group.
Quick Facts
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What does Holocaust mean?
Holocaust refers to the systematic mass murder perpetrated by Nazi Germany shortly before and during World War II. Jews were the primary targeted group; the broader definition also includes disabled people, homosexuals, Romanis, Slavs, and others.
In a broader sense, Holocaust can describe the state-sponsored mass murder of a particular group of people.
Holocaust and sexuality-related history
The term includes homosexuals among the groups subjected to persecution and mass murder under Nazi Germany. In sexuality-related historical writing, Holocaust may therefore appear in discussions of the persecution of homosexual people during that period.