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Photo Analysis: Looking at Victims,
Perpetrators, Bystanders, & Collaborators
By Branda Anderson
Washington State Social Studies GLE’s
History 4.3.1 Analyzes and interprets historical materials from a variety of perspectives in world history
(1450—present).
Objective:
Students will be challenged to examine print media as more than just a tool for capturing a moment in
history, but also as a tool for understanding the broader and more complicated context of history, in particular
in the Holocaust.
Learning Targets:
Students will analyze point of view and audience in historical documents
Students will analyze documents on two levels: explicit and implicit
Students will analyze the difference between victims, perpetrators, collaborators, and bystanders in the
context of the Holocaust
Students will demonstrate a deeper understanding of the major themes of the Holocaust
Materials Needed:
Photos from the Holocaust (hard copies, power point slides, or internet projections)
Photo Analysis Work Sheet
Procedure:
This lesson assumes the students have a basic understanding of the themes and issues of the Holocaust, including
the concept of
victims, perpetuators, collaborators, and bystanders.
VICTIMS
-
Approximately 11 million people were killed because of Nazi genocidal policies. The explicit aim of
Hitler's regime was to create a European world both dominated and populated by the "Aryan" race. The Nazi Party
was dedicated to eradicating millions of people it deemed undesirable. Some people were undesirable because of
who they were,
meaning because of their genetic makeup, cultural origins, or health conditions. This included Jews,
Roma/Sinti (Gypsies), Poles and other Slavs, and people with physical or mental disabilities. Others were Nazi
