# data[].attributes.body
Partisans are members of an organized group of fighters. During World War II, the partisans, or members, of most resistance groups typically consisted of young Jews, however other people were included if they wanted to fight. Many people were even as young as teenagers.

# data[].attributes.body
There are a few reasons for the formation of these groups. One of them is a simple hatred for the Nazis and a desire for an end to Jewish persecution. Another reason is that some people who were not Jews were being persecuted. These less commonly known victims include Jehovah's witnesses, gypsies, homosexuals, disabled people, and more. To prevent further persecution, these groups would form their own resistances.
For more information about the persecution of these groups, visit this site:
hmh.org

# data[].attributes.body
Resistance members would help Jews and other people being persecuted find places to hide during the war. Members would also sometimes forge ration cards, identification cards, and other documents for other people, Jewish or not, who had not yet gone into hiding.

# data[].attributes.body
Conditions for the Jewish partisans were very difficult. One of the greatest challenges for them was getting food. It was common for leaders to have trouble feeding their fighters. Sometimes members had to use force to get supplies from people who weren't willing. Partisans were always moving to stay away from the Nazis. Harsh weather conditions were helpful to them because it would slow down the Nazi soldiers.

# data[].attributes.body
The Jewish resistance movements would have what were known as reaction patterns. The different forms of resistance Jews would use included armed resistance, alleviation, evasion, paralysis, and compliance.
Armed Resistance: Included violent challenges to persecution.
Alleviation: Much less violent protest against persecution such as petitions, protection payments, and ransom arrangements.
Evasion: Usually concealing people or even hiding yourself.
Paralysis: This is the inability to respond at all.
Compliance: Jews would simply comply with the Nazis to survive to fight another day.

# data[].attributes.body
If you were caught spreading anti-Nazi propaganda or tried to rebel against the Nazis, you could face several different punishments. In most cases, rebels would be executed. This could mean they were beheaded, taken to a gas chamber, or even simply shot on sight. The alternative punishment was to be arrested and taken to a concentration camp. If you were taken to a camp, it was extremely unlikely that you would survive and escape. It was common to die from diseases or to be shot and killed in death marches.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1942, Hans and Sophie Scholl wrote an essay with a few of their friends about the terrible things Hitler was doing to the Jews and other people. They anonymously sent it to the University of Munich to be published. The words, "Please make as many copies of this leaflet as you can and distribute them," were written at the bottom of the essay. The group called themselves "The White Rose". They spread their leaflets across Germany and Austria and made Graffiti art on the sides of buildings. They were finally caught by the Nazis and sentenced to death in February of 1943. Because of their calm nature, the three were allowed to meet one final time against Nazi protocol before their deaths.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1944, the resistance attempted to assassinate Hitler to end the war. The final plan was to sneak into a conference with Hitler to kill him. A man named Claus von Stauffenberg went to the conference to finish the operation. He set a bomb on the floor of the room and excused himself to make a phone call. While the bomb killed four Nazi members, only Hitler's right arm was injured. After hearing that Hitler had survived, the second part of the plan, Operation Valkyrie, was called off. Had the rebels succeeded in killing Hitler, they would have taken control of the German Army to end the war.

# data[].attributes.body
The uprising on April 19, 1943, is a perfect example of the revolts resistance groups would make. Members of the Warsaw ghetto were given smuggled weapons to form an escape and destroy the center. Sadly, the Nazis quickly stopped the uprising by killing 60,000 people. However, the resistance still caused much damage to the Nazi ghetto. This was also the first major uprising in German occupied territory.
For more information about this event, visit this site:
Not Like Sheep to the Slaughter (jewishvirtuallibrary.org)

# data[].attributes.body
Another revolt that occurred was the Auschwitz rebellion. On October 7, 1944, prisoners fought the Nazis at their compound after learning that they were going to die themselves. Young Jewish women snuck gunpowder into the compound for months. The prisoners were going to throw the ammunition into the gas chambers to start the revolt. Unfortunately, the German Nazis were able to crush the revolt. They killed about 450 prisoners.

# data[].attributes.body
The resistance movements may not have exactly ended the war, but they were able to help some people prevent being taken to concentration camps. Even the failed revolts from inside concentration camps proved to the Nazis that Jews could and would fight back whenever they had the chance.

# data[].attributes.body
"The record must be hurled like a stone under history’s wheel in order to stop it. . .. One can lose all hopes except the one—that the suffering and destruction of this war will make sense when they are looked at from a distant, historical perspective.”
-Gustawa Jarecka, a member of the Warsaw ghetto.

# data[].attributes.body
The following website is a good source for other holocaust information. Search the holocaust to find answers to any other questions you have.
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org
The fictional story "Girl in the Blue Coat" is another good source for the holocaust resistance.

# data[].attributes.body
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org

Holocaust Encyclopedia (ushmm.org)

www.facinghistory.org