Persecuted Groups Of The Holocaust

The Crusades

Apr 12, 1096

European Christians attempted to take Israel from Muslims. Preached by Pope Urban II, he says any Christian who dies either on the trip of fighting will have "remission" of all sins. Although Muslims were the target, thousands of Jews were attacked and killed. Some Jews are giving the option to convert their religion. Jews gave loans for the crusaders on their way to Jerusalem but were not allowed to charge interest, one of the few ways Jews make money.

The Execution of Johann de Wettre

Feb 17, 1292

The knifemaker Johann de Wettre was burned alive for engaging in an act "detested by God" This act was sodomy. He was burned alive for being gay and having sexual relationship with another man. He isn't the first person executed for sodomy, but is the earliest we have on record in Europe.

The Black Death

Mar 16, 1348

The Black Death was a disease that spread all around Eurasia. Nearly half of the entire population was wiped out. The blame was put on Jews. " a myth arose, especially in Germany, that the spread of the disease was due to a plot of the Jews to destroy Christians by poisoning the wells from which they obtained water for drinking purposes." Jews were even "put to the question" or tortured to obtain this information and make Jews confess. However, there is no evidence to prove that they did.

The Roma

Feb 18, 1530

Roma are known as Gypsies/Travelers/Tzigane. The word Gypsy comes from a bastardization of "Egyptian" In 1530, The Egyptian Acts went into effect that expelled all Roma people passed under King Henry VIII. Roma people were banished from England because it was believed that they were stealing people's stuff and tricking them into getting their money. All Roma property was taken and were given 16 days to leave. However not all left so the law was passed again in 1554 by Queen Mary I. (Nomadic)

The Buggery Act

Feb 17, 1533

In England 1533, the Buggery Act was passed under King Henry VIII. This was a national law that made sodomy a capital offense, resulting in a death penalty if committed. The law remained a capital offense in England until 1861 and also included bestiality. This was targeted mainly on homosexual people, in attempt to prevent and stop gay relationships.

Speech By Pope Paul IV

Feb 17, 1555

Pope Paul IV wrote a speech specifically about Jews. In the speech, he says "whose guilt-all of their own doing-has condemned them to eternal slavery" In this statement, the pope is blaming Jews for the death of Jesus. Because of this, he says, "and among themselves, instead of slavery, which they deserve, they manage to claim superiority..." The pope claims that Jews deserve slavery, and they are ungrateful to Christians that "allows Jews access to our society and to even live among us"