Background
• Raphael Lemkin
• A lawyer of Polish-Jewish descent
• Credited with coining the term, genocide (1943 or 1944)
• Word comes from genos (Greek for Family, tribe, or race) and cide (Latin for killing)
• Helped to establish the Genocide Convention within the United Nations (1948)
• "To Prevent and Punish the Crime of Genocide"
Definition
• "a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of
essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of
annihilating the groups themselves." -Lemkin
• "the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a
particular ethnic group or nation." -Dictionary Definition
What is a Genocide?
• There were originally Eight Stages of Genocide, later two more are added
(the ones in blue) to make it 10 Stages
• Classification, Symbolization
• Discrimination, Dehumanization
• Organization, Polarization
• Preparation, Persecution
• Extermination, Denial
Stage 1: Classification
• People are divided into "Us vs. Them"
• Distinguish by nationality, ethnicity, race, or religion.
• Bipolar societies (Ethnically Divided), most likely to have genocide because they lack
mixed categories within their society
Stage 2: Symbolization
• Names/Symbols to the classifications: “Jew”, “German”, “Hutu”, “Tutsi”.
• Languages
• Types of dress
• Group uniforms: Nazi Swastika armbands
• Colors and religious symbols:
• Ex: Yellow star for Jews
Stage 3: Discrimination
• "A dominant group uses law, custom, and political power to deny the
rights of other groups."
• Denial of citizenship, voting, and reduced civil rights
• Goal: the dominant group wants to deprive and/or strip the rights of
the less powerful groups to monopolize the power within the given society
• Examples: The Nuremberg Laws in Germany 1935, Discrimination of African Americans and Native
Americas in the US prior to the Civil War Amendments/Civil Rights Movement
Stage 4: Dehumanization
• One group denies the humanity of another group and makes the
victim group seem subhuman.
• Dehumanization overcomes the normal human revulsion against murder
• Less powerful group(s) likened to animals, vermin, insects, and/or diseases
• Propaganda is used to spread this hatred of a particular group(s)
Examples of Dehumanization Propaganda
• Kangura Newspaper, Rwanda: “The
Solution for Tutsi Cockroaches” (Top)
• Der Stürmer Nazi Newspaper: “The
Blood Flows; The Jew Grins" (Bottom)
Stage 5: Organization
• Genocide is a group crime, so it must be organized.
• The state usually organizes, arms & financially supports the groups that
conduct the genocidal massacres
• Plans are made by elites for a “final solution” of genocidal killings.
Stage 6: Polarization
• Extremists drive the groups apart
• Hate groups broadcast and print polarizing propaganda
• Laws are passed that forbid intermarriage or social interaction
• Attacks blamed on targeted groups – something bad happens, must be
“their” fault
Stage 7: Preparation
• Dominant group leaders plan the “Final Solution”
• Use terms to "cover up" their intentions
• "Ethnic Cleansing", "Purification", or "Counter-Terrorism"
• Build up and train their army or militia groups
• Leaders stoke fear of the "other group(s)" further cementing the "Us vs. Them"
• Use this to claim "self-defense"
Stage 8: Persecution
• "Victims are identified and separated out because of their national, ethnic, racial or religious identity. The victim group’s most basic human rights are systematically violated..."
• Death lists are created
• Victim groups are essentially rounded up and deported to one of the following: Ghettos, Concentration Camps, and/or Famine struck areas and starved
• Deprived of basics necessities (food, water, etc.)
• Separated from family members
Stage 9: Extermination
• Extermination begins, and becomes
the mass killing legally called
"genocide."
• Most genocide is committed by
governments.
Einsatzgruppen: Nazi Killing
Squads
Stage 10: Denial
• Denial is always found in genocide, both during it and after it
• Denial extends the crime of genocide to future generations of the
victims. It is a continuation of the intent to destroy the group
• The tactics of denial are predictable.
• Try to cover up any evidence
• Intimidate witnesses; Block investigations
• Deny what happened; blame the victims