jewish resistance

This KS4 lesson examines the question: Was there Jewish resistance to the Holocaust? Students explore a range of case studies, from armed uprisings such as the Warsaw Ghetto and the Bielski partisans, to passive resistance including cultural life in ghettos and the smuggling of children in Amsterdam. The lesson also includes the remarkable story of Youra Livschitz, who helped stop a deportation train to Auschwitz.
Students compare armed and passive resistance, consider the challenges Jews faced when resisting the Nazis, and assess the degree to which different forms of resistance were successful. Activities include source analysis, categorisation tasks, decision-making activities, and GCSE-style exam practice questions (4-mark and evaluative questions).
The lesson develops historical thinking through cause, consequence, and significance, while addressing misconceptions about Jewish responses to persecution.
Ideal for AQA GCSE History – Germany, Conflict and Tension, or Holocaust depth studies, this lesson combines knowledge-building with exam skills in an engaging and thoughtful way.