Document Analysis Worksheet

1. Type of document (check one)

___ Newspaper ___ Letter ___ Diary_x__ Government Report ___ Interview ___ Legal document
___ Debate transcription ___ Memoir ___ Other:____________________________
2. Date(s) of document: 10/25/1941

3. Author (or creator) of the document: Dr. Erhard Wetzel

4. What do you know about the background of the author(s)?

Wetzel is a German lawyer who at the time of writing the document was a court judge and advisor on Jewish affairs. He
became famous for his letter on the gassing chambers. It was the first direct connection between the T4 and the
extermination of the Jews. He served as a race officer and was a member of the internal ministry.
5. Identify the audience for whom the document was written.
Hinrich Lohse, the Reich Commissar for the East.
6. What is the topic or issue of the document?
People werent a huge fan of the bloody massacre of the Jews that took place at the train station. They wanted a less
graphic way of killing them. The answer was gassing chambers. The letter talks about all the approvals the idea got and
how to go about transferring the Jews between concentration camps.
7. Document Information: (There are many possible answers to these questions)
A. List three things the author said that you think are important or notable:
1. They find that gassing a human is more humane that shooting him/her.
2. They would force Jews into labor (digging their own grave, perhaps).
3. They didnt want male and female Jews to work together
B. Why do you think this document was written?
To inform the ministry of a new technology that could possibly be used for massacre.
C. What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? Give an example from the document to support
your opinion.
Its pretty clear why the document was written. Its to answer the question of how to kill the Jews without causing
a mess that the German public would have to deal with.
I should inform you that Sturmbannfhrer Eichmann, the expert for the Jewish Question in the RSHA is entirely
in agreement with this process.
This quote goes to show that a respectable source was consulted to prove that the gas chambers were a good idea
D. On the back of this page answer this: Does the document conflict or agree with other things you have read about the
topic?
The document is spot on considering everything that Ive learned about from any history class ever.
E. On the back of this page, compose a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document.

Medeiros

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Document Analysis Worksheet

The author mentions that it goes without saying that male and female Jews shouldnt be allowed to be together. I
dont understand why. If theyre all going to die anyway, why not let them be happy before they do so. It just goes
to show how inhumane the Nazis were.

Medeiros

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