1. Roma (Gypsies): The Roma were a nomadic group widely dispersed across Europe. They were viewed by the Nazis as "asocial" and "work-shy." During the Holocaust, the Nazis implemented policies to deport and exterminate Roma individuals. Approximately 220,000 to 500,000 Roma people are estimated to have been killed during the Holocaust.
2. Soviet Prisoners of War (POWs): The German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 led to the capture of millions of Soviet soldiers. These POWs were subjected to harsh treatment, neglect, starvation, and executions by the Nazis. It is estimated that around 3.5 million Soviet POWs died during the war.
3. People with Disabilities: Individuals with physical or mental disabilities were targeted by the Nazi regime's eugenics program, known as Aktion T4. This program aimed to "purify" the German gene pool by eliminating those considered "unworthy of life." People with disabilities were systematically murdered through gas chambers, lethal injections, and other means. The precise number of victims of this program is unknown but is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.
4. Jehovah's Witnesses: This religious group was persecuted for refusing to pledge allegiance to the Nazi state and for their pacifist beliefs. Jehovah's Witnesses were imprisoned, sent to concentration camps, and some were executed for their religious convictions.
5. Homosexuals: Homosexuality was criminalized in Nazi Germany, and gay men were targeted and persecuted. They were arrested, imprisoned, and sent to concentration camps, where many were killed or subjected to brutal treatment.
6. Political Dissidents and Opposition Groups: The Nazis suppressed any form of political dissent or resistance to their regime. Communists, socialists, trade unionists, and other political opponents were arrested, imprisoned, and often killed.
It's important to recognize that while these groups were also persecuted and suffered immense losses, the systematic and industrialized genocide of Jews remains a unique and central aspect of the Holocaust.