ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bottom-up approach of the Holocaust

Okay, kiddo. The bottom-up approach is a way for us to understand what happened during the Holocaust from the perspective of the regular people who were affected by it. We're not just looking at what the leaders and officials did, but how everyone else reacted and tried to either resist or adapt to the terrible things happening around them.

There were lots of different people affected by the Holocaust, from Jews and other minorities who were persecuted and killed, to ordinary Germans who were asked to participate or look the other way. Some people were able to resist and fight back, while others just tried to survive in any way they could.

When we look at the bottom-up approach, we try to understand what it was like for these people, and how they experienced the Holocaust in their own lives. We might look at things like diaries, letters, or other personal accounts to get a sense of what people were thinking and feeling at the time.

Overall, the bottom-up approach helps us to remember that the Holocaust wasn't just something that happened to a few individuals or groups, but something that affected millions of people in Europe and around the world. By understanding their experiences and perspectives, we can work to make sure that something like this never happens again.