The German occupation of Poland was extraordinarily brutal. The Nazis considered Poles racially inferior. After Poland's military defeat by Germany in September 1939, the Germans launched a promotion of terror. German police units shot thousands of Polish civilians and forced all Polish males to perform forced labor. The Nazis wanted to destroy Polish culture by eliminating Polish political, religious and informed leadership. This was done basically because of the Germans' antipathy towards Polish culture and partly to prevent resistance against the occupation. The Nazis took disciplinary measures against populations in areas where resistance was encountered. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In November 1942, the Germans expelled over 100,000 people from the Zamosc region (in Poland); many were deported to Auschwitz camps similar to those in Germany. Approximately 50,000 Polish children were taken from their families, transferred to the Reich, and subjected to "Germanization" policies. Following Germany's invasion of western Poland, Hitler ordered the "Germanization" of Polish territory. This meant that he wanted everything to be German. Nazi governors expelled hundreds of thousands of Poles from their homes in different communities across Poland. More than 500,000 ethnic Germans settled in these areas. Between 1939 and 1945, at least 1.5 million Polish citizens were deported to German territory for forced labor. Ultimately, virtually all Polish Jews experienced the full force of ghettoization, forced labor, and extermination. (6 Niewyk). Hundreds of thousands were also imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps. It is estimated that the Germans killed at least 1.9 million non-Jewish Polish civilians during World War II. Furthermore, the Germans killed at least 3 million Polish Jewish citizens. The murder of the Jews is discussed exclusively in the context of Poland's fate during the war. (Atlas 22) This is significant because Polish Jews had the highest mortality rate of all races. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay According to Kristallnacht by James M. An estimated three million Polish citizens died during World War II: about a fifth of the pre-war population. (10) with evidence from both perspectives, it can be deduced that Polish Jews had the greatest effect on the Holocaust, to a moderate extent. Although both suffered the same type of treatment, more Polish Jews were killed due to the geographic location and location of the Jews. Although Jews were important in Germany, they were also important in Poland and contributed greatly to the Holocaust.