Racism was a big deal in the holocaust. The Nazi's were taking Jews and putting them in camps or just killing them on the spot this mostly started during WW1 planted the seed and then Hitler made it grow. While in the camps most Jews had hoped that the war would end in the near future but it took longer then they had wished.  

Diary of Anne Frank

The Diary of Anne Frank is a great book. It shows that even in the darkest times you have to have a little hope to get throw it. Hope is hope is a strong word in some like hate some times hope is hard to have when your being hunted down. I'm using The Diary of Anne Frank because its a inspiring book. But the holocaust could be used in the same seance  because they both bring out the same point that a little hope can go a long way. Back then when the Nazi's started the war the Jews had high hopes that some one would come and save them. But help didn't come till 1942 the British attacked and failed. The Jews were starting to come apart some getting just getting shot on the spot or being put in the ghetto or the camps (concretion camps,gas chambers). If not dying from the the Nazi's they were dying from illness. The ones who would hide had ether been found or lost all hope that the war would end but they still had a little hope that would keep them going the Star of David even in hiding  they tried to celebrate there holidays even tho there wasn't really that much they could do. Think of it like this the had to sit still and be silent for a long time in small spaces like your cupboards and one move or sound could get them found and be killed.