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There are a couple of differences between the mass murder of Jews and non-Jews. One is the sheer vitriolic hatred of the Nazis for the Jews, and the fact that such hatred did not just arise spontaneously - it is the end product of a couple thousand years of Anti-Semitism. The Nazis harvested an evil crop that had been planted hundreds of years before in very fertile soil. Another difference is that for many of the non-Jewish victims, their murder was related to something that they had voluntarily chosen, like a profession or an action. If a particular person was not a priest, for example, then they wouldn't have been taken away, but since that person was in a position to harm the Nazis (due to their actual or implied leadership role), they became targets. Jews, on the other hand, couldn't even escape the gas chambers if their grandparents had converted to Christianity. Yet another difference is the sheer scale of the slaughter: nearly 50% of all Jews living on the continent of Europe in August of 1939 (and 1/3 of all Jews anywhere), did not live to see June of 1945. No other group suffered such grievous losses.

At the same time as I hold the views noted above, I as a human being and a Jew do not minimize the deliberate murder of non-Jews or the monstrous crimes that the Nazis committed in murdering them. Included among the victims of the Nazis must also be those in all nations who perished directly fighting the war started by them (i.e. soldiers) and the many millions of civilians who were the "collateral damage" of that era. But for Hitler and his followers, upwards of 45 million people would have lived normal lifespans. Their descendants would likely number 100-200 million today, and untold billions in the centuries to come. The extent of such evil is beyond comprehension.

And who knows what one of those 100-200 million people alive today would have done?

Cured cancer?

Discovered some previously unknown law of physics?

Had an idea that became an engineering marvel?

Written a play, or a novel, or a poem that touched deeply on the eternal questions of life?

Burrowed through dusty archives and brought up new information and perspectives on history?

I recall reading (It was quite a while ago so no source comes to mind) That before the end of the 19th century Germany was one of the best places to live if you were a Jew. Very little in the way of progroms etc.. At least in comparison to places like Russia, Poland, France. I be interested to know if you've read or heard anything about this.