Jurgen Zimmerer, a professor of history at the University of Hamburg, has studied the theory of continuity in relation to settler colonialism and the Holocaust. His research concentrates on German colonialism, comparative genocide, colonialism and the Holocaust, critical prevention studies and environmental violence and genocide, and shows that there is an underlying connection between past experiences and their association to future outcomes and decisions.
Schaller and Zimmerer both hold to a similar ideology that while the genocide in Southwest Africa did not directly cause the Holocaust there are several parallels in the intentions and actions of these two areas. Zimmerer, however, maintains a firm position that these parallels allowed …show more content…
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On the whole, Zimmerer believes that most historical scholarship has largely ignored structural similarities seen between colonialism and modern genocide and therefore had lead to an avoidance of the direct references seen between the two events. Were Zimmerer states that most believe in the singular thesis, that the Holocaust is its own individual event, he proposes that there is a theory of continuity that allows the actions of the Holocaust to be traced back to the actions seen in German-occupied Southwest Africa. "The problem of the connection between colonialism and National Socialism is highly political and emotional, for the historical-academic question of the singularity of the Holocaust and the relationship of Nazi crimes to previous or subsequent collective mass murders has long since also …show more content…
Colonialism occupied such a prominent position in this tradition of genocidal thought because of the ‘discovery’, conquest, development, and settlement of the new world was positively connoted and enjoyed popular support. "Even the murder of the Jews, which was distinguished by the notion of eradicating a worldwide conspiracy, would probably not have been thinkable and possible if the idea that ethnicities can simply be wiped out had not already existed and had not already been put into action." (QUOTE)Such parallels are seen within the holocaust and german settler colonialism also helps explain concepts of expulsion and resettlement. Zimmerer believes that because german southwest Africa was filled with mass murders and resettlement, that the same actions that took place against the Jews in Nazi-occupied Germany were not ultimate a new action in the minds of the germans. Since their predecessors had taken part and had started the action that laid the groundwork for nazi Germany the actions of mass murder were not consulted as taboo but instead a precut of germans history. Zimmerer notes that "colonial history offered the Nazi perpetrators the possibility of exculpating themselves and obscuring the enormity of their own actions."
Schaller and Zimmerer both hold to a similar ideology that while the genocide in Southwest Africa did not directly cause the Holocaust there are several parallels in the intentions and actions of these two areas. Zimmerer, however, maintains a firm position that these parallels allowed …show more content…
" (QUOTE)
On the whole, Zimmerer believes that most historical scholarship has largely ignored structural similarities seen between colonialism and modern genocide and therefore had lead to an avoidance of the direct references seen between the two events. Were Zimmerer states that most believe in the singular thesis, that the Holocaust is its own individual event, he proposes that there is a theory of continuity that allows the actions of the Holocaust to be traced back to the actions seen in German-occupied Southwest Africa. "The problem of the connection between colonialism and National Socialism is highly political and emotional, for the historical-academic question of the singularity of the Holocaust and the relationship of Nazi crimes to previous or subsequent collective mass murders has long since also …show more content…
Colonialism occupied such a prominent position in this tradition of genocidal thought because of the ‘discovery’, conquest, development, and settlement of the new world was positively connoted and enjoyed popular support. "Even the murder of the Jews, which was distinguished by the notion of eradicating a worldwide conspiracy, would probably not have been thinkable and possible if the idea that ethnicities can simply be wiped out had not already existed and had not already been put into action." (QUOTE)Such parallels are seen within the holocaust and german settler colonialism also helps explain concepts of expulsion and resettlement. Zimmerer believes that because german southwest Africa was filled with mass murders and resettlement, that the same actions that took place against the Jews in Nazi-occupied Germany were not ultimate a new action in the minds of the germans. Since their predecessors had taken part and had started the action that laid the groundwork for nazi Germany the actions of mass murder were not consulted as taboo but instead a precut of germans history. Zimmerer notes that "colonial history offered the Nazi perpetrators the possibility of exculpating themselves and obscuring the enormity of their own actions."