This essay endeavours to explore and argue that the Nazi policy of the Holocaust, the extermination of 6 million Jews, was a rational policy due to the fact that those who took part were mentally capable. It is clear when you explore the motives behind the movement and the policy towards the Jews before the so called “final solution” that a passionate hatred existed. Unlike what the question suggests and what is suggested in discussion and some literature around the regime, the actions were not carried out as a result of blind submission. Whilst some may have done this out of fear, it has been suggested that the majority followed suit out of traditional views of anti-Semitism. Views of anti-Semitism have been around for decades in Europe and
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A party which grew out of racist and populist anti-Communist belief. The group centred on a nationalist sentiment which saw off uprisings of Communism within Germany during the interwar years. Eugenics, played a huge part in the ideologies of what came to be known as the Nazi party and its anti-Semitic views. Anti-Semitism was a lasting influence on the party and this is made clear through the influence of right-wing figures as suggested by Stern. Figures such as Moeller for example had influence on Goebbels and his ideas surrounding National Socialism to the extent that he “enthusiastically endorsed” the book Moeller had produced in 1925. The party itself grew out of nationalist factions in German politics, which took an anti-Semitic strand under Anton Drexler and the “Committee of Independent Workmen”. The party, as mentioned, was influenced by eugenic thought and this is evident in its early teaching and much later into the epoch of Nazism. With ideas under Drexler culminating in the creation of the German Workers Party (DAP) in January 1919 a party which combined with the works of Harrer and had him as chairman. The party itself saw Hitler rise through the ranks and was based around the idea of an “Aryan race”, it is arguable therefore that Hitler’s ideas of anti-Semitism became more prominent …show more content…
Nazi policy saw a move from humiliation and complete control to terror, arguably a somewhat tame precursor to the ‘Final Solution’. It appeared as a main characteristic of the regime as early as 1938 and can be seen in the events of Kristallnacht. Occurring in areas of Austria as well as Nazi Germany. Kristallnacht saw violence against Jewish residents by the SA paramilitary forces and by a significant number of non-Jewish, so called ‘Aryan’ citizens. Given the name Kristallnacht in the Jewish community due to the shards of glass on the streets after the destruction of “Jewish stores, buildings and synagogues.” The attacks not only saw an unprecedented escalation of hatred against the Jewry being presented but also saw the progression of the movement. Whilst with this a progression towards extermination appears rational with 91 Jews being murdered during the attacks and 30,000 more arrested and sent to concentration camps. It is here where a link with the other side of the argument of rationality is made clear. This was not a direct order from Hitler and therefore stemmed out as a method of doing what was believed he wanted, suggested by Welch in his article and the functionalist argument. Occurring as retaliation of the assassination of a German diplomat by a German born, Polish Jew in Paris, Kristallnacht was
A party which grew out of racist and populist anti-Communist belief. The group centred on a nationalist sentiment which saw off uprisings of Communism within Germany during the interwar years. Eugenics, played a huge part in the ideologies of what came to be known as the Nazi party and its anti-Semitic views. Anti-Semitism was a lasting influence on the party and this is made clear through the influence of right-wing figures as suggested by Stern. Figures such as Moeller for example had influence on Goebbels and his ideas surrounding National Socialism to the extent that he “enthusiastically endorsed” the book Moeller had produced in 1925. The party itself grew out of nationalist factions in German politics, which took an anti-Semitic strand under Anton Drexler and the “Committee of Independent Workmen”. The party, as mentioned, was influenced by eugenic thought and this is evident in its early teaching and much later into the epoch of Nazism. With ideas under Drexler culminating in the creation of the German Workers Party (DAP) in January 1919 a party which combined with the works of Harrer and had him as chairman. The party itself saw Hitler rise through the ranks and was based around the idea of an “Aryan race”, it is arguable therefore that Hitler’s ideas of anti-Semitism became more prominent …show more content…
Nazi policy saw a move from humiliation and complete control to terror, arguably a somewhat tame precursor to the ‘Final Solution’. It appeared as a main characteristic of the regime as early as 1938 and can be seen in the events of Kristallnacht. Occurring in areas of Austria as well as Nazi Germany. Kristallnacht saw violence against Jewish residents by the SA paramilitary forces and by a significant number of non-Jewish, so called ‘Aryan’ citizens. Given the name Kristallnacht in the Jewish community due to the shards of glass on the streets after the destruction of “Jewish stores, buildings and synagogues.” The attacks not only saw an unprecedented escalation of hatred against the Jewry being presented but also saw the progression of the movement. Whilst with this a progression towards extermination appears rational with 91 Jews being murdered during the attacks and 30,000 more arrested and sent to concentration camps. It is here where a link with the other side of the argument of rationality is made clear. This was not a direct order from Hitler and therefore stemmed out as a method of doing what was believed he wanted, suggested by Welch in his article and the functionalist argument. Occurring as retaliation of the assassination of a German diplomat by a German born, Polish Jew in Paris, Kristallnacht was