The Reasons For The Holocaust

The Holocaust, which was the systematic persecution and murder of over six million Jews during World War II, is often cited as one of the worst atrocities committed in the history of human civilization. People speak of it in hushed, mournful voices as they wonder at how the German Nazis could be so malevolent as to annihilate a whole generation of Jews. Hundreds of eminent scholars have eloquently explained the horrific nature of the Holocaust and its effects on the modern world (Gerstenfeld). Yet, it can be said that emphasis should be placed on understanding why Adolf Hitler decided to exterminate so many Jews. Only by looking through the perspective of the Nazis can one begin to understand that the Nazi Party and its leader, Hitler, brutally …show more content…
German and Austrian politicians, who did their utmost to make sure that the fault for defeat in World War I did not end up on them, fabricated widespread rumors about internal traitors working with the enemy (“The Reasons for the Holocaust”). One would venture to say that Jews being too weak to retaliate against the rumors might have lead more and more people into believing them as true. In essence, humans by nature attempt to find external causes for their mistakes, and this time was no different. The German and Austrian populace needed to find someone to blame for their troubles, and the Jews fit the description perfectly in the eyes of the radicals. These radicals conjured huge support from crowds by describing all the flaws of Jews and portraying them as inferior people trying to dilute the pure blood the Germans with their blood ("Why Did Hitler Hate …show more content…
A famous explanation for the start of his hatred for the Jews lies in one of his favorite parts of life: art. According to researchers, Hitler applied for the Vienna Academy of Art in 1908, but his application to the institute was rejected (telegraph.co.uk). Many researchers believe that this rejection was one of the catalysts that sparked his underlying beliefs in anti-semitism. In addition, he was a person who strongly believed in “Aryan” superiority, and he saw Jews as core problems in society. In his rise to power as the Chancellor of Germany, he repeatedly expressed these views of superiority, and he used the discontent Germans felt after losing World War I as one of the chief pillars for his rise to power. In his view, the only way to truly make Germany great again was to eliminate the “root” of all of the problems: the Jews who, according to him, brought down the great German society. Hitler’s profound ability to inspire others through his words and to make “purification” seem like such a smart idea made it easier for the German people to band behind him ("Why Did Hitler Hate