How far were the German people responsible for the Holocaust Essay Example

inaccurate to believe that their regime was secure when Hitler came into power in 1933. Hitler was still constrained by foreign opinion and limited in his actions towards Jews. In an attempt to boycott Jewish shops, he placed members of the SA (brown shirts) outside these businesses in 1933.

However, this attempt ultimately failed as the German people were unwilling to accept such racial animosity. I perceive this as a strategic move by Hitler to gauge the extent to which he could promote anti-Semitism. This failure contradicts Goldhagen's belief that the German people were solely responsible for the Holocaust. Of course, it is important to acknowledge the other factors that contributed to public relations in this context.

The role of Hitler's deputies in PR and its application to the Nazi regime was significant, if not the most important. As the regime became increasingly abominable, the opening of the house of German art in Munich in 1937 showcased notable pieces of Aryan and degenerate art, indicating the regime's current state. These actions had negative effects on the German people, as they were manipulated by images of Jews to believe that they were a burden on the nation. Hitlers's deputies subsequently introduced smaller anti-Jewish legislation following the implementation of the Nuremberg Laws.

Hitler approved the laws that increased racial oppression against the Jews, indicating his awareness of their actions. Refuting David Irving's theory in his book 'Hitler's War', where he used alleged new evidence and interpretations of known documents, Hitler is shown to bear no responsibility for the Jewish pogrom during the Holocaust. Irving displays a complete disregard for truth and accuracy in his claims.

By skillfully utilizing Hitler's Aesopian language

as illustrations and mentioning specific phone conversations between Himmler and Heydrich, the author effectively demonstrates their point. However, Irving has exaggerated the significance of this source to align with his own intentions. It is worth noting that although closely linked to holocaust denial, it is not exactly identical.

Irving acknowledges the occurrence of the Holocaust but claims that Hitler was unaware of it. In contrast, I argue that Hitler had some involvement in the Holocaust, even if his subordinates were the ones who initiated it. The denial of the Holocaust following the war presented a significant obstacle to the abundance of evidence and testimonies from survivors and witnesses. The Nuremberg war crime trials provided undeniable proof for the happening of the Holocaust, as they prosecuted prominent Nazi officials for their participation in war crimes.

There are numerous individuals who reject the idea of the 'Final Solution' from different perspectives. One such person is H Elmer Barnes, an American sociologist, who initially sympathized with the German people's anger toward the Treaty of Versailles. Eventually, Barnes started questioning whether the Third Reich had any involvement in the Holocaust at all. He famously stated, ''it is almost alarmingly easy to demonstrate that the atrocities of the allies in the same period were more numerous as to the victims and were carried out for the most part by methods more brutal and painful than alleged exterminations in gas ovens.'' It is important to note that Barnes's use of the word 'alleged' reflects his stance on the entire issue.

Arthur Butz, another amateur historian, also denied the Holocaust. However, his perspective differed as he claimed that the concentration camps were actually transit camps

or ghettos where Jews were relocated for their safety as the Red Army advanced towards the western front. Dawidowicz criticized Butz's book, describing it as "clearly the product of an unhinged mind." Despite having evidence to support their arguments, their work remained offensive to professional historians who specialized in the Holocaust. Even 60 years after the war in 2005, instances of Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism persisted.

The newly elected Prime Minister of Iran has openly denied the Holocaust and proclaimed his plans to annihilate Israel, showcasing how evidence can be misinterpreted, resulting in a completely different interpretation of an event. Barnes examines how the Allies utilized more brutal strategies towards their targets, implying that they shared some responsibility for the Holocaust. In this context, "appeasement" accurately characterizes the situation as it succinctly captures the connection between the Allies and Hitler.

In 1938, a meeting occurred between Hitler and Austrian Chancellor Kurt Von Schuschnigg with Hitler demanding concessions for the Austrian Nazi party. However, Schuschnigg declined and resigned. In his place, Arthur Seyess-Inquart assumed power and declared unity with Germany in what is known as Anschluss, which violated the treaty of Versailles.

Some members of the House of Commons, including Anthony Eden and Winston Churchill, urged Neville Chamberlain to take action against Hitler and the Nazi regime. MI6 agent Hugh Christie provided a report to the British government in 1937 detailing his meeting with Goering. During this encounter, Goering disclosed Hitler's plans to annex Czechoslovakia and Austria.

Based on Christie's information, he further communicated to the British government that if Britain formed an alliance with Czechoslovakia, it would result in military intervention against Hitler.

The British government had knowledge of Hitler's

plans to seize Austria but did not take any action, suggesting their involvement. After the Anschluss in 1938, Hitler escalated tensions by asserting his claim over the Sudetenland. Consequently, leaders from Britain, France, Italy, and Germany gathered in Munich to create and sign the Munich agreement. This agreement granted Germany control over the Sudetenland and was presented to the British public as a precautionary measure to avoid war with Germany. However, this apparent attempt at conflict prevention only enabled Hitler to acquire more territories in Eastern Europe and bolstered his confidence in making territorial demands until he eventually invaded Poland, initiating World War II. The war worsened relations between the Nazi regime and Jewish population, leading to the emergence of the Final Solution and systematic extermination of Jews.

Appeasing Hitler inadvertently triggered the Second World War and ultimately the Holocaust. The war worsened Nazi Germany's situation in 1939, especially during the Second World War. In 1938, Hitler's annexation of Austria led to an influx of Jews into Germany, intensifying persecution faced by German Jews. This urgency resulted in the need for a solution to the "Jewish problem." The Wansee conference of 1942, organized by Heidrich, served as a platform to determine the most effective approach - known as the "Final Solution."

The reason for this solution emerged because of the notable increase in Jews under German control12, which served as indisputable proof that Hitler and his government were ready to systematically annihilate them. In this conference, the members approved the creation of Death camps at Sobibor, Belzec, and Triblinka. The thorough documentation of these occurrences offers additional evidence against those who deny the Holocaust. It is crucial

to acknowledge the contribution of the German people in determining their accountability for the Holocaust.

Historians recognize that the Holocaust was not solely the responsibility of one group. It resulted from various factors and ideas, in which everyone had a role, regardless of its magnitude. The indifference of the German people towards the suffering of their Jewish compatriots is emphasized, as they displayed apathy towards the issue, suggesting it is highly unlikely that they were unaware of what was happening.

In 1941, there were instances where Germans themselves took part in the extermination of Jewish people. This was particularly noticeable when Adolf Hitler ordered an increase in the number of Einsatzgruppen, leading to a significant rise in membership from 4,000 to 60,000 within six months. This indicates that there were a considerable number of volunteers. As a result, the German population can be divided into two distinct groups who share equal responsibility: those who passively stood by and allowed for the mass annihilation of Jews, and those who actively assisted the Nazis in achieving their ultimate goal of solving the "Jewish question" through any means necessary - even if it involved exterminating six million innocent individuals.