DOCSLIB.ORG

WEEK 5 a War of Annihilation in the East: Operation Barbarossa and Mass Shootings of Jews and Other Soviets Prepared by Tony Joel and Mathew Turner

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
WEEK 5 a War of Annihilation in the East: Operation Barbarossa and Mass Shootings of Jews and Other Soviets Prepared by Tony Joel and Mathew Turner WEEK 5 A War of Annihilation in the East: Operation Barbarossa and Mass Shootings of Jews and Other Soviets Prepared by Tony Joel and Mathew Turner Week 5 Unit Learning Outcomes ULO 1. evaluate in a reflective and critical manner the consequences of racism and prejudice ULO 3. synthesise core historiographical debates on how and why the Holocaust occurred ULO 4. recognise important linkages between the Second World War and the Holocaust, and question Hitler’s role in these events Introduction On 22 June 1941, Germany launched Operation Barbarossa: the invasion of the Soviet Union. Coinciding with the war in the East was a further radicalisation of anti-Jewish policy that culminated in the decision to systematically exterminate all European Jews. That radicalisation occurred was no coincidence. The invasion of the Soviet Union was conceptualised and waged as a “war of annihilation” against longstanding “racial” and ideological enemies pejoratively referred to as “Jewish-Bolsheviks.” In the first few months, more than a million Jews residing in eastern Europe — the Soviet Union, eastern Poland, and the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia — were murdered by Germans and their non-German collaborators. It was a period of intense, decentralised killing that involved mass shootings being conducted across vast amounts of enemy territory. The months between June 1941 and January 1942 were the most critical in the evolution of the Holocaust. Through mass shootings the Nazi régime and its collaborators were “bringing death to Jews,” but by the end of this period the process was reversed so that they would be “bringing Jews to death” instead.1 In late 1941 and early 1942, the infrastructure was put into place to construct extermination camps. The “Final Solution” would see millions of Jews from across Europe deported to these extermination camps where they were gassed. This week’s learning module asks some critically important questions with which historians have grappled over many decades. Section 1 examines Operation Barbarossa, and asks you to consider whether the mass murder of Soviet Jews through 1 These contrasting phrases are borrowed from your set text edited by Peter Hayes. LEARNING MODULE 5. Section 2: Operation Barbarossa 2 decentralised shootings was a primary objective of the invasion of the Soviet Union. Moreover, given the scale of killing and the transition from shootings to gassings that began from late 1941 onwards, you need to question whether the systematic extermination of Soviet Jews through mass shootings represented the first stage in a plan to exterminate all European Jews. How was the establishment of gas chambers, and the decision to exterminate all of Europe’s Jews, related to these mass shootings? At first glance, it may appear to be a question with an obvious answer. As you engage with the material in Section 1, however, you will realise that, in preparing for the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Nazis had a number of bloodthirsty ambitions. Their goals were multifaceted: the destruction of Bolshevism (and Bolsheviks); the enslavement and wide-scale starvation of Slavic “subhumans” (Untermenschen); the gaining of further “living space” in the East; and the mass killing of Jews. But what is the relationship between these various brutal objectives? It cannot be assumed that the links are necessarily direct, automatic, or even planned at all. How historians — and students of history — answer these questions reflects their approach to the broader, critical issue of Holocaust planning and intentions. Section 2 of this week’s learning module examines a related, important, and similarly contested topic: what motivated Holocaust perpetrators to kill? In addressing German and non-German perpetrators alike, the section essentially asks you to consider: were they “willing executioners” motivated by antisemitism and ideological zeal? Or were they otherwise “ordinary men” who, when placed in extraordinary circumstances, suddenly became capable of committing genocide? After completing this learning module, you will continue your evaluation, in a reflective and critical manner, the consequences of racism and prejudice. Furthermore, you will continue to grapple with and synthesise core historiographical debates on how and why the Holocaust occurred. Along the way, you should recognise important linkages between the Second World War and the Holocaust, and question Hitler’s role in these events. Section 1. Operation Barbarossa This section examines Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union, which was launched on 22 June 1941, and considers the reasons that possibly motivated Hitler to attack. It provides an overview of the ways in which this conflict was intended and designed to be fought as an ideological war of annihilation with strong racial underpinnings, as evidenced by the issuance of pre-invasion orders authorising murderous actions against political and racial enemies. Importantly, Operation Barbarossa provided the context and cover for the first systematic mass shootings of Jews in the East by the Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing squads). It also enabled Romania, a German ally with a long history of virulent antisemitism, to embark on its own program of murdering Jews immediately. Similar scenes quickly unfolded in Lithuania, too, with public massacres of local Jews occurring within days of the German assault on the Soviet Union. LEARNING MODULE 5. Section 2: Operation Barbarossa 3 a) The Decision to Invade the Soviet Union The discussion here examines the issue of why Germany went to war against the Soviet Union. Was the war prosecuted primarily for “conventional” strategic reasons? Or was ideology the chief motivation with Hitler’s main objective being the annihilation of Jews and other local “racially inferior” populations more generally? Doris Bergen stresses that war with the Soviet Union always had been at the forefront of Hitler’s mind as a means of implementing his policies of racial resettlement and “ethnic cleansing” in the East.2 Bergen convincingly argues that Hitler’s aggression against the Soviet Union was by no means a defensive reaction to perceived, let alone actual, provocation on Stalin’s behalf. Unparalleled destruction was part of the planning, not merely a consequence. The question — one that remains contested by historians — is whether military-strategic considerations took precedence over racial- ideological priorities, or vice versa, in forming the catalyst for Hitler’s ultimate decision to invade the Soviet Union in mid-1941. In this sense, the same considerations apply to the examination of Hitler’s motivations for invading the Soviet Union as they do to the invasion of Poland two years earlier (as explored in Week 3). The German historian Jürgen Förster outlines the background to the decision to invade the Soviet Union. READING EXCERPT: Please read Jürgen Förster’s piece entitled “Why did Hitler Invade the Soviet Union?” The Förster reading reveals that planning for the invasion of the Soviet Union already had commenced by late July 1940. This is when it became clear to Hitler that, despite his conquest of continental western Europe, Britain would not agree to withdraw from the war. Hitler had planned to defeat Britain quickly through aerial bombardment and invasion by sea, and to further strengthen his position through a rapid invasion of the Soviet Union. An invasion of the Soviet Union also was aimed at counteracting the possibility of the United States entering the war. Britain weathered the Battle of Britain (the German aerial assault) and this meant Operation Sea Lion (Hitler’s planned sea invasion of Britain) never eventuated. These developments seem to have reinforced in Hitler’s mind the urgency of a Soviet 2 Doris Bergen, War & Genocide. (Rowman & Littlefield, London, 2009) pp. 145-46. LEARNING MODULE 5. Section 2: Operation Barbarossa 4 invasion. The degree of support offered to Britain by the still neutral United States during the Battle of Britain (through the Lend Lease program of economic assistance) and the preparations being made by the United States for war against Japan highlighted for Hitler the dangers of American intervention. Hitler feared the possibility of a re-run of the outcome of the First World War when the United States had entered the conflict as late as 1917, but in doing so played a decisive role in the final outcome turning against Germany. After failing to defeat Britain quickly in 1940, Hitler’s attention subsequently turned to the option of attacking the Soviet Union. Critically, however, in the reading Förster concludes that such strategic arguments became intertwined with ideological considerations: In the summer of 1940 Hitler linked the realisation of his twenty-year-old living-space programme — which united expansion towards the east, annihilation of Bolshevism, and extermination of Jewry — with the strategic necessity of securing Germany’s sphere of power against the growing challenge of the Anglo-American naval powers. Förster makes the further insightful point that, although Hitler resolved in the summer of 1940 to begin planning for war against the Soviet Union, this did not necessarily represent a final or irreversible decision. He still could have changed his mind in response to differing circumstances as events unfolded. Nonetheless, the formulation of plans did entail a series of political, military, and supply commitments that developed “their own dynamic,” building up expectations that an ideologically-driven apocalyptic
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ludwig Beck - Vom Generalstabschef Zum Widersacher Hitlers Von Rainer Volk
    SWR2 MANUSKRIPT ESSAYS FEATURES KOMMENTARE VORTRÄGE SWR2 Wissen Ludwig Beck - Vom Generalstabschef zum Widersacher Hitlers Von Rainer Volk Sendung: Freitag, 5. Juni 2015, 8.30 Uhr Redaktion: Udo Zindel Regie: Rainer Volk Produktion: SWR 2014 Bitte beachten Sie: Das Manuskript ist ausschließlich zum persönlichen, privaten Gebrauch bestimmt. Jede weitere Vervielfältigung und Verbreitung bedarf der ausdrücklichen Genehmigung des Urhebers bzw. des SWR. Service: SWR2 Wissen können Sie auch als Live-Stream hören im SWR2 Webradio unter www.swr2.de oder als Podcast nachhören: http://www1.swr.de/podcast/xml/swr2/wissen.xml Die Manuskripte von SWR2 Wissen gibt es auch als E-Books für mobile Endgeräte im sogenannten EPUB-Format. Sie benötigen ein geeignetes Endgerät und eine entsprechende "App" oder Software zum Lesen der Dokumente. Für das iPhone oder das iPad gibt es z.B. die kostenlose App "iBooks", für die Android-Plattform den in der Basisversion kostenlosen Moon-Reader. Für Webbrowser wie z.B. Firefox gibt es auch sogenannte Addons oder Plugins zum Betrachten von E-Books: Mitschnitte aller Sendungen der Redaktion SWR2 Wissen sind auf CD erhältlich beim SWR Mitschnittdienst in Baden-Baden zum Preis von 12,50 Euro. Bestellungen über Telefon: 07221/929-26030 Kennen Sie schon das Serviceangebot des Kulturradios SWR2? Mit der kostenlosen SWR2 Kulturkarte können Sie zu ermäßigten Eintrittspreisen Veranstaltungen des SWR2 und seiner vielen Kulturpartner im Sendegebiet besuchen. Mit dem Infoheft SWR2 Kulturservice sind Sie stets über SWR2 und die zahlreichen Veranstaltungen im SWR2-Kulturpartner-Netz informiert. Jetzt anmelden unter 07221/300 200 oder swr2.de MANUSKRIPT Archivaufnahme – Ansprache Hitler 20.7.1944: „Deutsche Volksgenossen und Volksgenossinnen.
    [Show full text]
  • Parallel Journeys:Parallel Teacher’S Guide
    Teacher’s Parallel Journeys: The Holocaust through the Eyes of Teens Guide GRADES 9 -12 Phone: 470 . 578 . 2083 historymuseum.kennesaw.edu Parallel Journeys: The Holocaust through the Eyes of Teens Teacher’s Guide Teacher’s Table of Contents About this Teacher’s Guide.............................................................................................................. 3 Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Georgia Standards of Excellence Correlated with These Activities ...................................... 5 Guidelines for Teaching about the Holocaust .......................................................................... 12 CORE LESSON Understanding the Holocaust: “Tightening the Noose” – All Grades | 5th – 12th ............................ 15 5th Grade Activities 1. Individual Experiences of the Holocaust .......................................................................... 18 2. Propaganda and Dr. Seuss .................................................................................................. 20 3. Spiritual Resistance and the Butterfly Project .................................................................. 22 4. Responding to the St. Louis ............................................................................................... 24 5. Mapping the War and the Holocaust ................................................................................. 25 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Activities
    [Show full text]
  • The German Military and Hitler
    RESOURCES ON THE GERMAN MILITARY AND THE HOLOCAUST The German Military and Hitler Adolf Hitler addresses a rally of the Nazi paramilitary formation, the SA (Sturmabteilung), in 1933. By 1934, the SA had grown to nearly four million members, significantly outnumbering the 100,000 man professional army. US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of William O. McWorkman The military played an important role in Germany. It was closely identified with the essence of the nation and operated largely independent of civilian control or politics. With the 1919 Treaty of Versailles after World War I, the victorious powers attempted to undercut the basis for German militarism by imposing restrictions on the German armed forces, including limiting the army to 100,000 men, curtailing the navy, eliminating the air force, and abolishing the military training academies and the General Staff (the elite German military planning institution). On February 3, 1933, four days after being appointed chancellor, Adolf Hitler met with top military leaders to talk candidly about his plans to establish a dictatorship, rebuild the military, reclaim lost territories, and wage war. Although they shared many policy goals (including the cancellation of the Treaty of Versailles, the continued >> RESOURCES ON THE GERMAN MILITARY AND THE HOLOCAUST German Military Leadership and Hitler (continued) expansion of the German armed forces, and the destruction of the perceived communist threat both at home and abroad), many among the military leadership did not fully trust Hitler because of his radicalism and populism. In the following years, however, Hitler gradually established full authority over the military. For example, the 1934 purge of the Nazi Party paramilitary formation, the SA (Sturmabteilung), helped solidify the military’s position in the Third Reich and win the support of its leaders.
    [Show full text]
  • Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the Racial and Ideological War of Annihilation on the Eastern Front
    Student Publications Student Scholarship Spring 2021 Clash of Totalitarian Titans: Nazi Germany, The Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the Racial and Ideological War of Annihilation on the Eastern Front John M. Zak Gettysburg College Follow this and additional works at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship Part of the European History Commons, Military History Commons, and the Race and Ethnicity Commons Share feedback about the accessibility of this item. Recommended Citation Zak, John M., "Clash of Totalitarian Titans: Nazi Germany, The Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the Racial and Ideological War of Annihilation on the Eastern Front" (2021). Student Publications. 918. https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/918 This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution. Cupola permanent link: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/918 This open access student research paper is brought to you by The Cupola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of The Cupola. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Clash of Totalitarian Titans: Nazi Germany, The Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the Racial and Ideological War of Annihilation on the Eastern Front Abstract The eastern front in the Second World War was one of unparalleled ferocity and brutality unseen on any other front during civilization’s largest and most destructive war. This work contends that in order to understand how the eastern front was such can only be understood through the lens of Nazi ideology and its long-terms goals for Lebensraum and the Greater Germany it sought to secure.
    [Show full text]
  • Kiev 1941: Hitler's Battle for Supremacy in the East
    Kiev 1941 In just four weeks in the summer of 1941 the German Wehrmacht wrought unprecedented destruction on four Soviet armies, conquering central Ukraine and killing or capturing three-quarters of a million men. This was the battle of Kiev – one of the largest and most decisive battles of World War II and, for Hitler and Stalin, a battle of crucial importance. For the first time, David Stahel charts the battle’s dramatic course and after- math, uncovering the irreplaceable losses suffered by Germany’s ‘panzer groups’ despite their battlefield gains, and the implications of these losses for the German war effort. He illuminates the inner workings of the German army as well as the experiences of ordinary soldiers, showing that with the Russian winter looming and Soviet resistance still unbroken, victory came at huge cost and confirmed the turning point in Germany’s war in the east. David Stahel is an independent researcher based in Berlin. His previous publications include Operation Barbarossa and Germany’s Defeat in the East (Cambridge, 2009). Downloaded from Cambridge Books Online by IP 210.212.129.125 on Sat Dec 22 18:00:30 WET 2012. http://ebooks.cambridge.org/ebook.jsf?bid=CBO9781139034449 Cambridge Books Online © Cambridge University Press, 2012 Kiev 1941 Hitler’s Battle for Supremacy in the East David Stahel Downloaded from Cambridge Books Online by IP 210.212.129.125 on Sat Dec 22 18:00:30 WET 2012. http://ebooks.cambridge.org/ebook.jsf?bid=CBO9781139034449 Cambridge Books Online © Cambridge University Press, 2012 cambridge university press Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao˜ Paulo, Delhi, Tokyo, Mexico City Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge cb2 8ru,UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781107014596 c David Stahel 2012 This publication is in copyright.
    [Show full text]
  • Hitler's War Aims
    Hitler’s War Aims Gerhard Hirschfeld Between 1939 and 1945, the German Reich dominated large parts of Europe. It has been estimated that by the end of 1941 approximately 180 million non-Germans lived under some form of German occupation. Inevitably, the experience and memory of the war for most Europeans is therefore linked less with military action and events than with Nazi (i.e. National Socialist) rule and the manifold expressions it took: insecurity and unlawfulness, constraints and compulsion, increasing difficult living conditions, coercive measures and arbitrary acts of force, which ultimately could threaten the very existence of peoples. Moreover, for those millions of human beings whose right to existence had been denied for political, social, or for – what the Nazis would term – ‘racial motives’ altogether, the implications and consequences of German conquest and occupation of Europe became even more oppressive and hounding.1 German rule in Europe during the Second World War involved a great variety of policies in all countries under more or less permanent occupation, determined by political, strategically, economical and ideological factors. The apparent ‘lack of administrative unity’ (Hans Umbreit) in German occupied Europe was often lamented but never seriously re-considered.2 The peculiar structure of the German ‘leader-state’ (Fuehrerstaat) and Hitler's obvious indifference in all matters of administration, above, his well known indecisiveness in internal matters of power, made all necessary changes, except those dictated by the war itself, largely obsolete. While in Eastern Europe the central purpose of Germany's conquest was to provide the master race with the required ‘living space’ (Lebensraum) for settlement as well as human and economic resources for total exploitation, the techniques for political rule and economic control appeared less brutal in Western Europe, largely in accordance with Hitler’s racial and ideological views.
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish Behavior During the Holocaust
    VICTIMS’ POLITICS: JEWISH BEHAVIOR DURING THE HOLOCAUST by Evgeny Finkel A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science) at the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON 2012 Date of final oral examination: 07/12/12 The dissertation is approved by the following members of the Final Oral Committee: Yoshiko M. Herrera, Associate Professor, Political Science Scott G. Gehlbach, Professor, Political Science Andrew Kydd, Associate Professor, Political Science Nadav G. Shelef, Assistant Professor, Political Science Scott Straus, Professor, International Studies © Copyright by Evgeny Finkel 2012 All Rights Reserved i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation could not have been written without the encouragement, support and help of many people to whom I am grateful and feel intellectually, personally, and emotionally indebted. Throughout the whole period of my graduate studies Yoshiko Herrera has been the advisor most comparativists can only dream of. Her endless enthusiasm for this project, razor- sharp comments, constant encouragement to think broadly, theoretically, and not to fear uncharted grounds were exactly what I needed. Nadav Shelef has been extremely generous with his time, support, advice, and encouragement since my first day in graduate school. I always knew that a couple of hours after I sent him a chapter, there would be a detailed, careful, thoughtful, constructive, and critical (when needed) reaction to it waiting in my inbox. This awareness has made the process of writing a dissertation much less frustrating then it could have been. In the future, if I am able to do for my students even a half of what Nadav has done for me, I will consider myself an excellent teacher and mentor.
    [Show full text]
  • A Wehrmacht Battalion and Its Orders, Fall 1941 1
    CASE STUDY: A WEHRMACHT BATTALION AND ITS ORDERS, FALL 1941 1 Introduction The following is a discussion guide for a group-based approach to learning. This guide was developed for use onsite at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and has been adapted for use in classrooms and other educational environments offsite. Multiple possibilities exist for instructors to convey necessary historical background information, to present key facts of the case study, and to ask discussion questions. In the case study, three company commanders of the Wehrmacht’s 1st Battalion, 691st Infantry Regiment responded differently to the same illegal order. The case study provides an important empirical example of how officers making command decisions during armed conflict define their duty in different ways. Their decisions reflect a variety of factors including the command climate, the situational factors, their individual experiences, their leadership style, their moral and ethical compasses, and their social and cultural values. It is therefore a useful platform for discussion of leadership and ethical decision making. The case also reveals the dynamic relationship between command climate, obedience to orders, discipline, and the protection of civilians in armed conflict. LEARNING OUTCOMES • Participants understand how orders, ethics, and professional military values relate to each other in an operational setting • Participants consider the motivations and pressures that can influence command responsibility and decisions Men suspected of partisan activity sit on the ground awaiting their execution by firing squad in the Soviet Union during September 1941. German Army soldiers and officers are visible in the background. Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-212-0221-04 CASE STUDY: A WEHRMACHT BATTALION AND ITS ORDERS, FALL 1941 2 Preparation and Background Materials This module is particularly effective when paired with contextual information about the Holocaust as well as specific information about the German military.
    [Show full text]
  • Die Wehrmacht
    Guido Knopp Die Wehrmacht KKnopp_Wehrmacht.inddnopp_Wehrmacht.indd 1 220.09.20070.09.2007 10:29:1010:29:10 UhrUhr KKnopp_Wehrmacht.inddnopp_Wehrmacht.indd 2 220.09.20070.09.2007 10:29:1010:29:10 UhrUhr Guido Knopp Die Wehrmacht Eine Bilanz In Zusammenarbeit mit Alexander Berkel, Christoph Gunkel, Peter Hartl, Sönke Neitzel, Mario Sporn Redaktion: Mario Sporn C. Bertelsmann KKnopp_Wehrmacht.inddnopp_Wehrmacht.indd 3 220.09.20070.09.2007 10:29:1010:29:10 UhrUhr SGS-COC-1940 Verlagsgruppe Random House FSC-DEU-0100 Das für dieses Buch FSC-zertifizierte Papier EOS liefert Salzer, St. Pölten. 1. Auflage © 2007 by C. Bertelsmann Verlag, München, in der Verlagsgruppe Random House GmbH Umschlaggestaltung: R·M·E Roland Eschlbeck und Rosemarie Kreuzer Satz: Uhl + Massopust, Aalen Bildredaktion: Dietlinde Orendi Druck und Bindung: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck Printed in Germany ISBN 978-3-570-00975-8 www.cbertelsmann-verlag.de KKnopp_Wehrmacht.inddnopp_Wehrmacht.indd 4 220.09.20070.09.2007 10:29:1010:29:10 UhrUhr Inhalt Vorwort 7 Angriff auf Europa Knopp/Berkel -15- Wende des Krieges Knopp/Sporn -79- Verbrechen der Armee Knopp/Neitzel -141- Widerstand in Uniform Knopp/Berkel -203- Kampf bis zum Untergang Knopp/Hartl/Gunkel -265- Literatur 325 Personenregister 331 Orts- und Sachregister 339 Abbildungsnachweis 351 KKnopp_Wehrmacht.inddnopp_Wehrmacht.indd 5 220.09.20070.09.2007 10:29:1110:29:11 UhrUhr KKnopp_Wehrmacht.inddnopp_Wehrmacht.indd 6 220.09.20070.09.2007 10:29:1110:29:11 UhrUhr Die Wehrmacht Eine Bilanz Fast 18 Millionen Männer dienten in ihr, mehr als fünf Jahre führte sie den wohl blutigsten Krieg der Weltgeschichte, hielt zeitweise halb Europa besetzt und endete doch in der totalen Niederlage: Hitlers Wehrmacht war mehr als nur die größte kriegführende Armee der deutschen Ge- schichte; sie war ein Millionenheer, das einen größeren Machtbereich besetzte als je eine deutsche Streitmacht zuvor.
    [Show full text]
  • Seduction, Delusion, & Politics
    Seduction, Delusion, & Politics: Culture within the Nazi Control System A Senior Honors Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for graduation with distinction in the undergraduate colleges of The Ohio State University By Andrew R Scott The Ohio State University December 2010 Project Advisors: Professor John Davidson, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures Professor Alan Beyerchen, Department of History “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” -Edmund Burke Contents Foreword……………………………………………………….1 Introduction…………………………………………………...2 Germany & the Populace………………………………….16 Hitler & Himmler……………………………………………….29 Hitler‟s Agents…………………………………………………36 Conclusion…………………………………………………….45 Appendixes……………………………………………………49 Bibliography…………………………………………………..52 1 Foreword The central themes of this theoretical work draw heavily on the social- psychological and historical interpretations produced by Philip Zimbardo and Christopher Browning, respectively. Though this is a case-study of the control system which would ultimately be implemented by the Nazis during their reign of control in Germany from 1933 to 1945, it is important to understand that the ideas put forth here are not intended to insinuate that manipulations of culture have been confined to a single epoch, rather they occur and have occurred throughout time. The contention here is that the immediate history of the German state, the pre-existing fodder for in- group and out-group distinctions, and the authoritative political and social structures combined with the ideological rhetoric and material tactics of the National Socialists to facilitate participation in atrocities by zealots and ordinary citizens alike. The work includes an introduction which shall serve to define the terms that will be discussed throughout, three middle sections titled “Germany and the Populace,” “Hitler and Himmler,” and “Hitler‟s Agents,” and a conclusion to summarize the main ideas.
    [Show full text]
  • Mommsen, Hans, Germans Against Hitler
    GERMANS AGAINST HITLER HANS MOMMSEN GERMANSGERMANSGERMANS AGAINSTAGAINST HITLERHITLER THE STAUFFENBERG PLOT AND RESISTANCE UNDER THE THIRD REICH Translated and annotated by Angus McGeoch Introduction by Jeremy Noakes New paperback edition published in 2009 by I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd 6 Salem Road, London W2 4BU 175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010 www.ibtauris.com First published in hardback in 2003 by I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd as Alternatives to Hitler. Originally published in 2000 as Alternative zu Hitler – Studien zur Geschichte des deutschen Widerstandes. Copyright © Verlag C.H. Beck oHG, Munchen, 2000 Translation copyright © I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd, 2003, 2009 The translation of this work has been supported by Inter Nationes, Bonn. The right of Hans Mommsen to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN 978 1 84511 852 5 A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library Project management by Steve Tribe, Andover Printed and bound in India by Thomson Press India Ltd ContentsContentsContents Preface by Hans Mommsen vii Introduction by Jeremy Noakes 1 1. Carl von Ossietzky and the concept of a right to resist in Germany 9 2. German society and resistance to Hitler 23 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Timeline Presentation
    LESSON 4.2 TIMELINE June 1919 The Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was signed in France in 1919. After the loss of World War I, Germany had to accept full responsibility for starting the war. Many Germans were shocked and angered over the terms of the treaty which deprived Germany of significant military power and territory, and imposed financial penalties. Allied delegates in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles witness the German delegation’s acceptance of the terms of the Treaty Of Versailles, the treaty formally ending World War I. Versailles, France, June 28, 1919. National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD ushmm.org State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda August 1919 Ratification of Weimar constitution A national assembly drafted a democratic constitution, a new and unfamiliar form of government for Germans, initiated in the wake of World War I. Fearing the unknown, the delegates agreed to the inclusion of Article 48. The article allowed the democratic government to suspend basic rights in order to stabilize the country during a national crisis or emergency. ushmm.org State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda February 1920 Hitler presented 25-point program In this 25-point program, Nazi Party members publicly declared their intention to segregate Jews from “Aryan” society and to abrogate Jews’ political, legal, and civil rights. Point 4 stated: “ Only a national comrade can be a citizen. Only someone of German blood, regardless of faith, can be a citizen. Therefore, no Jew can be a citizen.” Pamphlet outlining the National Socialist Party 25-point program.
    [Show full text]