L6 - responsibility for the holocaust

what are the 3 main interpretations for the responsibility of the holocaust?

1. internationalists

2. structuralists/functionalists

3. goldhagen’s theory

what type of exam question is ‘… bore the sole responsibility for the holocaust’?

four themes?

• causation question → who caused the holocaust

• hitler as solely responsible (intentionalist)

• war providing context for holocaust to occur

• other ministers and individuals responsible (structuralist)

• german people were hitler’s willing executioners (goldhagen’s theory)

what is the overall judgement to be made on the responsibility of the holocaust?

hitler played a role in the holocaust BUT not solely responsible. other ministers and individuals worked towards the fuhrer

what is the intentionalist interpretation of responsibility of the holocaust?

• hitler is predominantly responsible

• clear path exists between anti semitism of hitler and destruction of jews

• hitler had a grand design for destruction of jewry → evidence dating back as far as mein kampf

what is the structuralist/functionalist interpretation for the responsibility of the holocaust?

• ‘twisted road to auschwitz’

• nazi policy to jews experienced evolutionary change → was not part of abundantly clear long-term master plan with outcomes and a logical timetable

• lacked ultimately clear objectives → undermined by existing rival policies

• hitler was in total agreement and still shares blame

what is goldhagen’s theory in regards to the responsibility of the holocaust?

• ordinary germans participation was vital in the holocaust → hostility created environment that enabled institutional mass murder to occur

• cannot claim ignorance/following audience → 100,000+ participated in holocaust

• holocaust could never have occurred without widespread cooperation of german citizens

arguments that support an intentionalist argument (hitler)

• hitler gave orders orally rather than in writing - reinforced lack of accountability

• probably ordered final solution to begin in summer 1941 - enthusiastic support

• supported other similar policies - written approval for euthanasia of disabled

• not present at wannsee conference

specific evidence to support the intentionalist argument (hitler)

letter from hitler to his military superior 1919

• “rational anti-semitism… must pursue a systematic, legal campaign against jews… final objective, must be the complete removal of the jews”

rudolph höss’s autobiography (auschwitz commandant)

• “in the summer of 1941, himmler received me and said, in effect, “the fuhrer has ordered that the jewish question be solved for once and all.””

what historian supports the intentionalist interpretation? what is their contribution?

• ian kershaw

• “working towards the fuhrer”

• hitler was an idea (cult of personality) and ministers/supporters wanted to please him, implemented policies that hoped would impress him

• hitler acted as guiding principle, any action carried out in his name

counter argument to the intentionalist interpretation (hitler)? historian supporting?

• no physical document signed by hitler ordering that jews be killed has ever been recovered

• mommsen - “the final solution can no way be attributed the hitler alone” → only works in retrospect

arguments for war playing the greatest role in the holocaust

• provided climate to enable final solution → land gained in eastern europe expanded presence of minorities in the reich and accelerated final solution

• led to rapid escalation in state-sanctioned mass murder → einsatzgruppen

• all official extermination camps found in occupied territory → wouldn’t be possible w/o war and rapid expansion

• more than ½ jews to die in holocaust were killed in height of war feb 1942-43

arguments that support a structuralist/functionalist interpretation

• nazi government was maze of overlapping bodies → feudal and chaotic (ian kershaw)

• individuals and institutions compete against each other to work towards the fuhrer (kershaw)

quote from himmler to ss officers 1943 that supports structuralist/functionalist interpretation

“among ourselves it should be mentioned quite frankly, but we will never speak of it publicly… i mean cleaning out the jews, the extermination of the jewish race”

• himmler to ss officers 1943

evidence to support the structuralist/functionalist argument

• wannsee conference jan 1942 → led by reinhard heydrich who briefed civil servants and other key nazis on implementation of final solution. goering passed orders to heydrich

• each death camp led by camp commandant, oversaw systematic extermination

  • not possible w/o compliance

  • murder of 1.1 million at auschwitz overseen by rudolph hoss

• himmler led policy to kill jews since start of war → ultimate commanding officer of einsatzgruppen and commanding officer of heydrich

counter argument to structuralist/functionalist interpretation

• hitler ruled germany and party based on principle of führerprinzip

• responsibilities may have been delegated, hitler remained in ultimate control of policy

  • BUT certainly improbable that hitler wouldn’t have been unaware of final solution

what does ian kershaw say regarding the goldhagen’s theory?

“the road to auschwitz was built by hatred, but paved with apathy”

argument in support of goldhagen’s theory? historian contribution?

• richard evans → germans killed jews in millions because they enjoyed it and their minds and emotions had been plagued by an all consuming hatred of jews (role of indoctrination in long-term)

• too many people were involved for atrocities to remain a secret

  • e.g. prison guards, frontline soldiers, bureaucrats, railway staff, industrialists

• implicit support and long term anti-semtism was necessary for such large scale extermination to take place

testimonial in support of goldhagen’s theory?

“i believed the propaganda that all jews were criminal and subhumans and that they were the cause of germany’s decline after the first world war.”

• policeman testifying in 1961

counter arguments to goldhagen’s theory

• most germans unaware of the full horrors of holocaust, kept secret by regime

• most killing in eastern european occupied territory → belzec near lvov killed more than 500,000 jews

• rumours existed but most germans chose not to believe them. very small number actively involved

• most germans accepted the holocaust due to indoctrination or widespread fear from police state

  • confidence in policy waned after defeat at stalingrad & further reduced aug 1944 when defeat seemed imminent