4. Involvement with anti-Semitic activities in connection with Germania project and ‘Jew-flats' Flashcards
Until appointment as Armament minister, what was this issue?
most controversial issue connected
1939 what law passed?
the Law on Rental Contracts with Jews was passed in Germany
the Law on Rental Contracts with Jews meant?
Jewish residents could be evicted from their home
why was Germania project also involved in this?
‘Germania’ project in Berlin also required the demolition of fifty thousand apartments near the city centre
impact of Germania project?
meant that there were Berlin residents (approx.. 75 000)who were facing dislodgement and destitution because of the war or the planned rebuilding
What happened as Aryans lost homes?
Jews began to be sent to concentration camps to make more room of the Aryans
Whether knowingly or not – Speer was sending Jews to?
terrible conditions and ultimately
sped up the process of extermination. (reinforce Nazi party ideals and Hitler’s vision of future)
What evidence provided written evidence that it had been Speer’s orders to clear the Jewish flats, carrying out the Nazi party ideals?
Although his autobiography makes no reference to his involvement, or knowledge of such anti-Semitic activities, the emergence of the Wolter Chronicles provided written evidence
What did German historian, Matthias Schmidt argue Speer did?
systematically ‘laundered’ the versions of these events in to hide his knowledge and therefore guilt in leading them to their inevitable deaths.
On the other hand, Gitta Sereny wrote that?
although Speer certainly knew by 1941 that Berlin Jews were being deported, it is certain he had no idea that they were going to their death”
Despite limited evidence, what is clear ?
that Speer had lied at Nuremberg and for many years after about his knowledge of the fate of the Jews of Berlin
What role did Speer play?
implicate that Speer in fact played a small but significant part with the extermination of the Jews, as he had played an active role in the process of reinforcing the Nazi party ideals of anti-Semitism
who argued that this makes Speer an accomplice in the ‘final soluton’?
Schmidt
What does Fest argue?
that Speer’s office was not directly involved which therefore lessens Speer’s guilt
