Nazi Racial Policy Flashcards
How many Russians were murdered by Nazis domestically?
- 2.6 million killed thorugh mistreatment/ starvation
- 1942, Order Police Battalion 310 ordered to destroy 3 villages – Borki, Zabloitse and Borysovka – surprised and killed all populations. Later reassigned to liquidate in a work camp.
How many Jews died?
- 5.4 million Jews died under German occupation – nearly 50% east of the Molotov-Rippentrop line, usually by bullets
What is a polycratic structure?
The notion that there were several nodes of power within the Reich, owing to the disintegration of the normal state apparatus in the 1930s
What is Modified Structuralism?
The ‘modified structuralism’ approach to Nazism, which is currently the dominant approach in research on the Third Reich,40 should expand the scope of its research to the period before 1933 by bringing under its scrutiny Nazi activity vis-a-vis the Jews in the Weimar period.
Describe Nazi Antisemitism
Not dominant force in Germany till later 19th century – due to taboo, religious contradictions, cultural dichotomies. Far more potent in Vienna prewar. Immediate postwar saw radical anti-Semitic mass movements – Deutschvolkischer Schutz und Trutz-Bund. 20s saw the gradual assimilation of anti-Semitic discourse. Ostjuden popular target during the 20s for unprovoked attacks. Remember: Jews were one of many enemies of Nazis. Antisemitism of members cannot account for later events of 1930s – prior was marginal in German society – was not a dominant aspect of promoted Nazi policy.
What is Fuhrerbefehl?
Direct order from Hitler. None related to the Holocaust was found
What is Gleichschaltung?
Nazification of the German state and society post March 1933
What is Volkstod?
The death of the German race
What is cumulative radicalisation?
Term formed by Mommsen to support the functionalist framework;
The death of the German race.
Describe Lebensraum
1 Policy of expanding German territory to the East, reclaiming former German Empire territory, in order to have adequate living space to permit the flourishing of a German Aryan volk.
2 Drew from earlier concepts promoted in 1890s.
3 Classification of peoples ranged from Volsdeutsche (ethnically German), Deutschstammige (of German descent), Eingedeutsche (voluntarily Germanised), Ruckgedeutschte (forcibly Germanised)
4 Policy became clear with the Hossbach Memorandum of 1947
5 Following the razing of Soviet cities, “pearls of settlement” in the form of utopian farming communities creating a bounty of food for Europe would be established.
What is ‘Banality of Evil’
1 Hannah Ardent – destruction of human life was part of regressive bureaucracy which normalised atrocities to the degree that it was just another job like any other. This was often linked to Rudolf Höss, who was able to combine the business of mass murder with other pursuits including ‘German Order’ and hygiene.
What are the ‘volk’?
1 Nationalistic bind between a single racial ‘people’, which is highly exclusionary and aggressively assertive of defined characteristics which constitute membership of the ‘volk’, from genetic, cultural, linguistic and historical connections.
What are the Herrenvolk?
- Literally, the “master race” – the top of the racial hierarchy; thus the Aryan population constituting the true members of the Volksgemeinschaft
What is the ‘Working Towards the Fuhrer’ theory?
- Kershaw – the fuel behind cumulative radicalisation – a motion which suggests that officials beneath Hitler vied for power by demonstrating ever greater fealty to the nation and the Fuhrer, resulting in a spiralling of policy to evolve into the most radical and Nazified status possible.
- Mommsen contests that there exists a consensus in historical circles that Hitler advocated cumulative radicalisation of persecution and this attitude acted as a legitimation.
What is the New Order Paradox?
1 State disintegration substantial during war in Germany – delineation of duty was replaced by uncoordinated and untrammelled forces of competing power groups – by March 1943, issues of a leadership crisis were evident to Goebbels. Hitler was pivotal to the regime but at the same time was not a competent nor functional entity in a unified administration – self-destructive. Hitler was ‘irreplaceable’ to Nazism, compounded by the fact he remained allergic to any form of constraint – the deposition of Mussolini in 1943 by the Fascist Grand Council was indicative of this.
What is Charismatic Leadership?
- A model of leadership encompassing rule driven by the personal amiability of the leader. This is a Weberian concept which sits alongside bureaucratic and traditional.
What was Nazi racial policy?
- Scientifically driven concept of racial supremacy which sought the sterilisation and extermination of ‘Untermenschen’ “sub-humans”. Primary targets included:
o Jews
o Romanis
o European non-Nordics – Slavs, Poles, Serbs, Russians - Aryans constituted the Nordic populations, and due heritage from the Teutonic line.
What were the main concentration camps?
1 Auschwitz 2 Chelmno 3 Belzec 4 Sobibor 5 Treblinka 6 Majdanek
What role did SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Reinhardt Heydrich play?
Key architect of the Holocaust; proponent and embodiment of cumulative radicalisation.
He helped organise Kristallnacht, a series of co-ordinated attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938. The attacks, carried out by SA stormtroopers and civilians, presaged the Holocaust. Upon his arrival in Prague, Heydrich sought to eliminate opposition to the Nazi occupation by suppressing Czech culture and deporting and executing members of the Czech resistance. He was directly responsible for the Einsatzgruppen, the special task forces which traveled in the wake of the German armies and murdered over two million people, including 1.3 million Jews, by mass shooting and gassing.
What role did Heinrich Himmler play?
Succeeded for gasping the extremes of the Nazi utopias that operated within Hitler’s mind, even as Hitler’s will faced the most determined resistance from the world outside. Prestige suffered little from the faiures of the lightning victory and the Hunger Plan, which were the responsibility of the Wehrmacht and the economic authorities. Dispatched Waffen-SS to kill entire communities including women and children in order to brutalise men. This fell under the pacification of the occupied territories.
Who was Arthur de Gobineau?
Race supremacist, influential to Nazi thought – published works included a four-volume series called ‘An Essay on the Inequality of the Human Races’, written between 1853 and 1855. Other key supremacist theorists include: Eugen Fischer, Fritz Lenz, Madison Grant, Hans FK Günther
What role did Odilo Globocnik play?
Austrian SS, in charge of the Polish wing of the Holocaust - Majdanek, Treblinka, Sobibor and Belzec.
Who were the SS Einsatzgruppen?
Russian division of SS which took charge of constructing an industrial method of liquidate the European Jewry.
Who were the Trawlinki Men?
Non-Germans – mainly Soviet Ukrainians, who were selected relatively arbitrarily, utilised by Globocnik to operate the concentration camps in Poland. Operated specifically in Belzec, which proved to be a more efficient system than in Chelmno, which relied mainly on gas vans. Belzec eliminated the need for vans by having dedicated engines for producing carbon monoxide – rather than the smaller van system.
Detail the Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring, 1933
Permitted the compulsory sterilisation of any citizen deemed unworthy by the Genetic Health Court. By end of regime, had sterilised 400,000. Succeeded by Aktion T4.
Detail the Jewish Boycott 1933
Nazis encouraged the boycotting of Jewish businesses in order to encourage the movement of Jews from Germany. Was not successful - lasted for one day
Detail the Nuremburg Laws 1935
1 Racial policy on Jews included, preventing marriage and restriction on citizenship. Existed a compromise between radical party circles and civil servants in the Ministry of the Interior – curtailment of citizenship rights was bought on the proviso that economic persecution and sanctity of property was maintained
2 NSDAP responded negatively to the mildness of Nuremburg Laws. A definitive regulation of the legal status of Jews never occurred.
Detail Kristallnacht 1938
1 Significant national pogrom led by SA and civilians. 91 murdered, though potentially much higher.
2 1000 synagogues burned, 7000 businesses destroyed.
3 General population responded negatively – did not like the destruction of property
4 Instigated following the assassination of Ernst vom Rath by Polish Jew Herschel Grynszpan
Detail the Madagascar Plan 1940
Proposal, promoted by Himmler up to Barbarossa, was the deporting of Jews to Madagascar, a Final Territorial Solution. Effectively tantamount to genocide, however resource shortage made such a proposal unviable.
Detail Aktion T4 (5)
- Under the programme certain German physicians were authorized to select patients “deemed incurably sick, after most critical medical examination” and then administer to them a “mercy death” (Gnadentod)
- Authorised by Hitler, but backdated, permitting Philipp Bouhler and Dr. Brandt to execute Gnadentod.
- Ran between 1939 and 1941, in asylums and psychiatric hospitals, leading to 70,273 deaths.
- Methods and technology developed was taken over by the Reich Interior Ministry, and redeployed under Operation Reinhard. In particular, gas vans were a popular addition.
- T4 Began unofficially in 1938, when Hitler instructed his personal physician, Karl Brandt, to evaluate a family’s petition for the “mercy killing” of their blind, physically and developmentally disabled boy (Gerhard Kretschmar).
What was Operation Reinhard? (2)
- Codename of project to exterminate Polish Jews – the most deadly phase of the Holocaust.
- Two million killed, primarily through Zyklon-B.
What happened during the Wannsee Conference, Jan 42?
Did not possess the sign-off of Hitler, was not attended by Hitler, nor Himmler. Typewriter used to type letter instructing Heydrich to begin planning for Final Solution was typed using a Reich Main Security Office typewriter, suggesting letter was written by Heydrich himself (due to bespoke SS character).
What was the Generalplan Out?
Plan, formulated between 1941-5, to conduct ethnic cleanising and colonization of Central and Eastern Europe. Detailed the enslavement, expulsion and mass-murder of Eastern Europeans.
What was Operation Cottbus 1943?
Towns burned north of Minsk. Reports thereafter that dogs and swine in the days and weeks after would be seen with burned human limbs in their jaws. Anecdotes like this were significant in the affinity of brutality surrounding the Holocaust, criticized by some historians.
What was significant about the trial of Adolf Eichmann?
- Trial in 1960s, seen as regular German – maintained regular, bureaucratic function, however ultimately signed-off genocide. Contributed to the notion of Banality of Evil.
- “Terrifyingly and terribly normal” – desk murderer
Detail the significance of the Milgram Experiments
The Milgram experiments were seen as a sociological experiment which could justify the propensity to obey authority figures, deferring conscience to senior figures even when causing severe injury and distress
What is the basis of structuralism/ functionalism?
Highlights escalation in the measures of persecution against the Jews consistent with the interplay between the pressures of extremist groups in the Nazi party and the subsequent moves of the regime. Difficult to suggest that illegal spontaneous
What is the basis of intentionalism?
Argument, part of the straight road to Auschwitz theory, which contends that Hitler had a defined roadmap for achieving a considered racial agenda - principally through the extermination of European Jewry
What similarities exist between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in regards to leadership style?
1980s saw general trend to attempt to relativise the barbarism of the Nazi regime with the Soviet, with the common ground being the totalitarian nature of the states Kershaw rejects this platform, leaning more towards the notion of a Sonderweg, even if unpopular
