Functionalism
Functionalism (or structuralism) versus intentionalism is a historiographical debate about the origins of the Holocaust as well as most aspects of the Third Reich, such as foreign policy. The debate on the origins of the Holocaust centers on essentially two questions:
Was there a master plan on the part of Adolf Hitler to launch the Holocaust? Intentionalists argue there was such a plan, while functionalists argue there was not.
Did the initiative for the Holocaust come from above with orders from Adolf Hitler or from below within the ranks of the German bureaucracy? Although neither side disputes the reality of the Holocaust, nor is there serious dispute over the premise that Hitler (as supreme leader) was personally responsible for encouraging the anti-Semitism that allowed the Holocaust to take place, intentionalists argue the initiative came from above, while functionalists contend it came from lower ranks within the bureaucracy.
The terms were coined in a 1981 essay by the British Marxist historian Timothy Mason.[1] Notable functionalists have included Raul Hilberg, Christopher Browning, Hans Mommsen, Martin Broszat, and Zygmunt Bauman. Notable intentionalists have included Andreas Hillgruber, Karl Dietrich Bracher, Klaus Hildebrand, Eberhard Jäckel, Richard Breitman, and Lucy Dawidowicz.
Intentionalist
This intentionalist interpretation of this debate focuses directly on the intentions of Hitler, placing him directly at the center of the regime. (The Intentionalists and Structuralists) This was the immediate post-war viewpoint, suggesting that the Nazi government was a structured system of command controlled by Hitler alone. (Julian, George) Intentionalists strongly believe in the idea that Hitler was the driving force behind the Holocaust, and that he himself gave the order for the ‘Final Solution'. (The Intentionalists and Structuralists) They state that Hitler was a strong dictator with a full, almost blueprint-like plan, for the genocide of the Jews.
Was there a master plan on the part of Adolf Hitler to launch the Holocaust? Intentionalists argue there was such a plan, while functionalists argue there was not.
Did the initiative for the Holocaust come from above with orders from Adolf Hitler or from below within the ranks of the German bureaucracy? Although neither side disputes the reality of the Holocaust, nor is there serious dispute over the premise that Hitler (as supreme leader) was personally responsible for encouraging the anti-Semitism that allowed the Holocaust to take place, intentionalists argue the initiative came from above, while functionalists contend it came from lower ranks within the bureaucracy.
The terms were coined in a 1981 essay by the British Marxist historian Timothy Mason.[1] Notable functionalists have included Raul Hilberg, Christopher Browning, Hans Mommsen, Martin Broszat, and Zygmunt Bauman. Notable intentionalists have included Andreas Hillgruber, Karl Dietrich Bracher, Klaus Hildebrand, Eberhard Jäckel, Richard Breitman, and Lucy Dawidowicz.
Intentionalist
This intentionalist interpretation of this debate focuses directly on the intentions of Hitler, placing him directly at the center of the regime. (The Intentionalists and Structuralists) This was the immediate post-war viewpoint, suggesting that the Nazi government was a structured system of command controlled by Hitler alone. (Julian, George) Intentionalists strongly believe in the idea that Hitler was the driving force behind the Holocaust, and that he himself gave the order for the ‘Final Solution'. (The Intentionalists and Structuralists) They state that Hitler was a strong dictator with a full, almost blueprint-like plan, for the genocide of the Jews.