History Essay
Essay Topic: “Did Hitler have a masterplan for annihilating the Jews prior to 1941?”
There has been much debate since the end of World War II about whether Adolf Hitler did in fact plan on annihilating the Jews during his time as leader of the Nazis. This debate has split many Historians into two categories, the Intentionalists and the Functionalist’s. Intentionalists believe that Hitler did plan on annihilating the Jews, right from the beginning of his rise to power. Functionalists on the other hand, do not believe Hitler planned this from the beginning, rather that it was a series of decisions that led up to the ‘Final Solution’. In this paper I argue that Hitler did in fact have a plan for annihilating the Jews based on the evidence of a secret meeting held with High ranked officials and the anti-Semitic policies that were put into place, Hitler’s need for more land and the planned mass emigration of Jews to Madagascar. It is one of the most talked about periods of history and still much debate as to whether the murders of thousands of innocent Jews was planned from the beginning of Hitler’s rise to power. As many people know Hitler was known to plan ahead with the goals he wanted to achieve, writing lists of what he planned on doing after he came to power. The aims of which the Nazis wanted to achieve were put into play soon after they came to power. One of these aims was the removal or annihilation of the Jews from Germany. This plan has never been confirmed as no documentation has been found with a signature authorizing these actions, as Hitler was never one to give his orders in writing, often giving orders verbally and with little detail. Hitler’s most “criminal activities” were always kept top secret. He would use euphemisms to keep his “murderous plans secret”, as the Nazis’ written records were not properly kept to keep their plans hidden from prying eyes. The introduction of new laws came quick after the rise of Hitler in January 1933, Jews
There has been much debate since the end of World War II about whether Adolf Hitler did in fact plan on annihilating the Jews during his time as leader of the Nazis. This debate has split many Historians into two categories, the Intentionalists and the Functionalist’s. Intentionalists believe that Hitler did plan on annihilating the Jews, right from the beginning of his rise to power. Functionalists on the other hand, do not believe Hitler planned this from the beginning, rather that it was a series of decisions that led up to the ‘Final Solution’. In this paper I argue that Hitler did in fact have a plan for annihilating the Jews based on the evidence of a secret meeting held with High ranked officials and the anti-Semitic policies that were put into place, Hitler’s need for more land and the planned mass emigration of Jews to Madagascar. It is one of the most talked about periods of history and still much debate as to whether the murders of thousands of innocent Jews was planned from the beginning of Hitler’s rise to power. As many people know Hitler was known to plan ahead with the goals he wanted to achieve, writing lists of what he planned on doing after he came to power. The aims of which the Nazis wanted to achieve were put into play soon after they came to power. One of these aims was the removal or annihilation of the Jews from Germany. This plan has never been confirmed as no documentation has been found with a signature authorizing these actions, as Hitler was never one to give his orders in writing, often giving orders verbally and with little detail. Hitler’s most “criminal activities” were always kept top secret. He would use euphemisms to keep his “murderous plans secret”, as the Nazis’ written records were not properly kept to keep their plans hidden from prying eyes. The introduction of new laws came quick after the rise of Hitler in January 1933, Jews
Bibliography: Primary Sources Hossbach, F., Hossbach Memorandum, New Haven, CT, Yale Law School, http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/hossbach.asp, (accessed 3 September 2012). Burrin, P., Hitler and the Jews: The Genesis of the Holocaust, Geneva, Switzerland., 2000. Coetzee, F., and Shevin-Coetzee, M., The Worl in Flames: A World War II Source Book, New York, Oxford University Press., 2010. Evans, R., Lying About Hitler: History, Holocaust, and The David Irving Trial, New York, NY, Basic Books., 2002. Fleming, G., Hitler and the Final Solution, O.U.P, Oxford., 1986. Marrus, M., The Holocaust in History, Penguin Books., 2002. -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. G. Fleming, Hitler and the Final Solution, O.U.P, Oxford., 1986, p. ix. [ 2 ]. M. Marrus, The Holocaust in History, Penguin Books., 2002, p. 33. [ 3 ]. F. Coetzee and M. Shevin-Coetzee, The Worl in Flames: A World War II Source Book, New York, Oxford University Press., 2010, p. 410. [ 4 ]. M. Marrus, The Holocaust in History, Penguin Books., 2002, p. 36. [ 5 ]. R. Evans, Lying About Hitler: History, Holocaust, and The David Irving Trial, New York, NY, Basic Books., 2002, p. 45-46. [ 6 ]. F. Hossbach, Hossbach Memorandum, New Haven, CT, Yale Law School, http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/hossbach.asp, (accessed 3 September 2012). [ 7 ]. M. Berenbaum, The Worl Must Know: The History of the Holocaust as Told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, USA., 1993, p. 64. [ 8 ]. P. Burrin, Hitler and the Jews: The Genesis of the Holocaust, Geneva, Switzerland., 2000, p. 19. [ 9 ]. M. Berenbaum, The Worl Must Know: The History of the Holocaust as Told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, USA., 1993, p. 44. [ 10 ]. M. Berenbaum, The Worl Must Know: The History of the Holocaust as Told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, USA., 1993, p. 105.