The Final Solution : Racial Cleansing Sources Question Essay, Research Paper
Q1. To what extent do the
views in Source D support the information on the Final Solution in Source A?Source A
suggests that the mass murders carried out by the Einsatzgruppen
took place to the east of Greater Germany. This is
supported in source B: ?In the course of the Final Solution, the Jews should be
brought to the East.? Source B
goes on to say: ?Doubtless a large part will fall away through natural
reduction. The remainder will have to be dealt with appropriately.? It should
be noted the vague language is used to cloud responsibility for the
extermination of the Jews. There is
no suggestion in Source A as to how the Jews were to be ?separated by sex? or
how those capable of work will join labour camps; although it does suggest that
Europe will be combed from west to east as mentioned in source B.Q2. Are similar sentiments of
ruthlessness towards the Jews implied in sources C and D?Yes, but
in different ways. The person in Source C seems to enjoy his work: ?We are
ruthlessly making a clean sweep, with a clear conscience.? The source
suggests that he passionately dislikes Jews, as he gives them a lot of abuse,
bringing into question their sexual morality and their physical and mental
ability. Source D expresses similar sentiments, but it seems to be much more
sinister and ruthless, for Himmler was the man who masterminded the
extermination of the Jews, while the officer in Source C follows the orders. We
can see the enthusiasm at the end of Source D: ?This is a
glorious page in our history? Indeed, Himmler?s
ruthlessness is much more cold and detached. Q3A. What was the Nazis? aim
in publishing source E?This photo
could have been used as propaganda to influence public opinion on the Jewish
problem or to counteract rumours of Jewish maltreatment. The
picture shows Jews in a camp wearing fur coats, ear muffs and being offered
cigarettes! The
picture would have allayed people?s fears because it suggested that the Nazis
were compassionate towards its enemies. I would question the reliability of
this source and be wary of what it suggests, as it is misleading. The ?Jews?
in the picture many not have been Jews at all but camp guards dressed up for
this staged photograph.Q3B. Do sources F and G
suggest that the Nazis were successful in their aim?Yes,
Source E was meant to give a good impression of Jewish treatment; although we
don?t know if either person saw Source E. The person in source F wasn?t
necessarily fooled. Its
suggested that she was a nazi supporter and could have convinced herself that
nothing bad was happening, if she had seen source E, it would give her more
reason to do so. The girl
in Source G seems to be from a Nazi School and could have been ?programmed? to
believe that the Jews were treated well; more so if an S.S. officer told her so.
However, what she says is coloured by hindsight, casting some doubt upon its
reliability.Q4. How does Source H attempt
to represent the views of different Germans towards the final solution?Source H
is an extract of the film ?Schindler?s List?. It is meant to enlighten people
on the treatment of the Polish Jews. Most of the Germans we see in the film are
army officers; therefore, the source is not terribly representative of German
public opinion. The views
expressed by the Germans about the Jews are always negative, even those of
Oscar Schindler; who is initially presented as being dismissive of the Jews,
although he becomes like a saviour to them. The source
should not be taken as entirely historically accurate because although it is
meant to enlighten people about what happened, it is essentially for
entertainment and was made by a Jewish director on a Jewish topic, making it
subjective and we cannot say for certain that the views expressed applied to
all S.S. men.Q5. Which of the Sources, J
or I is more critical of the role of the German people towards the final
solution?It seems
that source I is far more critical of the German people. We first have to look
at the title, which says a lot: ?Hitler?s willing executioners.? The source
refers to the Ordnungspolizei, who were everyday family men. They represented a
large proportion of the German population. It says
that these men were passionate and overfilled their ?quotas?, killing with
sadistic abandon. Source I suggests that it was the everyday German people who
murdered the Jews. Source J does not use strong critical language, it simply
says the Germans turned a blind eye to the Jewish situation and were
indifferent. This, it could be argued is very damning criticism. However,
source I is more critical, as it states that Germans as a people, participated
actively in genocide.Q6. What are the strengths
and weaknesses of sources K and : for an historian studying the Final Solution?Source K
is a useful source because it gives us an insight into the point of view and
feelings of a camp commandant. It is a
subjective source and one of its weaknesses is that it is an extract of a
judicial statement. The commandant was not going to say anything to implicate
himself, but things to influence the court and obviously his future. Source l
is also useful. It interprets well who controlled what and how they were
involved. It is a subjective source as the commander is trying to distance
himself from what happened by constantly claiming his innocence. This makes us
suspicious. This source also has the weakness that the commander is making a
judgment with hindsight. After 45 years, he would have had plenty of time to
make up excuses and reflect on what had happened. An
historian should be wary about taking both these sources at face value, as they
contain possibly misleading information, and their use of emotionally
persuasive language should be viewed guardedly as well.Q7.
What light does Source M shed upon conditions in Germany that would have
permitted the Final solution to take place?M tells us that Hitler?s dictatorship gradually corrupted
the German People. People were afraid to comment on the rumours they heard
about the Jews. Some even made themselves believe that nothing was happening,
while many were simply indifferent. Even those who rounded up the Jews and transported them to
the East may have tried to believe that the deportations had no sinister
implications. The propaganda the Nazis used to publicise resettlement plans and
the fear of government reprisals may have contributed to creating the
conditions that existed in Germany at this time.Q8. The German people were
?Hitler?s willing executioners?. Using the sources and your own knowledge to
what extent do you agree with this statement.Idisagree
with this statement. While it is clear that some people knew, and some didn?t
even care, it is impossible to say that 80 million Germans wanted the Jews to
die. When we consider that the executions happened in the east, outside Germany
and that the authorities kept the news from the public and tried to
deliberately mislead them, then it is very unlikely that the Germans were
Hitler?s willing executioners; Himmler?s speech illustrates this in particular. From one
perspective, Germans always had a notion at the back of their minds that there
was something sinister, but wanted to believe or were made believe by
propaganda that nothing strange was happening and that the Jews were being
treated well. People
were not stupid; they had heard the rumours, and those in the town of Dachau
outside Munich could smell the stench from the camps. Some did
not care, some knew and were in favour, but the majority were unsure about what
was happening, and could only speculate so they chose to keep quiet, trying to
believe that everything was o.k. They knew if they protested, they would end up
in a camp themselves. Not many
spoke out because of the fear imposed on them by the Nazi police state. Some
will point out that the Einsatzgruppen comprised of ordinary family men who
overfilled their ?quotas? by killing Jews with ?sadistic abandon?, which meant
that the Germans surely were Hitler?s ?willing executioners. All that
can be said about the men in the Einsatzgruppen is that, given the chance,
every man woman and child would pull the trigger and kill a Jew because of the
national hatred of Jews which existed in Europe for centuries; and it was in
their blood; however how realistic a view is this? And what
about the millions who had that fear, but really knew nothing? How could they?
They never told exactly where the Jews were going or about the Final Solution. All this
information was being covered up by propaganda, which was used to allay
people?s fears. Execution took place mostly hundreds of miles away. Even the
people of Dachau were amazed and revolted when they saw what was happening in
their own back yard. They could believe what went on right under their noses. It is
clear from the sources that people wanted nothing to do with the Final
solution, whether they are just defending themselves or honestly mean it. A lot of
the sources have manipulated the evidence to make a case for the argument that
Germans were Hitler?s willing executioners, but these sources may not be
historically accurate or be representative of everyone?s opinion. The sources
are also very subjective and a lot of them are personalised. They are
all trying to say the same thing: ?I didn?t know anything; I didn?t want
anything to do with it; I only followed orders; how could I be an accomplice??
Some of the sources, particularly Himmler?s evidence appears to be trying to
distance himself form the atrocities. Because
these sources have the advantage of hindsight, we must therefore question their
face value. In
conclusion, it is impossible and far to simplistic to say that the German
people were Hitler?s willing executioners.