I am not a conspiracy theorist. In fact, I do tend to look upon the whole lot of them with a jaundiced eye, and a considerable disdain. (My choice. My joke. My humor.) I am not "anti" anything particularly, with the notable exceptions of ignorance, mediocrity, and prejudice.
I am a passionate, amateur student of history. I do not intend these writings to teach anyone anything. If you learn, I will be gratefully surprised. I reserve the right, as student, to be incorrectly informed. Thus, I will study on. I particularly enjoy the histories surrounding the American Revolution, The American Civil War, and of World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII).
My Thesis: The Holocaust did not begin; it evolved.The evolution of the Holocaust may not be complete. Such an event could well happen in our future.
There is no doubt whatsoever that, regardless of kinship to an idea or ideology, when a little over 40% of the voting German population finally (after several elections) brought Adolf Hitler to power in January, 1933, these same people were NOT voting for national, continental or world domination, extermination camps, concentration camps, or World War II.
Genocide was not an unknown occurrence prior to the 1930's German world. Germans did not invent the ghetto. One of the most significant ghettos in world history was found in Italy in the early 16th century. It is still in existence today. Nor did the Germans create, or invent the concentration camp.
Yet, each of these unseeming realities, these mismatched dancing partners would come to inform the alternatives and opinions of what would become Nazi Germany's Third Reich, direct Hitler's pre-determined intent to prosecute war in Europe, and to eventually seek planetary "Judenrein" and world domination in the name of a 1,000 year reign.
If there is but one thing (the possibilities are, quite frankly limitless) one could positively state about the German nation and the German people in the very early 20th century, it has to be that they were industriously determined. In, to, of or about what really needs to be addressed.
Follow me just below the squiggledoodlethingey fold, and let me tell you some of what I learned as a student in the course on the Holocaust.
For Nazi Germany, Dr. Peter Kenez consistently maintains that there were, in fact two wars that were fought during World War II. The first (January 3,1933 - June 21,1941) was a war prosecuted by the Nazis in Western Europe and was, in fact, nothing more than preparatory drill for the second, or "real" war which began on June 22nd, 1941 ("Operation Barbarossa"): the day Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.
It comes now the question of how far to drill into history for a reasonable understanding of this course, and how it has affected me. One could, for instance, repine and casually discuss pre-modernity, pre-war market economies or even the pre-industrial age in Europe. However, in order to fully comprehend the genesis of Nazi Germany, it would be really important to understand the prevalent antisemitism, especially on the European continent at the time, and try to seek understanding of it.
Further, one would have to consider the concept of Bolshevism in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and even the Far East. Adding to this would be the intrinsic necessity of examining and investigating the creation of a German totalitarian state 1933-1935. Finally, one who wishes to truly understand Nazi Germany must also consider the very existence of WWII itself.
America too has it's own very important part to play in the historical beginnings of Nazi Fascism in Germany, including (but not limited to) its profligate, purposefully constructed and continuing willful ignorance of the victimization of peoples of Europe before, during and after WWII.
So, where to begin? Rather than trying to unravel the stone age, I will present at least a couple of diaries here at this point. One (the next step) would propose to look at the externalities of the world itself that, whether willingly or otherwise, applied extreme pressure on Europe generally, and Germany specifically prior to January, 1933.
Then, I will try to examine the internalities that created, maintained, and eventually brought down the Third Reich. I hope to do so from four differing perspectives. I want to look at the roles played by: the perpetrators, the victims, the bystanders, and the rescuers. Each had significant and disparate roles to play in the Holocaust. Without each and all of these players, the Holocaust story would be an entirely different one today. It is the exclusive set of these four players that make the Holocaust a completely unique event in world history.
I do know and understand that this community has a vast number of contributors who are my age (or close to it), for whom much of this information will be already clearly known, yet perhaps not clearly understood.
Also, while history informs us that there is a great scarcity on this entire subject offered or given by Germany itself, I have learned through this course that this assumption is totally false. We now have millions of documents from the Third Reich, written and video testimonials, court proceedings...and still incomplete knowledge. Countless books have been written, movies have been made and presented, conferences are held, University Chairs have been endowed, Memorial Associations are extant. Still, we seek answers to compelling questions that have thus far either eluded or failed to satisfy our understanding and inquiry.
Even if it were true, the recent release of vast amounts of documented information by the former Soviet Union during the years of WWII is bringing to light not only new and significant Nazi records, but co-relational Soviet records as well. Additionally, I hope that for those of our members who actually lived these years, we might get some added value through their comments or other contributions as well.
Why?
Firstly, why not? I think the intellectual exercise of shared experiences and memories to be good, constructive and helpful for understanding. I do understand and accept that, for some who could contribute to this exercise that I hope will be an enlightening and perhaps even ongoing conversation, they will choose not to do so. I respect those decisions, even as I might suggest that those decisions are, in fact, erroneous. (Doesn't the arrogance abound? No, as I will explain.) Nevertheless, it is purely an invitation. Invitations can be ignored, RSVP'd, or accepted in some moderate form. As the kids say: "It's all good!". Which brings me to my second, and perhaps more important answer.
Look, this course was without doubt one of the most, if not completely THE most difficult study I have ever chosen to undertake. Yeah, well, bully for me, right? No, and that's not the point...at all.
There are generations behind mine (ours) who have never studied the Holocaust...anywhere. Argument abounds and the ignorance is beyond perception. It is palpable. Sadly, it is that same ignorance which is, in my view, propelling much of the disunity and discord in America today. Well, that's a heck of a statement, don't you think, Bud? Really? How about this one, then:
"Gays and lesbians are destroying our nation. I honestly think they are a bigger threat than terrorists." State Representative Sally Kern, R-OK
Or, perhaps you already know that, as of the date of this writing, it is legal in 29 of our several (50) states to fire someone solely for being lesbian, gay or bisexual. Or that, in 33 states it is perfectly legal to fire, or deny employment to a person solely based on their being transgender.
In Tennessee today, where I live, it is NOT illegal to bully someone if they hold or represent a position or belief opposed to that which YOU hold...from elementary school onward. While this further-inflammatory bill died in March, 2013, both the House and Senate Sponsors have promised to re-introduce it with an even more incindiary addition nullifying any and all "hate crime" legislation in the next legislative session.
One more, for the sake of inclusion, and to make a further point:
"Governments should not be in the business of promoting any behavior (homosexuality) that is proven to be destructive to our American Society." Former Senator Jim DeMint, R-SC, currently Executive Director of The Heritage Foundation.
These are not fringe, or minority views in America today. These are among recent statements made to:
2.3 million members of Focus On the Family,
2.2 million members of The American Family Association,
500,000 members and supporters of "Concerned Women For America", and
500,000 members of The Family Research Council.
5.5 million (presumably unique) American citizens not only hear, but agree with and further promulgate such statements as these, in September 2013.
(As reported today by the Human Rights Campaign document #13-PDSA to their 1.5 million members and supporters)
What, precisely is the difference between these sentiments of this very day being spread across our land by our own citizens, versus the exact same sentiments being spread across pre-Nazi Germany of political opposition, international opinion, homosexuals, and/or the European Jewry?
None, save one.
This writing will, in all likelihood, not mark me to be one of the first occupants of a concentration camp. Yet.
While Nazi Germany did present one very unique contribution never before seen in world history, that contribution is very clearly with us today. We see it virtually around the globe with every presentation of the news. It is not a leap too far to imagine the possibility of some other entity, be it a political ideology, or national entity to unleash it upon an unsuspecting, unbelieving, or unwilling world. (We will examine this issue separately, as well: the creation of the extermination camp--"conveyor belt killing".)
Finally, as I believe our present generations not only have a right, but complete obligation to know and understand this incalculable shift in the history of the world, they must also accept responsibility for the knowledge of it. Only then can we somehow believe that future generations will have the wisdom to avoid a replay of it. I know it is tiresome, wearisome, and uncomfortably disconcerting work.
That does not, by any stretch of a reasonable imagination, make it unworthy of the work required. I have highlighted only one issue here that fully preoccupied Wiemar Germany long before WWII. Remember, theirs was a country considered to be the intellectual, cultural, technological, and educational capitol of the world--certainly of Europe. Does this not nudge the conscience, or perhaps cause some small, distant bell to peal in your mind?
Poverty. Healthcare. Education. Equality. Human rights. National ideology. This is not some new, uniquely American list. It is just a currently accurate one also reflected in pre-war Germany.
Yes, this I do believe. I'm not quite certain how anyone could not, but I do know that there are many who in fact do not agree with me on this point.
If I present, if for no other person but myself what I have learned, remembered, or come to understand, that is enough; that is sufficient. Yet, that is not my desire or intent. "I didn't know. I should have known. I had no choice. I was forced to do it."
Each (and many more) of these defenses have been used to attempt to ameliorate either personal or collective national/international responsibility or obligation by post-war Germany, post-war Europe, and the post-war world. Each of them fails. As they should fail. They would fail again if, at some point in our collective future, they were ever to be trotted out for the same (or any similar) reason.
They fail because they are lies. As they were lies then, they speak to unspeakable, but necessary fallacy that must not be found acceptable by anyone, anywhere. But then, that is an important part of the story this series of diaries will at least attempt to tell.
When it is one continuous silky-thin thread, history has a nasty way of being entangled in so many things that the thread gets lost. In the next diary, I will attempt to find and untangle it for the purposes of examination, inspection, and perhaps even understanding.
I hope you will join me.
NB:
The Introduction to this series is here.
Part I of the series is here.
Part III of the series is here.