How Could This Happen

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How Could This Happen Page 31

by Dan McMillan


  World War I atrocity propaganda and, 189

  Königgrätz. See Sadowa

  Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuania, 188

  Kremer, Johannes Paul, 27–28

  Kretschmer, Karl, 131

  Kristallnacht (“Crystal Night”), 4, 193

  Kubizek, August, 98

  Kühne, Thomas, 261n2

  Landau, Felix, 26

  Latin America, 57

  Latvia, 40, 83, 188

  Lawyers, 5, 63, 88, 131, 139

  Leader (Führer), 60–61, 104–105, 111, 119–120, 121–123, 126–127, 130–136, 190, 206, 212

  Hitler as, 104–105, 111, 119–120, 121–123, 126–127, 130–136, 190, 206, 212

  imagined before Hitler, 60–61, 121–122

  Leader Order, 132

  Lebensraum (living space), 3, 8, 83–84, 165–167

  Legitimacy, political, 87–89, 92–93, 96–98, 107–109, 115–116, 130–133, 135, 206

  Levi, Primo, 28–29, 39

  Ley, Robert, 183, 190, 191, 193

  Liberalism, German, 44–49, 51, 141

  Liebknecht, Karl, 93–94

  Lissauer, Ernst, 80–81

  Lithuania, 40, 188, 194

  Lodz, 34, 135, 188

  Lombroso, Cesare, 159

  Longerich, Peter, 220n9, 221n15

  Longwy, Battle of, 71

  Lower Saxony, 194

  Lublin, Poland, 171, 173

  Ludendorff, Erich, 89

  Luxembourg, 128–129

  Luxemburg, Rosa, 93–94

  Machine guns, 67–69, 74

  Madagascar Plan, 7–8, 146

  Majdanek, 9, 11. See also Death camps

  Mann, Michael, 241n30

  Mann, Thomas, 145, 194

  Manstein, Erich von, 128–129

  Marne, First Battle of, 66

  Marx, Karl, 50, 140, 141

  Marxism. See Communism; Communist parties; Socialist party, German

  Medical doctors, 5, 21, 22, 24, 27–28, 30, 32, 63, 139, 153, 164

  Medina, Ernest, 175

  Mein Kampf (book), 74–75, 99–100, 165–167

  Mengele, Josef, 24, 30

  Middle class, German, 43–44, 50, 51, 53–54, 86, 96–97, 110, 114–116, 123, 141, 144, 206

  economic woes of, 96–97, 114–115, 144

  fear of Marxism, 50, 86, 123

  liberal parties and, 44, 49–50, 51, 115–116, 141

  nationalism and, 51, 53–54

  splinter parties and, 115–116

  role in democracy, 43–44, 51, 53–54

  support for Nazism, 110, 114–116, 206

  Miete, August, 16

  Miedzyrzec, 26

  Military, German, 2, 5, 8, 56, 83–84, 86, 89–90, 91, 93, 99–100, 101–102, 103, 107–109, 110, 120, 123, 125–126, 127–130, 132, 167–168, 184–185, 210–211

  armored tactics, 128–129

  causes of 1918 defeat of, 89–90 (See also “Stab in the back legend”)

  disbanded in 1918, 93

  draft reinstated in 1935, 125–126

  High Command of, 89, 129, 184

  Hitler’s service in, 84, 99–100, 102–103

  murder of Soviet POWs, 2, 8, 56, 167

  mutiny in 1918, 86, 89–90

  publications for troops, 167, 184

  role in Hitler’s taking power, 107–109

  role in World War II, 101–102, 127–130, 167–168, 184–185

  support for Holocaust, 8, 83–84, 132, 167–68, 184, 210–211

  Treaty of Versailles limits on, 91, 124–126

  Milgram, Stanley, 174, 177, 203–204

  Moltke, Helmut James von, 195–196

  Moral compass, human lack of, 5–6, 77, 131–133, 154, 157,164–165, 168, 170, 177, 178–179, 181, 201–204, 208, 210–213. See also Psychological factors

  Moroccan Crisis of 1911, 57

  Mosse publishing company, 140

  MSNBC, 49

  Müller-Claudius, Michael, 199–200, 203

  Munich, 93–94, 103–104, 99, 126

  as center of right-wing politics in 1920s, 103–104

  communist government in, 93–94

  Hitler’s years in, 99, 103–104

  My Lai Massacre, 170, 174–179, 181. See also Psychological factors

  Napoleonic Wars, 44

  National community (Volksgemeinschaft), 58–60, 79–81, 85, 110–113, 206, 209

  Nationalism, German, 41, 51, 53–64, 72, 76–77, 79–85, 89, 91–92, 93–95, 97, 102, 103–104, 110–113,140–141, 142, 144, 160–161, 205–206, 209

  and anti-Semitism, 55, 58, 59–60, 82, 84–85, 95, 112–113, 140–141, 142, 144, 160

  as cause of World War I, 51, 53–55, 57, 61–62

  as substitute for democracy, 53–54, 81

  as means to unite Germans, 53, 54–55, 58–60, 79–85, 89, 110–113, 160, 206, 209

  as weapon against socialism and democracy, 51, 53, 54–55, 57–63, 79, 82–85, 89, 102, 110–113, 140–141, 160, 205–206, 209

  in attacks on the Weimar Republic, 84–85, 89, 91–92, 93–95, 103–104, 111–113

  nationalist pressure groups, 55–57, 62–63, 83, 160–161

  role of elites in, 51, 62–64, 81, 82–83, 104, 117, 205–206

  See also German Colonial Society; Eastern Borderland Association; Pan-German League

  Nationalist party, German (Deutschnationale Volkspartei, or DNVP), 92, 95, 97–8, 109, 116, 165

  Naumann, Erich, 132

  Nazi Germany (1933–1945), 51, 86, 123, 108–109, 116–117, 119–123, 130–136, 198–201, 203, 251n8

  dissent and repression in, 4, 86, 123, 164, 198–199, 200–201, 203, 251n18

  founding of, 108–109, 116–117, 119–123

  lawlessness of, 131, 133

  political legitimacy in, 130–135, 200

  public opinion in, 198–200

  See also Germany; Hitler, Adolf; Nazi Party; SS

  Nazi Party, 4, 40–41, 51, 54–63, 65, 76–77, 82–84, 86, 92, 97–98, 101, 103–117, 122, 123, 130–135, 137–138, 140–143, 147, 151–152, 154–155, 160–161, 165–169, 206, 211–212

  anti-Semitism in, 4, 76–77, 110, 112–113, 147, 151–152, 211–212

  as party of protest, 113–116, 206

  electoral support for, 40–41, 51, 65, 86, 97–98, 105–109, 113–116, 206, 211–212

  hatred of Marxism, 86, 110, 112–114

  hope for national community, 110–112, 114

  Hitler’s leadership of, 101, 103–105, 111–113, 122, 130–135

  ideology, 51, 92, 109–113, 114–115

  in universities, 151

  members of, 103–105, 109–113

  militant nationalism, 111–112

  origins of ideology, 41, 51, 54–63, 82–84, 102–103, 110, 137–138, 140–143, 152, 154–155, 160–161, 165–169

  propaganda, 51, 92, 114–115, 122–123

  racism, 110, 112, 152, 154–155, 165–167

  rejection of democracy, 111–114, 115

  SA (paramilitaries), 4, 108, 123

  See also Anti-Semitism; Elections, German; Nationalism, German; Racism; SS

  Nebe, Artur, 132

  Neithardt, Georg, 104

  New York Times, The (newspaper), 186

  Nobel Prize, 139

  Noppe, Ernst, 71

  On the Origin of Species (book), 155–158

  Operation Judgment. See Verdun, Battle of

  Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), 148

  Ott, Eugen, 108

  Pacific Ocean, 162

  Pan-German League, 56–57, 58–63, 82, 144, 160–161

  Pannwitz, Dr. 28–29

  Papen, Franz von, 107–109, 114

  Paris, 46, 91, 130

  Peace of the Fortress, 79–81. See also National community

  People’s Party (Deutsche Volkspartei, or DVP), 92, 105–106, 115–116

  Philippines, 162

  Ploetz, Alfred, 161

  Pogroms, 146–147

  Poland, 2, 6–7, 10, 17, 18, 26, 27, 55–56, 83,
125, 128–129, 134–135, 139, 144, 146, 152, 165, 168, 170–175, 178, 186, 184, 186, 188

  as site of extermination of the Jews, 9, 17, 26, 168, 170–175, 178, 181, 184, 186, 188, 194, 195

  as target of German aggression, 6–7, 55–56, 83, 128–129, 165

  Jewish population of, 7, 10, 139, 146, 170–174

  Jewish “reservation” in, 7

  partitioned in eighteenth century, 55

  re-established after World War I, 56, 125, 144, 165

  under German occupation, 2, 18, 56, 134–135, 168, 170–174, 178, 184

  Poles, 2, 18, 45, 55–56, 134–135, 146, 152, 154, 158, 161

  anti-Semitism of, 146, 152

  as targets of racism, 56, 134–135, 154, 158, 161

  death toll in World War II, 2, 18

  in Austria, 45

  in German Empire, 55–56

  Posen speech (Himmler), 76–77

  Princeton University, 148

  Princip, Gavrilo, 66

  Prisoners of war, 2, 8, 56, 167, 185–186

  German, 185–186

  Soviet, 2, 8, 56, 167

  Proletariat, 50

  Protestants, 114–116. See also Christianity

  Protocols of the Elders of Zion (book), 143–144

  Prussia, 44–47, 55–56, 109, 114, 121, 123, 133, 208

  Polish population of, 55–66

  role in German unification, 45–47, 121, 208

  Psychological factors, 5–6, 12, 54, 71–77, 93, 120–123, 132, 164–165, 169–181, 183, 203–204, 208

  adaptation to a role, 170, 179–181

  conformity to group norms, 170, 178–179

  diffusion of responsibility, 203

  distancing from the victim, 203

  obedience to authority, 130–132, 170, 174–178

  universe of obligation, 204

  Racism, 2–3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 41, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 84, 110, 112, 136, 151–168, 181, 197, 207, 208, 249n3

  against Jews, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 17–19, 22–29, 59, 60, 112, 144, 151–152, 158–159, 160, 165–168, 207

  against lower social classes, 154, 157–158, 160, 163–164

  against non-white ethnicities, 154, 158–159, 162, 163

  against Slavic peoples, 56, 84, 158–159, 160–161, 163, 165–168

  alleged German superiority, 2–3, 54, 56, 58, 112, 158, 160, 161, 162, 165, 166, 168

  dangerous qualities of, 152, 154, 158–160, 207

  defined, 153–154

  eugenics and, 163–164

  in Germany, 5, 7, 12, 17–19, 22–29, 41, 54, 56, 58, 60, 84, 110, 112, 136, 151, 155, 157, 160–163, 165–168, 207, 249n3

  in Hitler’s thinking, 2–3, 7, 9, 12, 151–152, 165–167

  in Western Europe, 152, 153–160, 162, 163, 207, 208

  in North America, 152, 153, 157–159, 162, 163, 207, 208

  Social Darwinist variant of, 155–162, 165–166

  See also Anti-Semitism; Nationalism, German; Social Darwinism

  Radio, 120, 122, 134, 183, 185–186, 189, 190, 193, 211, 255n6

  Hitler’s speeches on, 120, 122, 134, 190, 193

  providing information on the Holocaust, 134, 183, 189, 190, 193, 211, 255n6

  Random House, 140

  Rathenau, Walther, 95

  Raubal, Geli, 102

  Reichstag fire, 123, 242n9

  Reserve Police Battalion 101, 170–176, 177–178, 180, 181. See also Psychological factors; Shooting squads

  Remilitarization of Rhineland, 126. See also Treaty of Versailles

  Resettlement. See Deportation

  Revalorization, 115

  Rhineland, 91, 96–97, 124, 126

  Riga, Latvia, 188

  Roma (“Gypsies”), 2

  Roman Empire, 58

  Romania, 40, 146

  Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 120–122

  Ruhr Valley, 94, 96–97, 103

  Rumkowski, Mordechai Chaim, 34–35

  Russia, 3, 55–56, 57, 66, 80, 83–84, 85–86, 90–91, 93, 131, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146–147, 150, 161, 162, 165–167

  anti-Semitism in, 143, 144, 146

  Civil War (1918–1922), 143, 145, 146–147

  communist revolution in, 84, 85–86, 143, 145, 150, 165

  democratic revolution in, 93, 144

  Hitler’s view of, 3, 165–167

  in World War I, 66, 80, 83–84, 90–91, 144, 162

  relations with Germany, 57, 162

  See also Soviet Union

  Rwanda genocide, 13, 14, 17–21, 40, 201–204

  Sadowa, Battle of, 46–47, 208

  Saxony, Kingdom of, 44–45

  Scheidemann, Philipp, 86, 90, 95

  Schindler, Walter, 189

  Schindler’s List (movie), 13

  Schleicher, Kurt von, 108

  Scribner’s publishing house, 140

  Secret police. See Gestapo

  “Selection,” 29–31

  Serbia, 66

  Sereny, Gitta, 15

  Shooting squads, 8–9, 21, 24–25, 26, 31, 131–133, 151, 168, 169, 170–176, 177–178, 180–181, 184–185, 188, 189, 191, 194, 195, 196, 210, 212

  attitudes and mental states, 9, 24–25, 26, 31, 131–133, 169, 170–176, 177–178, 180–181

  operations and methods, 8–9, 21, 168, 171–174, 210

  public knowledge about, 184–185, 188, 189, 194, 195, 196, 212

  Smajzner, Stanislaw, 23–24

  Smith, Howard K., 188

  Smolensk, 193

  Sobibor, 9, 23–24, 25, 30, 31, 165. See also Death camps

  Social Darwinism, 2–3, 155–162, 165–167

  amoral quality of, 156, 157–158, 160, 161–162

  concept of struggle, 156–158, 160, 162, 165–166

  in Hitler’s thought, 2–3, 155, 157, 165–167

  international relations and, 158, 161–162, 165–167

  origins in Darwin’s thought, 155–157

  See also Racism

  Socialist parties, European, 85–86, 145, 149

  Socialist party, German (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, or SPD), 3, 48–51, 53–55, 57–62, 79–83, 85, 86, 88–92, 93, 95, 99–100, 110, 112–116, 120, 121, 123, 124, 126, 137–138, 141–143, 144, 145, 149, 150, 152, 160, 205–207

  accused of lacking patriotism, 85, 89–92, 99–100, 137–138, 141, 149

  ideology, 49–50

  growth of, 50–51, 57

  hostility toward, 3, 49–51, 53–55, 57–62, 79, 82–83, 86, 88, 89–92, 93, 95, 99–100, 110, 112–116, 121, 137–138, 141–143, 144, 145, 149, 150, 152, 160, 206–207

  in World War I, 79–82, 84–85, 86, 90, 149

  opposition to anti-Semitism, 141–142

  repression of during Empire, 50, 86

  in Weimar Republic, 86, 88–89, 90, 92, 94, 95, 97–98, 105, 107, 150

  social base of, 49–50, 58–59, 61–62, 94, 171

  support for democracy, 51, 81–82, 84–85, 86, 88–90, 92, 98

  suppressed by Hitler, 86, 120, 123

  See also Elections, German

  Solmitz, Luise, 114, 126

  Somme, Battle of, 67–68, 70

  Soviet Union, 3, 8–9, 17, 56, 83–84, 86, 94, 117, 120, 138, 146, 142,165–168, 184, 191, 207, 209

  allegedly controlled by Jews, 2, 138, 142, 166–168, 191

  death toll in World War II, 167

  Hitler’s view of, 2–3, 8, 83–84, 138, 165–167, 207

  Holocaust and, 8–9, 17, 84, 117, 147, 152, 184, 185, 188, 207, 209

  invasion of (1941), 8–9, 83–84, 117, 120, 167–168, 207, 209

  POWs in German captivity, 2, 8, 56, 167

  See also Russia

  Spain, 162

  Splinter parties, 115–116

  Srebnik, Simon, 25

  SS (Schutzstaffel), 1, 6–7, 9, 10–12, 15–37, 63–64, 76–77, 100, 130–136, 170–171, 196, 207, 211

  attitude toward victims, 17, 21–29, 31–32, 76–77, 100, 207

  leadership of, 63–64, 76–77

  lifestyle, 24–27


  loyalty to Hitler as supreme value, 130–133, 135, 207

  mentality and self-understanding of, 21, 24–27, 76–77, 130–136, 207, 211

  role in the Holocaust, 6–7, 9, 10–12, 15–37, 130–133, 135, 170–171, 196, 207, 211

  “Stab in the back legend,” 90, 99–100, 105

  Stanford prison experiment. See Zimbardo, Philip

  Stangl, Franz, 15–17, 23–24, 25, 26, 29

  Steel Helmet (Stahlhelm), 121–122, 165

  Sterilization, forcible, 163–164, 192

  Stoltzfus, Nathan, 200

  Straus, Scott, 225n7

  Sudetenland, 127

  Surveys (polls), 113, 148, 176–177, 196–200, 203, 211

  Swabia, 130

  Sweden, 195

  Third Reich. See Nazi Germany

  Trapp, Wilhelm, 172–174

  Treaty of Versailles, 89–93, 94, 95, 96–97, 106–107, 111–112, 124–127, 144, 149, 211–212

  and legitimacy of Weimar Republic, 89, 92–93, 94, 95, 111–112, 149

  military clauses, 91, 124–126

  perceived unfairness of, 90–91, 94, 124–125, 144, 149, 211–212

  principle of national self-determination, 124–127

  reparations clauses, 91, 96–97, 106–107

  signing of, 91–92, 93, 95

  war guilt clause, 91

  Treblinka, 9–11, 15–17, 22, 23, 25, 26, 30, 31–34, 35–37, 165, 170, 196

  death toll at, 11

  “Infirmary” of, 16, 31

  prisoner work details in, 16, 32–33, 36–37

  uprising in, 31

  See also Death camps

  Turkey, 12, 14, 17, 19–20, 40, 144, 170. See also Armenian genocide

  “Turnip winter” (1916–1917), 84

  Tutsi. See Rwanda genocide

  Ukraine, 22, 26, 40, 83, 194

  in World War I, 83

  anti-Semitism in, 146–147, 152

  Ukrainian participation in Holocaust, 22, 40, 152

  Ullstein publishing house, 140

  Unemployment, 97, 105–107, 120–121, 123–124

  in Germany, 97, 105–107, 120–121, 123–124

  in the United States, 120, 124

  United States, 2, 6, 8, 12, 41–44, 45, 50, 57, 81–82, 87, 89, 105, 116, 120–122, 138, 140, 143, 147–148, 158–159, 162, 163–164, 170, 174–179, 181, 185–186, 188, 191, 192, 197, 201–204, 207–208

  allegedly controlled by Jews, 2, 138, 191, 192

  anti-Semitism and racism in, 43, 143, 144, 147–148, 158–159, 162, 163–164, 197, 204, 207–208

  compared to Germany, 12, 41–44, 45, 81–82, 116, 120–122, 147–148, 162, 163–164, 207–208

  Congress of, 159, 162, 201

  democracy in, 42–44, 81–82, 87, 120

  during Rwandan genocide, 201–204

  immigration law of 1924, 158–159, 163, 185–186, 188, 192

 

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