National Socialist Extermination Policies: Contemporary German Perspectives and Controversies

by Ulrich Herbert, Götz Aly

Moving beyond the well-established problems and public discussions of the Holocaust, this collection of essays, written by some of the leading German historians of the younger generation, leaves behind the increasingly agitated arguments of the last years and substantially broadens, and in many areas revises, our knowledge of the Holocaust. Unlike previous studies, which have focused on whether the Holocaust could best be understood as the "fulfilment of a world view or as a process of "cumulative radicalisation," these articles provide an overview of how situational elements and gradual processes of radicalisation were variously combined with ever-changing objectives and fundamental ideological convictions. Focusing on the developments in Poland, the Soviet Union, Serbia, and France the authors find that heretofore we have actually had very little knowledge of many aspects of this history, particularly with regards to the specific forces that motivated German policy in the individual regions of Central and Eastern Europe. Thus the National-Socialist extermination policy is not seen as a secret undertaking but rather as part of the German conquest and occupation policy in Europe.

Genres: Holocaust, History

360 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ulrich Herbert presents us with a collection of (then-)recent essays aimed at expanding our understanding of the Holocaust. The ten contributing authors break away from the long-established conceptual and geographical paradigms and theses of Holocaust studies to focus on areas and questions which have been overlooked. This includes most notably a more full examination of the pre-history of genocidal policies and the expansion of Holocaust studies to geographic peripheries such as Serbia, Lithuania, Silesia and Belorussia, each of which has its own unique story. This book is a particularly useful tool for students because it provides not only fine examples of scholarship but also a sensitive and highly readable overview of the historiography which is being addressed. This enables readers to identify the main presuppositions which have informed scholars in this field at various times.

[Chelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The essays are based on the argument of when does the Final Solution start. The use of young researchers and at the time newly opened archives gives a fresh look at the age old questions of who planned it, ordered it and carried it out.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essays translated from German. Has the typical translation problems. Good if you want to know about recent German scholarship on the Final Solution, though.