Why did Hitler hate the Jews, and even rebelled against the Jews in the face of infamy, slaughtering nearly 6 million Jews
During World War II, a heinous genocide was staged on the European continent. Adolf · Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, sent nearly 6 million Jews to death with astonishing cruelty and systematization. This appalling atrocity not only cast an indelible stain on human history, but also caused future generations to continue to ask: What kind of hatred can drive a person to slaughter a people so frantically? Where did Hitler's hatred of the Jews come from? Why would he be so obsessed with exterminating the Jews at the cost of infamy? What are the complex historical, political and social factors behind this horrific genocide? Let's step into this dark history, unravel the layers of Hitler's anti-Semitic thinking, and explore the roots of one of the greatest tragedies in human history.
Adolf · Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau, Austria, to an ordinary family. His father was a customs officer and his mother was a housewife. Hitler's childhood was not pleasant, his father was short-tempered and often violently inflicted violence on him. This family environment may have influenced Hitler's extreme and paranoid personality to some extent.
During Hitler's teenage years, he attended secondary school in Linz. Here he met a history teacher who had a profound influence on him, Leopold · Pochi. Pochi was a fanatical pan-Germanic who often preached the superiority of the German nation in his classes and showed a marked contempt for Jews and Slavs. The young Hitler was deeply influenced by these views and began to develop rudimentary racist ideas.
In 1907, at the age of 18, Hitler came to Vienna with the hope of fulfilling his dream of becoming a painter in the cultural capital. However, he was rejected twice for the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. This defeat hit Hitler hard, and he began to live a wandering life in Vienna. During this period, Hitler was exposed to a wealth of anti-Semitic literature and ideas.
Vienna was a multicultural metropolis with a mix of ethnic and religious beliefs. Here Hitler witnessed the success of Jews in the fields of business, finance, and culture, which provoked his jealousy and resentment. He began reading various anti-Semitic pamphlets and newspapers, including the magazine Ostara published by Lands · von · Liebenfels, which promoted extreme racist and anti-Semitic ideas.
In addition, Hitler was influenced by the mayor of Vienna, Karl · Lügel. Rugel was a politician adept at exploiting anti-Semitic sentiment for political manipulation, and his tactics impressed Hitler. This Vienna period laid the foundation for Hitler's later anti-Semitic thinking.
In 1914, World War I broke out and Hitler joined the Bavarian army. On the battlefield, he showed great courage and was awarded several times. However, Germany eventually lost the war, which had a huge psychological impact on Hitler. He began to look for the reasons for Germany's defeat and pointed the finger at the Jews.
Hitler believed that it was the Jews and Marxists who "stabbed in the back" who caused the defeat of Germany. This view was widespread in German society at the time, with many blaming the "enemy" at home for the defeat rather than acknowledging Germany's military and strategic mistakes.
After the war, Hitler joined the Workers' Party of Germany, a small party that later developed into the Nazi Party. Within the party, Hitler's oratorical talents were quickly on display. His speeches were passionate, often pointing the finger at Jews and communists, portraying them as the greatest obstacle to Germany's revival.
Hitler's anti-Semitic ideas were further systematized and strengthened during this period. He combined the prejudices he had developed in Vienna with the anti-Semitic sentiment that was prevalent in Germany society at the time to create a highly inflammatory political theory. This theory portrays the Jews as a cabal that claims they are trying to dominate the world by controlling finance and the media.
Hitler's anti-Semitic ideas did not come out of nowhere, but were deeply rooted in the long-standing tradition of anti-Semitism in Europe, especially in Germany society. This anti-Semitic tendency can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when European Christian societies generally viewed Jews as "Christ-killers" and held them responsible for the death of Jesus. This religious prejudice led to a long history of discrimination and persecution, with Jews often being expelled, segregated, or forced to convert.
In Germany, Martin · Luther's anti-Semitic rhetoric had a profound impact on subsequent generations. In 1543, Luther published his essay On the Jews and Their Lies, which was full of slander and hatred against the Jews. The article was widely circulated among Protestants in Germany and provided a religious basis for later anti-Semitism.
In the 19th century, with the rise of nationalism, anti-Semitism gained new impetus in Europe. In Germany, some thinkers began to portray the Jews as a group alien to the German nation. Cultural figures such as Richard · Wagner have also publicly expressed anti-Semitic views, which further deepens societal prejudice against Jews.
The defeat in the First World War had a huge impact on Germany society. Germany faced serious economic difficulties after the war, and the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 saddled Germany with heavy war reparations. In this case, the search for scapegoats becomes a common psychology. Many Germans began to blame the Jews for their nation's plight, believing them to be the "internal enemies" that led to Germany's defeat.
The period of the Weimar Republic (1919-1933) was a period of contradictions and turmoil in Germany's history. On the one hand, this is Germany's first attempt at democracy; On the other hand, social contradictions are becoming increasingly acute. The hyperinflation of 1923 made life difficult for ordinary Germany, while some Jewish businessmen and bankers profited in the process, further fueling anti-Semitic sentiment.
The Great Depression of 1929 dealt a heavy blow to the Germany economy. Unemployment has soared and social unrest has intensified. Under these circumstances, extreme political ideas began to spread in Germany. The Nazi Party seized the opportunity to use anti-Semitism as a political tool to blame Jews and other minorities for Germany's plight.
It is important to note that although antisemitism is widespread in German society, the status and influence of Jews in German society is quite significant. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Germany Jews made great achievements in the fields of science, culture, and economy. World-class scientists and thinkers such as Albert Einstein and Freud all had Jewish ancestry. In the commercial sector, many large department stores and banks were founded or operated by Jews.
However, Jewish success only exacerbated the jealousy and resentment of some Germans. Some began spreading conspiracy theories that Jews were secretly controlling Germany's economy and culture. This view is especially shared by the general public in difficult economic times.
In the 1932 Germany election, the Nazi Party won 37.3% of the vote, making it the largest party in parliament. On January 30 of the following year, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Immediately after the Nazi Party came to power, it began to implement a series of anti-Semitic policies. In April 1933, the Nazi government enacted the Reinstatement of Professional Civil Service Act, which excluded Jews from the public service. In May of the same year, Nazi supporters staged a massive book-burning campaign in Berlin, which included the works of many Jewish authors.
These actions did not meet with strong opposition in Germany society at the time. On the contrary, many ordinary Germany express support or indifference to these policies. This reflected the deep roots of anti-Semitism in Germany society, paving the way for the Nazis' later more extreme anti-Jewish policies.
In general, Hitler's anti-Semitic ideas did not come out of nowhere, they were built on a long-standing anti-Semitic tradition in Europe and Germany. Economic crises, social unrest, and political polarization provide fertile ground for the spread of antisemitism. The Nazi Party successfully exploited these social contradictions and used anti-Semitism as a political tool, culminating in the most tragic genocide in history.
After Hitler came to power, the Nazi Party began to gradually implement its anti-Semitic policy, which gradually evolved from initial discrimination and exclusion to systematic persecution and eventual mass murder. This process can be broadly divided into several phases, each of which marks a further escalation and brutalization of anti-Jewish policies.
On January 30, 1933, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Just two months later, the Nazi Party began an open attack on the Jews. On April 1, 1933, the Nazi Party launched a nationwide boycott of Jewish shops and businesses. SS members stood in front of Jewish-run shops, prevented customers from entering, and painted anti-Semitic slogans on shop windows. Although the operation lasted only one day, it was a clear indication of the anti-Semitic stance of the Nazi regime.
Soon after, the Nazi government began to restrict the rights of Jews through legislative means. On April 7, 1933, the Reinstatement of Professional Civil Service Act was enacted, which allowed the government to remove "non-Aryans" from the public service. The bill was primarily aimed at Jews, and resulted in a large number of Jewish civil servants, teachers, and judges losing their jobs.
In September 1935, the Nazi Party passed the infamous Nuremberg Laws at the Nuremberg Party Congress. This set of laws formally deprived Jews of German citizenship and forbade Jews from intermarrying or having sex with people of "German origin." The Nuremberg Laws also gave a clear definition of who was Jewish: as long as three of a person's four grandparents were Jewish, then that person was considered Jewish. This blood-based definition of race laid the groundwork for later broader persecution.
The events of Kristallnacht, which took place on November 9-10, 1938, marked a new, more violent phase of Nazi anti-Jewish policy. This pogrom (organized genocide) was planned by the Nazi Party under the pretext of revenge for the assassination of a German diplomat by a young Jewish man in Paris. For two days, the SS and party members smashed Jewish shops, homes and synagogues throughout Germany. About 100 Jews were killed in the violence, and more than 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps. After Kristallnacht, the Germany government also forced the Jewish community to pay a "fine" of 1 billion marks to "compensate" for the damage caused by the violence.
With the outbreak of World War II, the Nazi persecution of Jews escalated further. In September 1939, after the Germany invasion of Poland, the establishment of ghetto (ghetto) began in the occupied territories. The Warsaw ghetto was the largest, with more than 400,000 Jews imprisoned and living in extremely harsh conditions.
In June 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, marking the beginning of the Nazi "Final Solution." As the Germans advanced eastward, the Einsatzgruppen followed, carrying out large-scale massacres in the occupied territories. These squads usually force local Jews to concentrate in a certain location and then shoot them en masse. The most famous of these was the Babi Yar massacre near Kiev, where more than 30,000 Jews were killed in just two days.
On January 20, 1942, high-ranking Nazi officials held the infamous Wannsee Conference in Wannsee, Berlin. At this meeting, Nazi leaders discussed and coordinated plans for the complete extermination of European Jews. This meeting is considered the official launch of the "Final Solution".
Subsequently, the Nazis began to build death camps throughout occupied Europe. The most notorious of these was the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. In these camps, the Nazis used industrial means such as gas chambers and crematoriums to kill Jews on a large scale. At the same time, they also subjected Jews to forced labor and inhumane medical experiments.
The Nazis' anti-Jewish policies continued until the end of World War II. In May 1945, with the surrender of Germany, the darkest period in human history finally ended. However, in these short 12 years, nearly 6 million Jews lost their lives, and the European Jewish community suffered irreparable damage.
The implementation of Nazi anti-Jewish policies revealed a disturbing fact: racial discrimination and hatred, if not stopped in time, could escalate and eventually lead to unimaginable humanitarian catastrophes. From the discriminatory laws in the early days, to the violent persecution that followed, to the systematic massacres that followed, each step paved the way for the next more extreme actions. The process also reveals the silence or powerlessness of all sectors of society, including intellectuals, religious leaders, and ordinary people, in the face of this escalating persecution.
Hitler's anti-Jewish policies not only had disastrous consequences for the Jews, but also had far-reaching consequences for Germany society as a whole. These influences spanned a wide range of fields, including the economy, culture, science, and education, and even into the post-war period.
In the economic sphere, anti-Semitic policies have led to the loss of a large number of good business talents and capital in Germany. Many Jewish-owned businesses were forcibly "Germany," that is, forcibly transferred to non-Jews. On April 26, 1938, the Nazi government issued a decree requiring all Jewish property valued at more than 5,000 marks to be declared. This paved the way for the mass confiscation of Jewish property that would follow. By 1939, almost all Jewish businesses were dispossessed or forced to sell.
Take, for example, the Wittenberg department store in Berlin, a large department store founded by Jewish businessmen that was forcibly taken over by the Nazis in 1933. The once thriving business empire rapidly declined under the new management and was eventually forced to sell in 1937. Similar situations abound throughout Germany. This not only led to a waste of a lot of economic resources, but also severely hit Germany's business vitality.
In the cultural sphere, anti-Semitic policies have caused a serious setback in Germany's cultural life. Many prominent Jewish artists, writers and musicians were forced to leave Germany. On May 10, 1933, Nazi supporters staged a massive book-burning campaign in Berlin and other university towns, burning a large number of "non-Germany" or "degenerate" books, including the works of many Jewish authors. This is not only a destruction of culture, but also a serious blow to freedom of thought.
Jewish artists who were once active on the Germany cultural scene, such as the writer Leon · Fichtevange, the painter Max ·Liebermann, the director Fritz · Lang, and others, were either forced into exile or persecuted at home. As a result, Germany lost a large number of cultural talents and its cultural creativity was severely weakened.
In the field of science, anti-Semitic policies have caused immeasurable damage to Germany's scientific research. Many world-class Jewish scientists were forced to leave Germany, the most famous of whom was Albert · Einstein. In 1933, Einstein was visiting United States, and after learning the news of the Nazis' coming to power, he decided not to return to Germany. In addition to Einstein, Nobel laureates such as Max · Born and James · Frank also left Germany.
The loss of these scientists not only weakened Germany's scientific research strength, but also indirectly affected the development of military science and technology during World War II. For example, many Jewish scientists in exile later became involved in the United States's Manhattan Project, making important contributions to the Allied development of the atomic bomb. At the same time, Germany's nuclear weapons program has been slow due to a lack of key personnel.
In the field of education, anti-Semitic policies have similarly caused great damage. In April 1933, the Nazi government issued a decree restricting Jewish students' access to public schools. By 1938, Jewish students were completely banned from enrollment. At the same time, a large number of Jewish teachers and professors were dismissed. In 1933 alone, about 1,200 Jewish professors lost their jobs. This not only deprived Jews of their right to education, but also seriously affected the quality of education in Germany.
The University of Berlin is a prime example of the impact of this policy. The once world-leading university lost a large number of distinguished scholars during the Nazi era, including more than 20 Nobel Prize winners. This led to a sharp decline in the academic status of the University of Berlin, which was not restored to its former glory until a long time after the war.
Anti-Semitic policies also had a profound impact on the morals and values of Germany society. Through systematic propaganda and education, the Nazi regime sought to root anti-Semitism in the minds of Germany. This practice not only deepens social divisions, but also distorts people's moral perceptions. Many ordinary Germans began to turn a blind eye to what happened to their Jewish neighbors, and some even took an active part in the persecution.
For example, during Kristallnacht in 1938, many ordinary Germany joined in the smashing of Jewish shops and homes. This moral decay is not only manifested in attitudes toward Jews, but also extends to discrimination and persecution of other minorities.
The effects of anti-Jewish policies did not disappear immediately with the fall of the Nazi regime. Post-war Germany society faced the difficult task of how to deal with this period of history. On the one hand, reflection and education are needed to prevent similar tragedies from happening again; On the other hand, there is also the problem of brain drain and international reputation damage caused by anti-Semitic policies.
To this day, Germany is still trying to repair the damage caused by its anti-Semitic policies. For example, the Germany government continues to provide reparations to Holocaust survivors and to combat antisemitism through legislation and education. However, the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe in recent years suggests that the fight continues.
In general, Hitler's anti-Jewish policy was not only a persecution of Jews, but also a disservice to Germany society as a whole. It has led to a massive brain drain, weakened Germany's economic, cultural, scientific and other fields, distorted social morality, and left an indelible stain on Germany's history. This history offers us a profound lesson that hatred and prejudice can have disastrous consequences for society as a whole if left unchecked.
Hitler's anti-Jewish policies have left a painful lesson in human history, and their impact is far-reaching and continues to remind us of the dangers of racial discrimination and totalitarianism to this day. This history has had a profound impact not only on Germany but also on the international community as a whole, contributing to the protection of human rights, the international rule of law and the anti-discrimination movement.
After the end of World War II, the international community began to reflect on the roots of the Holocaust. From October 1945 to October 1946, the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg tried Nazi war criminals, the first time in human history that an international tribunal was held accountable for war crimes committed by a national leader. The Nuremberg trials not only punished Nazi criminals, but more importantly, established the concept of "crimes against humanity" and laid the foundation for the development of international criminal law in the future.
On 9 December 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, an important measure taken by the international community to prevent the recurrence of similar Holocaust tragedies. The Convention clearly defines the crime of genocide and requires States parties to criminalize it in their domestic law. This marks an important step forward in the protection of human rights under international law.
In the field of education, many countries have incorporated Holocaust education into their school curricula. In Germany, for example, from the 60s of the 20th century, Germany schools began to systematically teach the history of the Nazi period. In 1962, Germany held its first national "No Forgetting" commemoration, which aimed to inform the younger generation about this history and prevent it from repeating itself.
However, the process of education is not all smooth sailing. In the 80s of the 20th century, the so-called "historians' war" broke out in Germany, and some historians tried to "normalize" Nazi crimes, which sparked heated debates. The controversy eventually strengthened the consensus of German society on facing history squarely and prompted Germany to further strengthen Holocaust education.
At the level of international relations, the lessons of anti-Semitic policies have contributed to the process of European integration. The European Coal and Steel Community was founded precisely on the basis of the consideration of preventing another war between Germany and France. This organization has since evolved into today's European Union and has become an important mechanism for the maintenance of peace in Europe.
The lessons of anti-Semitic policies have also influenced the establishment of international human rights protection mechanisms. On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which established the universal principle of human rights for the first time on a global scale. Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was not legally binding, it laid the groundwork for subsequent international human rights conventions and became an important standard for measuring the human rights situation in various countries.
In Israel, the memory of the Holocaust deeply influenced the formation and development of the state. In 1953, the Israel Parliament passed the Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Day Law, which designated the 27th day of Nissan (roughly April or May) as a national day of remembrance. On this day, sirens sounded across the country and people stood in silence for two minutes in mourning. Yad Vashem became one of Israel's most important places of remembrance, not only as a place to commemorate the victims, but also as a center for Holocaust research and education.
However, antisemitism did not disappear with the end of World War II. In the second half of the 20th century, there were still numerous attacks against Jews in Europe and the United States. For example, on 3 October 1980, a bomb attack on a synagogue in Paris killed four people and injured 46 others. Such incidents are a reminder that the roots of antisemitism have not been completely eradicated.
In the 21st century, with the rise of far-right forces in many countries in Europe and the United States, anti-Semitism is on the rise again. On October 27, 2018, 11 people were killed in a shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, United States, in one of the worst incidents of violence against Jews in United States history. These events show that antisemitism remains an issue that requires sustained attention and combat.
The lessons of anti-Semitic policies have also prompted broader reflection on the protection of minority rights. The civil rights movement that emerged in the 60s of the 20th century was also inspired to some extent by the history of the Holocaust. Civil rights leaders such as Martin· Luther, · King, and others have repeatedly cited the lessons of the Holocaust to argue for the importance of racial equality.
In the field of academic research, Holocaust studies have developed into a specialized discipline. Yale University, Harvard University and many other famous universities have set up Holocaust research centers, which are committed to in-depth research on this period of history and apply the research results to the real society to prevent racial discrimination and group hatred.
At the same time, the lessons of anti-Semitic policies have raised questions about the responsibility of the media. During the Nazi era, the German media played an inglorious role in spreading anti-Semitic propaganda. This lesson led to in-depth discussions on journalistic ethics and media regulation in post-war countries, emphasizing the responsibility of the media in combating discrimination and promoting social cohesion.
At the legal level, many countries have enacted anti-discrimination laws that explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, religion and other factors. For example, Germany amended its constitution in 1994 to make racial discrimination unconstitutional. These laws not only protect Jews, but also other minorities.
In general, the historical lessons of Hitler's anti-Semitic policies have profoundly influenced the reconstruction of the post-war world order, and promoted the development of international law, human rights protection, educational reform, and other fields. This history continues to remind us of the dangers of totalitarianism and racial discrimination, and provides important lessons for building a more just and equal society. However, the rise of antisemitism in recent years also shows that these lessons need to be reaffirmed and reinforced to ensure that similar tragedies are not repeated.