The Holocaust and the German Elite

Download or read book The Holocaust and the German Elite written by Rainer C. Baum and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-11-21 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book, first published in 1981, is a study of the social and political sources of amoral political rule in modern times. Only a moral indifference unparalleled in history made the Holocaust possible, and by linking the German imperial ambitions to the meaningless suffering and death in the concentration camps, the true significance of the Holocaust is revealed in all its horror. Understanding this requires an understanding of the social forces that produced a national amorality among Germany’s elites. The author suggests three contributive causes: a marked ambiguity among Germans in their attitude towards social values; the development of a cadre characterized by status insecurity; and an inability to resolve internal conflict.