HITLER AND THE EUPHORIA OF VICTORY

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HITLER AND THE EUPHORIA OF VICTORY

• Christopher R. Browning

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AIMS

• To discuss the points raised by Browning in his
  essay.
• To understand Brownings overall view.
• To produce a summary of his view including
  areas of agreement and disagreement.
• To understand what Browning thinks about the
  timing of the Final Solution.

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BROWNINGS THESIS

• One central issue to the study of the Holocaust
  was the decision taken in the euphoria of victory
  or in frustration over setbacks?
• Browning argues the former.
• Adam, Broszat, Mommsen, Burrin Mayer argue for
  the latter.

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Lublin plan (reservation for Jews in the East)
and Madagascar plan were both approved by Hitler
in a period of victory euphoria.
What had gone well?
Was this the same in 1941?
Some documents suggest this was the initial aim
i.e. there were more men to come
Early victims of USSR invasion were intelligentsia
Only 3,000 men assigned not enough to
exterminate Soviet Jewry
Historians need to look at the manpower devoted
to the executions
End of July, 1941 Himmler had taken the steps
for a massive build up of manpower
Orders for new Einsatzkommando groups included
murder of women and children the scale had
widened and there was exploration for more
effective killing methods
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Hitler elated at military progress in mid-July
Decision taken to exterminate Soviet Jewry
Gave a speech talking of Germanys new Garden of
Eden
Himmler responded with a massive build up of
forces
He also visited many Einsatzkommando leaders
Those not visited received orders later and less
sytematically
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The extension of mass murder to European Jewry in
Autumn 1941
Browning says Hitlers mood here was fluctuating
Not a steady degeneration (Burrin)
Bolstered by successes in the Ukraine, September
1941 , the decisions on European Jewry were taken.
Transportations began, death camps built
The military situation then swiftly changed the
plan was conceived in euphoria but it was
tenaciously and fanatically carried out in the
years of looming defeat.
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EINSATZGRUPPEN SOURCES

• The goal that Einsatzkommando 2 had in mind from
  the beginning was a radical solution to the
  Jewish problem through the execution of all
  Jews. Lange
• It was expected from the start that the Jewish
  problem would not be solved solely through
  pogroms. Stahlecker

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• The security police cleansing work had according
  to basic orders the goal of the most complete
  removal possible of the Jews. Stahlecker
• Lohse did not consider on the one hand the
  altogether different situation created through
  the impact of the eastern campaign and refrained
  on the other hand from keeping in mind the
  radical treatment of the Jewish question now
  possible for the first time. Stahlecker

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TASK

• On a piece of A4 write Brownings name and
  summarise his viewpoint in one sentence.
• You will continue with this for each of the
  historical essays we look at this term.
• Add another column to your sheet and head it
  timing. When was the decision taken according to
  Browning?