Studies In Power: European Holocaust

Studies of Power : The Concentration Camps

From January 30 1933, millions of lives in Nazi Germany were under threat from Adolf Hitler and his determination to annihilate enemies of the ‘Aryan master race’ by implementing the Final Solution. Concentration camps played a significant role in the Nazis ability to implement the Final Solution because the camps allowed them to enslave, process and murder victims with great efficiency. Therefore it can be stated that several events that led up to the Final Solution, culminating the use of concentration camps created the conditions that allowed the Holocaust to occur.

Nazi forces began their vicious segregation and humiliation of Jews before the Final Solution, starting in 1933 [Gilbert, 1986, Pg 70] Their ability to carry out Kristallnacht and organise the Wansee Conference finalised the fate of millions of Jews. Kristallnacht, also known as ‘Night of Broken Glass’ was the obliteration of hundreds of Jewish shops and homes in a siege of violence. [See Appendix 1] This demolition was triggered by the fatal shooting of Ernst vom Rath. The next day, 9th November 1938, vom Roth was pronounced dead. Hitler described the killing as ‘a part of a Jewish-inspired world conspiracy against Germany’ [Gilbert, 1986, Pg 70]. The extent of the violent rampage was that sacred Jewish scrolls were razed and synagogues were set alight. Hundreds of Jews were beaten and imprisoned by the Nazis. [See Appendix 2] ‘The Night of Broken Glass’ was the beginning of the Nazis ability to efficiently imprison and control Jews all over Europe.   A few years after the destruction of Kristallnacht, the Wansee Conference was held on January 20 1942.   Numerous vital leaders within the Nazi government and SS [SS were the ‘Aryan’ body guards for Hitler and wore a black uniform. See Appendix 3] attended the meeting outside of Berlin. Reinhard Hydich headed the meeting and the topic of the Jewish question quickly arouse.   Ninety minutes later, all...