Who Is Hitler Responsible For The Holocaust?

When considering the events leading up to the Holocaust, it is important to understand there were various factors as well as people who played influential parts. The Holocaust could not have been caused by the genocidal intentions of a singular man such as Adolf Hitler. Mimi-Cecilia Pascoe states, “Regardless of any proof of Hitler’s intentions, he was not alone in his discriminatory views. Early 20th century Europe was full of similarly minded Anti-Semites; thus, Hitler’s attitude alone is an insufficient explanation for genocide” (2013, p.42). Though Hitler was thought to be the “head” of the Nazis genocidal tirade, he looked upon his popularity with much disquietude. Hitler feared the deterioration of his popularity by making un-popular decisions”, this led to him allowing other “high-ranking officials” would often influence political

With his leadership powers “weakened” it is believed that “those who were responsible for the Holocaust’s initiation (namely other high-ranking officials within the Nazi Party) acted independently of Hitler” (Draper, 1999, p.14). This also brings into light the term ‘Cumulative radicalization’. Using cumulative radicalization is an easy way of explaining how over time, the Nazis persuaded many of the German people to take ever more extreme positions against Jews, and other persecuted groups, until the Holocaust became possible. It is also stated in the article ‘Law, justice, and Holocaust”, “less known are the contributions of “ordinary” people—doctors, lawyers, teachers, civil servants, officers, and other professionals throughout German society—whose individual actions, when taken together, resulted in dire consequences. Put simply, the Holocaust could not have happened without them”. These are also strong, examples to how Hitler could not be given the sole responsibility of the development of the Holocaust, but even the citizens of Germany played a