Assess the view that the holocaust was due to a long term plan of Hitler’s?
Due to a formulated and structured plan? Or due to incontrollable influence of conflicting events? The extermination of the Jews was however not initial but took a gradualism approach. Whether this was planned is a subject of disputation and controversy .Functionalist historians state that it resulted from increasing radicalisation. They agree it was an accumulation of events which led to the “final solution” and due to other governmental direction such ad Heydrich or Himmler. Another school of thought however find significant evidence apparent in Mein Kempth of Hitler’s determination and desperation to “eradicate” the Jewish race. Thus exemplifying the conception that the Holocaust was part of a “long term ideal” [Interpretation C] of Hitler’s deep in the book, something which the intentionalists credit
Daniel Jonah Goldhagen said it was a long held ideal Hitler had clear and direct goals it was designed to look like a gradual growth e.g. Night of Broken Glass completely contradicting with [Interpretation A]which argues the extermination of the Jews was due to “subsequent escalation”. Daniel Jonah Goldhagen of [Interpretation C] states the regime was “determined and not linear and unambiguous”. Stating that Hitler was not vague but clear for his apparent hatred for the Jews .This view is supported by Lucy Dawidowicz who says the holocaust was “systematic”
Embodying the view of [Interpretation A] that they didn’t have a clear plan but Hitler contemplated other options such as the “emigration programme”. A programme to help the Jews migrate instead of the final solution .Nonetheless it was a strenuous and laborious task something which interpretation C upholds by stating needed a “variety of constraints”.
