Nicholas Wachsmann, a Professor of Modern European History at Birkbeck University and author of "KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps," shares insights into the grim history of Auschwitz. He discusses the swift dismantling of German democracy post-1933 and the origins of concentration camps. The conversation highlights the transformation of Auschwitz into a site of mass murder, the radicalization of Nazi policies against Jews, and anecdotal accounts of prisoner resilience amid despair. Wachsmann emphasizes the importance of remembering these atrocities to prevent the repetition of history.
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insights INSIGHT
Early Camps: Improvised and Diverse
Early Nazi concentration camps were improvised and varied.
They used existing structures like hotels, factories, and even pubs.
insights INSIGHT
Early Camps' Purpose: Intimidation and Suppression
Early camps aimed to crush political opposition, not permanently imprison.
Released prisoners, often visibly injured, served as warnings.
insights INSIGHT
The Camps' Self-Perpetuating Violence
The concentration camp system developed its own brutal momentum.
SS guards were trained and indoctrinated in camps like Dachau, becoming increasingly violent.
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Das Buch von Nikolaus Wachsmann bietet eine detaillierte und integrierte Geschichte der nationalsozialistischen Konzentrationslager von ihren improvisierten Anfängen 1933 bis zu ihrer Auflösung 1945. Es kombiniert die Perspektiven der Täter und der Opfer und zeigt die monströse Dynamik der Vernichtungspolitik. Wachsmann hat eine enorme Menge an Quellen und Forschungsliteratur ausgewertet, einschließlich Tagebücher, Briefe, Prozessunterlagen und SS- und Polizeiakten. Das Werk beleuchtet das Leben und Sterben im Lager, die individuellen Schicksale, sowie die politischen, ökonomischen und militärischen Umstände, die Hintergründe der NS-Vernichtungspolitik[1][3][4].
On January 27th 1945, the Red Army liberated the concentration camp at Auschwitz unveiling its almost unspeakable horrors to the world.
The concentration camp system began almost immediately after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. It was an integral part of the Nazi regime's rapid dismantling of German democracy. Within weeks, the first concentration camp, Dachau, was opened to imprison political opponents, marking the start of a vast and brutal system of camps across Germany and later in the occupied territories. The camps began as places to imprison political enemies and people the Nazis deemed to be “undesirables”. But, as the Second World War progressed, these camps became centres of industrial-scale genocide, with Auschwitz becoming perhaps the most infamous.
In this episode, Dan is joined by Nikolaus Wachsmann, Professor of Modern European History at Birkbeck University of London. They discuss the historical context and horrors of Auschwitz, marking Holocaust Memorial Day on the 80th anniversary of its liberation by the Red Army.
Warning: This episode contains a detailed discussion of the Holocaust and genocide which some listeners may find upsetting.
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