Nazi, Anti-Semitism and the origins of the Holocaust
Even before the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, they had made no secret of their anti-Semitism. As early as 1919, Adolf Hitler had written, “Rational anti-Semitism, however, must lead to systematic legal opposition. Its final objective must unswervingly be the removal of the Jews altogether.”
The Nazis portrayed Jews as a race and not a religious group. Religious anti-Semitism could be resolved by conversion, political anti-Semitism by expulsion. Ultimately, the logic of Nazi racial anti-Semitism led to annihilation.
When Hitler came to power legally on January 30, 1933, as the head of a coalition government, his first objective was to consolidate power and to eliminate political opposition. The assault against the Jews began on April 1 with a boycott of Jewish businesses, Also excusing them from civil service, eventually it lead to all Jews being expelled from all German school systems. Hitler and his Nazi Party also would go on to burn all books that taught against Nazism and anything that taught the Jewish ways.
The Nazis portrayed Jews as a race and not a religious group. Religious anti-Semitism could be resolved by conversion, political anti-Semitism by expulsion. Ultimately, the logic of Nazi racial anti-Semitism led to annihilation.
When Hitler came to power legally on January 30, 1933, as the head of a coalition government, his first objective was to consolidate power and to eliminate political opposition. The assault against the Jews began on April 1 with a boycott of Jewish businesses, Also excusing them from civil service, eventually it lead to all Jews being expelled from all German school systems. Hitler and his Nazi Party also would go on to burn all books that taught against Nazism and anything that taught the Jewish ways.