Axar.az presents an article, "A Few Thoughts" by John Samuel Tieman.

I'm a historian. My subject is the history of ideas. I sometimes think that the study of history is the study of forgetting. Consider the Holocaust. I don't worry that we will forget the Holocaust. I worry that we will forget how we got to the Holocaust.

I don't think history repeats itself. But some ideas continue, or evolve, or are similar to earlier ideas. So, how did we get the Holocaust? And what does this have to do with us today? Here are five thoughts. I present these as a list, not a single argument.

Christianity and Collaboration

The Nazis were not a group apart. They were a mixture of collaborative groups. They were Christian. Christian anti-Semitism was no mistake. I’m just old enough to remember when, on Good Friday, we Catholics prayed for the conversion of “the faithless Jews”. The descent into genocide was the work of collaborators. Otherwise, it simply wouldn't have happened. And what does this have to do with us today? Consider the anti-Semitism of white Christian nationalism. Think of Charlottesville and Trump's supporters chanting, “The Jews will not replace us.” That chant was no mistake.

The Dual State

From a parliamentary perspective, Adolf Hitler was the Chancellor. There was no elected role entitled “The Leader” or “Der Führer”. Hitler had a cabinet and, in his chancellery, a beautiful cabinet room. The Weimar constitution remained. However, Hitler never once called a cabinet meeting. Why? Because the real power was in the Nazi Party. Hitler issued dictates unilaterally. The power of the state was replaced by the power of The Leader. And what does this have to do with us today? Consider that President Trump issued an executive order that eliminates the birthright citizenship assured by Amendment 14. Think about that. An executive order that overrides the Constitution.

Support for The Leader

After Adolf Hitler came to power, “The Law for the Protection of People and State” was an important step in Hitler”s becoming a dictator. It removed the freedom of speech and free assembly. It introduced f state censorship. It banned the right to free assembly. Why didn't people object? There was never a single, overriding motive that explains why people supported The Leader, Der Führer. But, to pick just three reasons, the support for Adolf Hitler was a combination of economic anxiety, nationalism, and racism as a form of scapegoating. And what does this have to do with us today? Our administration emphasizes economic anxiety, white Christian nationalism, as well as xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and racial hatred. Trump's MAGA base has proven unshakable.

Intentionalists and Structuralists

Of late, among historians, there are broadly two schools trying to answer why the Holocaust happened: the intentionalists and the structuralists. Intentionalists place great importance on individuals and their actions. Intentionalists share space with “Great Man Theory” because of their common interest in the impact of individuals on history. Structuralists believe that historical events are shaped by a combination of different factors and actors. From the 1970s – my undergraduate and MA years, I must add -- structuralists questioned the intentionalist perspective. Structuralists recognize the importance of Hitler, of course. But structuralists emphasize that the factors that led to the Holocaust formed Hitler, not the other way around. And what does this have to do with us today? Some say that Trump formed MAGA, and MAGA will die with Trump. Others say that the factors that formed MAGA formed Trump. And MAGA, or some son of MAGA, will continue with or without Trump.

The Banality of Evil

“The banality of evil” was coined by Hannah Arendt in her book, “Eichmann In Jerusalem”. It is often used now to suggest that evil acts can be performed by the most ordinary people. That's true, of course. Adolf Eichmann, a key organizer of the Holocaust, was in many ways an ordinary shipping clerk. However, Hannah Ardent's concept refers to ideas, to moral reflection in particular and critical thinking in general. The cause of such horror is that ordinary people replace morality and critical thinking with cliches and platitudes. Thus do folks normalize vast immorality with shared bromides and concerted tropes. “I'm just following orders” comes to mind. And what does this have to do with us today? Make America Great Again. Climate hoax. Deep state. Drain the swamp. Fake news. Oath Keepers. Heritage. Libtard. Trump Derangement Syndrome. Woke. Let's not forget that the press is “the enemy of the people”.