The Holocaust was prevalent, with cruelties, tragedies, and atrocities directed at various groups defined by diverse characteristics. Despite their differences, they shared many unjust actions committed by Nazis and their affiliates, from imprisonment in ghetto camps to death. While victims and survivors of the Holocaust were united through being subject to such injustice, another category of people that also operated during the Holocaust similarly depicted differences and similarities. Perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers, essentially individuals that were not subject to the actions of Nazis, were defined by some shared and dissimilar characteristics.
The perpetrators are likely the most complex group of individuals operating during the Holocaust. They varied from people who were forced or persuaded into committing cruel acts to those who genuinely believed in the Nazi ideology. Though these groups may seem completely different, they had committed the same actions and were likely driven by an identical motivator. This driving factor is well illustrated by political philosopher Hannah Arendt, who labeled ‘the banality of evil’ (Humphreys, 2020). Essentially, Arendt argues that individuals working under others, such as soldiers under Nazi command, lacked true intention and thinking and operated in a way they believed served the national agenda. Their essence was limited to their work within a system, in this case, with devastating consequences that cost millions of lives. The primary example is Adolph Eichmann, who had contributed to these deaths by transporting Jews. Whether Eichmann and others like him can be categorized as evil or not is irrelevant, as the primary motivator for his actions was his desire to advance his career in the Nazi regime. Whether with true belief or persuasion, those who worked as perpetrators within the Nazi mentality would mostly do so to cement their places in society, the economy, and the political landscape.
Secrecy and anonymity were common traits of bystanders, as unlike perpetrators or supporters, they did not openly endorse or oppose Nazi policies and actions. According to this, the exact motivators of bystanders throughout Europe during the Holocaust are not concrete or decisive. Despite this, the primary drivers of bystanders commonly included self-interest and survival (Goldberg, 2017). The early 20th century was full of social, political, and economic challenges, especially in the case of Germany, which had not recovered from the First World War in an economic sense. Bystanders likely avoided any form of confrontation, or even recognition, due to the fear of losing one’s security in the social and financial area.
Throughout the Holocaust, rescuers could be subjected to unjust treatment that was similarly applied to the Jews and other marginalized communities. Despite this, many continued to shelter, rescue Jews, and assist in emigration. However, even certain rescuers were subject to financial gain, with certain landlords only hiding Jews while they had money or even blackmailing them. On the other hand, instances could be seen on large scales, such as the rescue of 7000 Jews in Denmark or the work of individuals such as Jonas Paulavicius and Mykolas Simelis. They saved Jews in a Lithuanian society dominated by Nazi cooperation (Arad, 2020 ). Rescuers included individuals most influenced by their worldviews, values, and theological identities and least swayed by contributions to their financial state, social and political status, and other gains.
Though one source for why certain individuals sided with Nazis, opposed them or chose not to react cannot be ascertained, economic factors are prevalent within the overall narrative of the Holocaust. The spread of Nazi ideology promoted a form of wealth that many German citizens were deprived of. While anti-Semite ideologies were prominent and believed in, beneath them, motivation in gaining affluence and social security was present for those that contributed to or allowed the atrocities of the Holocaust.
References
Arad, Y. (2020). The Holocaust in the Soviet Union. University of Nebraska Press.
Goldberg, R. A. (2017). The bystanders during the Holocaust. Utah Law Review, 4(1), 648-659. Web.
Humphreys, J. (2020). Hannah Arendt and the meaning of evil. Irish Times. Web.