Charlotte Corrigan
‘Hitler's policies towards the Jews in the years 1933 to 1941 were consistent.’
Assess the validity of this view. (25 marks)
Hitler’s policies towards the Jews between 1933 and 1941 were arguably consistent, in that
the primary ideological goal was to completely remove the Jewish population from Germany,
preventing contamination of German genetics, highlighted through the ‘Law for the
Protection of German Blood and Honour’, a key belief of social Darwinism which was
adopted. On the other hand, it could also be argued that his policies were full of
inconsistencies in terms of the methodology for eliminating Jews in Germany. In particular,
Hitler vacillated between forced emigration or the ‘annihilation’ and slaughter of Jews. From
1933 to 1938, Hitler’s policies centred around the emigration of Jews, however, in 1939,
Hitler opted for a dual track approach where he created the Reich Central Office for German
Emigration, whilst on the other hand the killing of Jews by the Einsatzgruppen began in
Poland, propounded by Hitler’s confession to the Czech Prime Minister that he intended to
destroy the Jews. By June 1942, the policy had been now transformed into committing
genocide.
Initially, Hitler’s consistent anti-semitic ideology was visibly clear between 1933 and 1941, as
a result of his congruent hostility towards the Jews. Hitler’s primary ideological aim was to
eradicate the Jewish population in Germany through either extermination or forced
emigration which was, on the whole, incredibly consistent. Initially, Hitler attempted to
instigate a boycott of Jewish shops to alienate the Jewish population in 1933. While there
was limited support for this demonstration, it created a shift in many Germans’ perceptions of
the Jews which resulted in the first wave of Jewish alienation. This then escalated to the
Sicherheitsdienst proposing the emigration of the Jews in 1934, which demonstrates the
consistency of the Nazi’s antisemitic ideology. Subsequently, in 1935, the Nazis started to
provoke unofficial attacks on the Jews which resulted in the cumulation of the Nuremberg
Laws, reinforcing the consistency of anti-Jewish ideology. In particular, the government
introduced legislation such as the ‘Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour’,
preventing the intoxication of Aryan blood, ‘The Reich Citizenship Law’, depriving Jews of
legal citizenship in Germany and finally, ‘The Law for the Protection of the Genetic Health of
the German People’ which alienated the Jews through presenting them as societal outcasts.
Therefore, the hostility of the Nazis, evident through their antisemitic policies, was very
consistent and arguably, as time progressed, their antagonism and bitterness increased
significantly which resulted in more punitive approaches and policies towards the Jewish
population in Germany.
Furthermore, it can be argued that anti-Jewish policies evolved over time, as from 1933 to
1939, the Nazis focused on oppressing the Jews through ostracising them through
emigration, reinforcing that anti-semitic policy was not consistent. However, in 1939, the
Nazis turned to a more barbaric method focused on the extermination and slaughter of Jews
in German society. In terms of the initial emigration policy, it can be seen as consistent from
1933 to 1939 through policies such as the April Decree on registering Jewish property and
the stripping of professional Jews’ positions such as doctors, lawyers or dentists. All the
reforms adopted and crafted had the primary aim of alienating the Jewish population in
Germany, leading to the official passing of legislation in 1939, ‘The Reich Central Office for
Jewish Emigration’, making it illegal for any Jews to stay in Germany. However, after 1939,
‘Hitler's policies towards the Jews in the years 1933 to 1941 were consistent.’
Assess the validity of this view. (25 marks)
Hitler’s policies towards the Jews between 1933 and 1941 were arguably consistent, in that
the primary ideological goal was to completely remove the Jewish population from Germany,
preventing contamination of German genetics, highlighted through the ‘Law for the
Protection of German Blood and Honour’, a key belief of social Darwinism which was
adopted. On the other hand, it could also be argued that his policies were full of
inconsistencies in terms of the methodology for eliminating Jews in Germany. In particular,
Hitler vacillated between forced emigration or the ‘annihilation’ and slaughter of Jews. From
1933 to 1938, Hitler’s policies centred around the emigration of Jews, however, in 1939,
Hitler opted for a dual track approach where he created the Reich Central Office for German
Emigration, whilst on the other hand the killing of Jews by the Einsatzgruppen began in
Poland, propounded by Hitler’s confession to the Czech Prime Minister that he intended to
destroy the Jews. By June 1942, the policy had been now transformed into committing
genocide.
Initially, Hitler’s consistent anti-semitic ideology was visibly clear between 1933 and 1941, as
a result of his congruent hostility towards the Jews. Hitler’s primary ideological aim was to
eradicate the Jewish population in Germany through either extermination or forced
emigration which was, on the whole, incredibly consistent. Initially, Hitler attempted to
instigate a boycott of Jewish shops to alienate the Jewish population in 1933. While there
was limited support for this demonstration, it created a shift in many Germans’ perceptions of
the Jews which resulted in the first wave of Jewish alienation. This then escalated to the
Sicherheitsdienst proposing the emigration of the Jews in 1934, which demonstrates the
consistency of the Nazi’s antisemitic ideology. Subsequently, in 1935, the Nazis started to
provoke unofficial attacks on the Jews which resulted in the cumulation of the Nuremberg
Laws, reinforcing the consistency of anti-Jewish ideology. In particular, the government
introduced legislation such as the ‘Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour’,
preventing the intoxication of Aryan blood, ‘The Reich Citizenship Law’, depriving Jews of
legal citizenship in Germany and finally, ‘The Law for the Protection of the Genetic Health of
the German People’ which alienated the Jews through presenting them as societal outcasts.
Therefore, the hostility of the Nazis, evident through their antisemitic policies, was very
consistent and arguably, as time progressed, their antagonism and bitterness increased
significantly which resulted in more punitive approaches and policies towards the Jewish
population in Germany.
Furthermore, it can be argued that anti-Jewish policies evolved over time, as from 1933 to
1939, the Nazis focused on oppressing the Jews through ostracising them through
emigration, reinforcing that anti-semitic policy was not consistent. However, in 1939, the
Nazis turned to a more barbaric method focused on the extermination and slaughter of Jews
in German society. In terms of the initial emigration policy, it can be seen as consistent from
1933 to 1939 through policies such as the April Decree on registering Jewish property and
the stripping of professional Jews’ positions such as doctors, lawyers or dentists. All the
reforms adopted and crafted had the primary aim of alienating the Jewish population in
Germany, leading to the official passing of legislation in 1939, ‘The Reich Central Office for
Jewish Emigration’, making it illegal for any Jews to stay in Germany. However, after 1939,
