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Topic: Name: ​Jia Ying

“Hitler’s antisemitism” Date: ​20 April (HBL)
reading
- With some extra Hitler’s thinking + Nazi ideology → Antisemitism → Hitler’s hatred of Jews → certain
notes life events which played a role in the development of antisemitism.

Main ideas Notes

Why Hitler hated the Jews? Antisemitism

- Antisemitism - Hitler did not invent the hatred of Jews.
= (Since the Middle Ages) Jews in Europe had already been victims of discrimination
What’s antisemitism? & persecution, often for religious reasons.
- Christians VS
Jewish faith - Christians saw Jewish faith as an aberration ​(departure from what’s normal)​ that had to be
quashed. (​ Reject as invalid, esp by legal procedure)
➔ Jews sometimes forced to convert or will not be allowed to practise certain
professions.
Some historical context
- 19th century: Religion played a less impt role. Replaced by theories about the
differences between races & people.
➔ Idea that Jews belonged to a different people than the Germans.

Origin of Hitler’s hatred of Hitler is introduced to antisemitism.

Jews is ambiguous. - Supposedly, his aversion to everything Jewish came to fruition when he was living &
- Mein Kampf & his working as a painting in Vienna (1908-1913).
long, personal - Or that he knew about antisemitic ideas at an early age.
struggle.
- Countless Imaginative explanations
(imaginative) - Hitler said to have been ashamed of his partly Jewish roots.
explanations - Trauma caused by a poison gas attack in WWI. etc.

Events/people who
influenced him
George Ritter von Schonerer Viennese mayor Karl Luegar
1. ​2 Austrian politicians
● Believed that ● Hitler learned how
which greatly influenced
German-speaking antisemitism &
Hitler’s thinking
regions of social reforms could
- George Ritter von
Austria-Hungary be successful.
Schonerer (German
should be added to ● In Mein Kampf,
nationalist)
the German empire. Hitler praised Lueger
- Viennese mayor
● Felt that Jews could as ‘the greatest
Karl Luegar
never be fully-fledged German mayor of all
2. ​WWI played a decisive
German citizens. times”.
role in Hitler’s life.
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- His personal
● 1933: Hitler’s rise to
experiences with
power, put similar
German Army
ideas into practice.
- German’s
surrender
Hitler during the WWI
- A new purpose for him.
➔ 1914: Enlisted in the German Army (which tgt with the Austro-Hungarian
Empire, was fighting France, England & Russia).
➔ Although he saw little action, he received an award for his courage shown.

- Nov 1918: Germany surrendered, Hitler in a military hospital.

➔ Eyes had been hurt in a poison gas attack in Belgium.
➔ Heard the news of German surrender while he was still confined to his
sickbed = plunged him into a deep crisis.
“Everything began to go black again before my eyes.”

The most significant event Jews as the scapegoats for the lost war
which spurred Hitler’s way - German defeat was hard to swallow;
of thinking: In nationalist & right-wing conservative circles, the ‘stab-in-the-back legend’ became
The German defeat popular.
- ‘stab-in-the-back ➔ According to this ​myth​ =​ Germany ​did not lose​ the war ​on the battlefield​,
legend’ & its but through ​betrayal​ at the home front.
belief/myth ➔ (i.e.) The Jews & Social Democrats, & Communists were held responsible.
- Jews as scapegoats
- Prejudices about the role of Jews in the war were false.

Hitler involvement with Hitler goes into politics

politics - After WWI: Germany in chaos.
(During his time in the Once German emperor had gone, rebellions erupted everywhere. Left-wing groups
German Army) tried to seize power in many places. (E.g. In Munich where a ‘People’s Republic’ of
- Events that Hitler Bavaria was proclaimed during a brief revolution.
witnessed from ➔ Provoked a right-wing reaction, resulting in bloodshed. Hitler very much
post WW1 impressed by these events.
- Oratory talents
which led to the - Hitler also discovered his oratory talents during his time in the German Army.
start of his political ➔ Before long: Army had him giving training courses, intended to warn soldiers
career. of the communist danger, stir up feelings of nationalism.
➔ In his new role = Got to know the German Workers Party, the forerunner of
the NSDAP = Start of his political career.

Radicalisation of Hitler’s Radicalisation of Hitler’s antisemitism

antisemitism - The ‘antisemitism of the mind’ which had to be legal or it would ultimately lead to
- ‘Antisemitism of the ‘removal’ of the Jews.
the mind’ rather - As early as Aug 1920, Hitler compared the Jews to ​germs.
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than in the form of ➔ Stated that diseases cannot be controlled unless one destroys the causes.
emotional Just like how the influence of the Jews would never disappear without
outbursts removing its cause.
(protests? etc.)
These r​ adical ideas​ paved the way for the ​mass murder of the Jews in 1940s.

Capitalism & communism: Hitler blamed the Jews for everything that was wrong with the world.
A Jewish conspiracy? Some of Hitler’s beliefs:
(a secret plan by a group to ● Germany was weak & in decline due to the ‘Jewish influence’
do something ● Jews were after world dominance; & would not hesitate to use all possible means,
lawful/harmful) including capitalism.
- Tapping into ➔ Hitler ​took advantage of the existing prejudice​ that ​linked the Jews​ to
existing prejudice monetary power & financial gain.
surrounding the ● Held that communism was a Jewish conspiracy too (since the larger part of the
Jews. communist leaders were Jewish)

Hitler’s racism Hitler viewed the world as an arena for the permanent struggle between peoples.
(not just Jews) ● Divided the world into high & low races = Germans (high peoples) VS Jews (low)
- Permanent ● Also had specific notions about other peoples.
struggle​; a world of (E.g.) Slavic people cast as inferior, predestined to be dominated.
division
- On being a ​‘pure’ Hitler also felt that German people could only be strong if they were ‘pure’
German = strong (Hitler’s definition of ‘pure’)
● People with hereditary diseases = Harmful
- Included people with physical/mental disabilities/alcoholics/’incorrigible’ criminals
➔ Such ideas which eventually led to the​ forced sterilisation & killing of human
beings.​ (​ Once Nazis had come to power)

Holocaust Holocaust
(Genocide) - Ideas that Hitler developed in 1920s remained more or less the same until his death
- During 1930s: in 1945.
Hitler did all he - 1930s: Did all he could to expel Jews from german society.
could to expel Jews - Once war had started = Nazis resorting to mass murder = nearly 6 million News
from German murdered during Holocaust.
society.

3 things I’ve learnt:

★ With some background info about the nature of ​Hitler’s Nazi regime & the prejudices​ he already have with
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reference to his ​personal struggles/events he witnessed​ throughout his childhood, we can then
understand the motivations & intentions behind certain characters. ​= The broad framework/umbrella
- (In PFT) Sometimes we may not understand what some characters may be talking about esp
within their dialogues where they blurt out certain terms but have no idea what’s it about.
- Can take note of some significant years too.

★ (After which from previous point) can extend to the need to understand & be aware of the ​essential
terms/vocab used in the context of Holocaust​ so we can better analyse. (Since Holocaust can be a very
challenging topic to grasp)
- To also have some ideas at the back of mind; of the ​characteristics/qualities ​of certain
settings/physical spaces

★ Themes (for me) can be quite hard for me to think about esp when I never experienced the Holocaust 1st
hand & ​even simple exchanges can mean so much more​ = Hard for me to analyse
- Can be very difficult to weave in an analysis behind the most simplest statements​; I think now that
I learnt (properly) the background info, it’s the idea of ​grouping tgt those statements​ that kind of
bring out that idea & link it to the theme & AI.
- Can always start from looking at cover of books to get a grasp of the main ideas & issues that’s to
be spoken about. (We can then slowly observe the similar traits through colour even etc = Hinting
at common motifs)

How can this be applied to my essays:

★ Good for ​significance​. in terms of what shaped the thinking of characters & their never-ending
discrimination towards the Jews. Which can be observed in
- Dialogue & stage directions

★ In terms of ​“Genre Awareness”​; to understand the intentions behind Holocaust Literature after learning the
broader idea behind the starting of the Holocaust.
(​Form:​ Style & technique are essential in understanding the work’s thematic meaning) ​→ 1 example can
be seen in ​stage directions.
- It would be nice to know the writing/technical style of such writings within dialogues etc. & link it to
- Arthur Miller’s commonly used ​dramatic elements ​/ stage directions

Additional info
with regard to Arthur Miller:

❖ Writing ​style​ (In the book)

- Successfully blend diverse dramatic style & movements as he believed that plays should be a delicate
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balance between the separate & collective elements of life

➔ The singular personality & polity
➔ The individual & the rest of society
- Most works of his centered on moral problem; & often questioned the psychological causes of these
issues.
- Miller known for his stark exploration of the individual conflict.

❖ Stage directions​ in most of Miller’s plays & such demonstration of style

- Traditional theatre productions: Stage directions are terse. (abrupt)
- Miller’s ones are deliberate = Acting as ​another form of narrative voice.
➔ Help develop ​characterizations​,​ enhance reader’s understanding​ of them.
➔ Can also​ ​provide​ historical background (that reader lacks)​ upon entering the drama​ in the midst of
ongoing action.
➔ Helps ​establish​ the emotional climate & social culture/historical period​ (of a certain
country/regime/society characters reside in within play)
- Such demonstration of style = Allows Miller to talk about how certain groups of ppl are viewed/the
perception that society has towards “the other” as well as the kind of community/way of life that
country/regime etc was.
➔ Helps to ​illuminate additional dimensions to both ​setting​ & characters.
- Such use of stage directions helps readers understand the work on both literary & philosophical levels
= contribute to more profound read of the drama.
- Miller also provides stage directions for the set, props & position (of characters)

❖ Miller’s use of ​dialogue

- A significant aspect of characterisation & provides great deal of info about a character.
➔ Paying attention to style & content of a person’s speech = Helps one build an image of the
character.
- Within a play, ​most factual​ information​ will be ​conveyed through dialogue​.
= ​Individual ​characteristics​ are also developed through speech.
- Characters are more ​engaging​; because a g ​ enuine basis​ for tension between them exists.
- Interruptions can also can act as a social commentary (within the exposition)