Hitler, Anti-Semitism, and the Demise of the Third Reich

Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, is most well-known for two particular political/societal standpoints: German nationalism, and namely, anti-Semitism. Hitler served as the chairman of the Nazi party from 1921 till its questionable rise as the dominant party in pre-war Germany. He then rose to the position of Chancellor, and ultimately, the Fuhrer. Historically, the Nazi Party was known for anti-Marxism (anti-communism), anti-capitalism, anti-democracy, and anti-Semitism. Hitler’s rise to power in the Nazi Party shifted the focus, drawing the party away from many of its foundational tenants. During the Second World War, the “Final Solution” to the Jewish question became the chief focus of the Nazi Party. Its preeminence is demonstrated by Hitler’s allocation of large numbers of militarily valuable men and resources to systematic extermination of Jewish people all over Europe. Two schools of thought, Functionalists and Intentionalists, represent the historical debate on this topic. Intentionalists argue that Hitler was planning the Holocaust even before his political career, whereas functionalists argue that the Nazi Party itself was responsible. This essay will argue that Adolf Hitler took control of the Nazi Party, elevated his own doctrine to the forefront, in effect, using the Nazi organization as a political tool to carry out his personal desires, demonstrated in his relentless pursuit of the “Final Solution.” In short, Hitler’s commitment to the eradication of the Jewish people overshadowed even his military aspirations, hastening the demise of the Third Reich