Moral Code Of The Nazi People example essay topic

I have a hard time thinking that anyone could believe the Nazi's were a moral people. The Nazi people are unparalleled in the level of criminal unjust committed against a group of persons. Nazi's however did believe they were moral and were justified in their actions. The idea of Nazism was a way of life and one must think, feel, and act as in the best interest of Nazi beliefs. The moral code of the Nazi people was one that followed the idea that Nazi's were superior, competent, and pure. The moral code included the idea that those under persecution of the Nazi's were inferior, less morally sound, and must use their tribulations to correct themselves to become a more loyal citizen of the community.

One could classify their actions as racism and Social Darwinism. The Nazi people believed in filth and in accordance with the history of what happened in concentration camps, cleansing. Harold Of stad is quoted of saying, .".. The Nazi faith must permeate one's entire being, penetrate the very core of one's soul... ". The moral code of the Nazi's can be fairly labeled as a mistake of disastrous proportions, a group of people brainwashed from the strong sense of duty to a dictator's beliefs, and a stain in history that will never be forgotten.

Nazi's believed that they were superior, they were morally sound in any action they may choose to take, they were justified to correct and or exterminate anyone being that was different from themselves, and that the Nazi belief and code of ethics was a way of life to carry one for eternity and to pass on for future generations. The moral code was one of imperfection, and many flaws that entitled the Nazi people to kill millions of Jews. The thought that the Nazi people were morally sound, or competent for that matter, is one that I hope every sane being can tell is false. The Nazi moral code is a very controversial matter and is a topic that I am sure has been examined and studied for countless years. Every living human has a moral identity and has developed responses to social interaction with others. These moral identities define who we all are and what we think of ourselves.

The way we think of ourselves and the level of response we act upon others dictates our physical actions. One will act out in accordance with the level of response they believe in towards events such as cruelty, disrespect, and generosity. It is human nature to act in accordance with the moral identity they posses. One may act in admiration of generosity and courage; one may arouse revulsion towards cruelty, and may defect from another from disrespect. The moral identity the Nazi's possessed was one of no regard of sympathy, no regard of respect for the living or dead, and no regard of equality in humanity. The outcome and the responses that the Nazi's developed in result of their identity were disastrous towards the Jews and the well being of humanity as a whole.

When one looks at humanity in relationship to moral identities they could justify the idea that human beings must posses the response of respect and sympathy. These two principles, general in focus, are key to the success of harmony and well being of all living creatures. The Nazi moral code was based on the ideas that support people that have moral identities with no sympathy and respect for living beings or fellow humans. In every sane person there is a level of sympathy, not in the case of the Nazi's, but there is sympathy for those in pain. As a human being and sharing the well being of every other human being, one must be compelled to sympathize and reach out to those in pain and suffering. The book mentions that human beings can't help but think of loved one such as mothers, fathers, wives, and children when witnessing and participating in torture and persecution.

Humanity as a whole is at the fate of those sane individuals in this world that are sympathetic and are willing to help those who can't help themselves. Edmund Burke, a historical political philosopher, once said. ".. The only thing necessary for the existence of evil, is for good men to do nothing". The Nazi's weren't just in their actions and were not morally sound people. Their motives for their actions were that of a brainwashed drive to perform the duties to their country, however sadly it was for their dictator's personal moral identity The author of this excerpt had a lot of interesting points that actually make me think about where I stand on the issue.

Glover made it seem, contrary to the rest of this book, that he was defending the individuals that participated in the Nazi movement. He doesn't claim to forgive or bring acceptance for the Nazi ideology, but rather for the men and women that were drawn into the movement. The people he speaks of and mentions that were members of the SS and Commandants of concentration camps are portrayed as victims as well. He brings light of how many German Nazi's were forced into their positions because of the necessity of a sound life. Widow of Camp Commandant Joseph Kramer spoke of how the Nazi party promised her husband solutions to all his problems and gave Joseph the opportunity to believe in himself again. Kramer had been unemployed for nine years and was beginning to lose hope in life and in himself.

His widow mentioned that the Nazi party caught him and he gave himself to the movement with all his heart. The author is trying to show that so many the men and women responsible for the killing of millions of Jews were innocent in the regard that it was all they had to help elevate themselves and give themselves hope of a future. Camp Commandant Hans H" said", ... I knew very well what I was going to do in the SS.

We all knew. It was something in the soul, not in the mind". Glover is showing that regardless of the physical actions and atrocities that these men and women committed, they were innocent in the aspect that they were doing it because it was more than they were ever able to do. I gave them a sense of obligation and a sense of worth and value. The opportunity to be apart of the Nazi movement was hope for them and was a way for them to do something to bring honor and valor to their name. Unfortunately the movement they chose to be apart of and to bring honor and worth to their names was the greatest atrocity of all time.

While thinking of my response to this question I found it difficult to come to a resolution of what I was going to write about because this issue is so controversial. The thought that these individuals may have been innocent in their motive for joining the movement is hard to accept. However to some extent, I have a notion to put myself into their shoes and acknowledge their reasoning and to agree with the author on this particular excerpt. I think to some degree the men and women are innocent and are victims as well in the regard that they were caught up in the Nazi movement in hopes of bringing honor to their families and in regard that the movement gave them hope and something to live for. It was a way for some of the Nazi's to find themselves and to be apart of something larger than themselves.

Hitler himself said that he knew his fellow country men wanted struggle and self - sacrifice. He knew that his people were feeling lost and had little hope. Hitler was a supporter of unintelligent common folk; he believed that knowledge was a resource for the leaders and for the wealthy. He promoted and led in the aspect that his followers were uninformed and unintelligent. He knew that people needed a system of beliefs to make sense of the world and the best one in this case was a simple system. Nazism was a system of beliefs that was simple and gave opportunity for common folks to create a good life for themselves through self sacrifice to the Nazi movement and through struggle of what they would go through in the years to come.

The idea that the uneducated soldiers of the Nazi movement and the men and women caught up in the Nazi movement in hopes of a better life or in hopes of creating honor for their families is a valid explanation for their innocence. These people are innocent only in respect that their intentions and motives were purely initiated for a different cause than the cause of the Nazi party. I am not saying that all Nazi's are innocent or am I agreeing with the Nazi ideology, however I am just saying that the men and women that were apart of this for self indulgent reasons are merely more likely to be innocent. Hitler was a very interesting man in his own way, yet at the same time he was insane in his own way also. Hitler was a strong supporter of a country made up of less intelligent people. He believed that intellectuals would interfere with the Nazi ideology and would be the downfall of his movement.

His speech which mentioned his knowledge of the necessity of intellectuals was interesting in the regard that he was against intelligence. The role of the critical thinker and the intellectual is a vital role in any society. I believe Hitler knew this and valued the intellectuals that submitted to the Nazi party and movement. In the Nazi movement, the intellectual played the role of a leader. Hitler was an intelligent man and by no means was considered inferior in his knowledge of the world and military tactics. In my opinion Hitler was recessive to the idea that there must me leadership in the Nazi party.

Leadership that was not as central as to constrain all decisions to the head of the party - - himself. He knew that his subordinates and Generals must be knowledgeable and intellectual people. His regard for intelligence in the community was minimal and was more or less against it. However the level of knowledge he was willing to allow was within his own ranks. The fate and success of his movement was in the hands of the leaders and subordinates below Hitler. In the final days of the regime one of his Generals tried to assassinate him.

Hitler was correct in fearing that his movement was at the fate of his closest Generals. His fear of intellectuals almost killed him. Hitler was wrong to allow intellectuals because it almost cost him his life and did cost him the success of his movement. His Generals and subordinates lost faith in the end and mutiny was a clear result of the allowance of intellectuals in the high Nazi regime.

In the case of many movements, intelligent allies and subordinates are vital to success, however in the case of Nazism, Hitler was right to fear intellectuals in his regime.