Hitler in History

Published: Oct. 5, 2000, 8 a.m.

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Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss how history has struggled to explain the enormity of the crimes committed in Germany under Adolf Hitler: we have had theories of \\u2018totalitarianism\\u2019, and of \\u2018distorted modernity\\u2019, debates between \\u2018intentionalists\\u2019 and their opponents the \\u2018structuralists\\u2019. The great political philosopher Hannah Arendt said, \\u201cUnder conditions of tyranny, it is far easier to act than to think\\u201d. But somehow none of these explanations has seemed quite enough to explain how a democratic country in the heart of modern Europe was mobilised to commit genocide, and to fight a bitter war to the end against the world\\u2019s most powerful nations.With Ian Kershaw, historian and biographer of Hitler; Niall Ferguson, fellow and tutor in Modern History at Jesus College Oxford; Mary Fulbrook, Professor of German History at University College London.

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