Pedagogical lessons from the Holocaust: how the infection of anti-Semitism penetrates people’s souls

These videos floated freely on the World Wide Web. I received, as expected, likes and dislikes. Judging by the reviews, two extreme points of view have crystallized. Some viewers wrote that it was again about Jews, as if only Jews died in the war. Many Soviet citizens of dozens of nationalities, and not only Soviet ones, died. In other countries, Poles, Gypsies and many, many were exterminated… Another group of viewers was indignant at why the videos talk about xenophobia in general and so little attention is paid to Jews.

Goebbels, who was a sophisticated manipulator, directly writes in his diaries: “Jews are a pseudonym for any enemy.” This issue is covered in detail by Rene Gerard in his book “The Scapegoat”. It is necessary for the category that will be subjected to destruction, genocide, to stand out in some way. Appearance, for example, or beliefs. This is one side of the issue. On the other hand, they should be like their own. Recognizable, living nearby. Because it is difficult to imagine anti-Semitism, relatively speaking, in Central Africa, where no one has ever seen a single living Jew.

And in this sense, German and Polish Jews represented a very convenient “pseudonym” for any enemy. But most of them actually became naturalized and converted to Christianity. Many considered themselves full-fledged Germans and, by the way, made a huge contribution to German culture. And here, I must say, the issue is not the anti-Semitism of individual people.

Hitler lived in Vienna, where there were a lot of Jews. And, by the way, when he was in poverty there and could not enter the Academy of Painting, he lived in an apartment with Jews. And they helped him sell his watercolors. But he very quickly realized that in the situation that arises in order to rally the German population around his ideas, this card, frankly speaking, is decisive. He consciously addressed the base, hellish mechanisms of the human soul.

Well, bullying exists at school, we all know it. In order to unite an immature class of teenagers, or a gang, or a totalitarian state, we must answer the question, who are we fighting against?

Other categories of citizens were also suitable for the role of enemy. In Hitler’s concentration camps, Jews wore yellow stars, communists wore red triangles, Jehovah’s Witnesses wore purple triangles, and gay people wore pink ones. A dark joke of those times: “The pink triangle is the brother of the yellow star.” People with disabilities also became an enemy, because for the “purity of the nation” it was necessary to organize forced sterilization of people who had mental illnesses. The pedagogical lesson is that here manipulators use the dark side of the soul, which every person has. Therefore, it is easy to imagine, say, a homophobic Jew or an anti-Semitic Christian…

And only a genuine intellectual, aware of the danger of any totalitarian regime, acts as a bearer of universal moral values. He will not allow himself to be confused by bloody myths – no matter national or social.

Hitler wanted to build an earthly paradise for the Germans – a thousand-year Reich, Stalin – a social paradise for the whole world. Both ended in tragedy – the Holocaust and the Gulag, respectively.

Another very important lesson here is that fascism has not disappeared, it is always dormant. This is an eternal problem and will continue to exist in the future.

Here is what Uri Avner, an Israeli publicist, writes: “In every society, at every time, there is a bacillus of fascism. A normal functioning nation can keep this group under control.

But then something happens. An economic disaster that plunges many into despair. National misfortune, defeat in the war. Suddenly a despised group becomes important. She used to be on the sidelines. It instantly infects politicians, the army, the police. The nation is going crazy. Endless parades, performances, speeches, chants, uniforms, banners – all this is pervasive hysteria. Fascism is first and foremost a political technique, a mechanism for seizing and using power.

With the abandonment of democracy, liberalism, and humanism, the cult of power, the cult of the mystical collective “I”, before which the individual must bow, and the belief in the omnipotence of the leader become everything. Hitler’s racial theories and his anti-Semitism perfectly correspond to his belief in his own destiny, in the mood of the entire country.”

And finally, the third lesson. André Glusman, a representative of the “new philosophy” in France, said about him: “The problem with Hitler is not what he did, but that he was allowed to do it. You must have the courage to say to yourself: Hitler is me.”

The infection of anti-Semitism penetrates the souls of people who seem to be quite cultured. Agatha Christie, whom everyone knows from her legendary detective stories, was one of the first to understand this. But few people bothered to look at her diaries, where she writes about anti-Semitism.

“In Baghdad we were invited to tea with Dr. Gordon. He was reputed to be a good pianist and played Beethoven that day. He had a beautiful head, and looking at him, I thought: what a wonderful person, always kind and tactful. But then someone casually mentioned Jews. Dr. Gordon’s face changed, and his change was amazing. I have never seen such a harsh expression. “You don’t understand,” he said. “Perhaps your Jews are not like ours.” They are dangerous. They should be exterminated. Nothing else will help.” I stared at him, not believing my ears. But he meant exactly what he said. That was the first time I encountered the horror that would later come from Germany.”

The diagnosis is clear, but diagnosis alone is not enough.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, who was an active resistance officer in France and later became an Orthodox metropolitan in England, writes that crying is not enough, admitting guilt is not enough, you need to correct your path.

But as? Never get tired. Don’t be afraid to start over again every time. After all, new generations are entering life who do not have our tragic experience.

In this vein, the myth of Sisyphus does not seem pessimistic to me. The stone rolls down, and we have to strain and roll it up the hill again.

I tried to express this thought in poetic form. This was done for a video where the music for the text was written by composer S. Korenblit.

Sisyphus drags a heavy stone,

And Sisyphean labor is eternal.

The heights of Tartarus have already been taken – into a cliff

A route has been laid out for the work.

Where is savagery, barbarism and lies –

There is darkness and a den of Judas.

And the crow croaks loudly:

“Sisyphus, your work is in vain!”

Everything is called to start again

Sisyphus – such is fate;

And there is no right to get tired of the burden –

The curse is being fought.

The veins have swelled again,

trembling in the knees,

But you drag your stone up!

Be strong and just multiply your efforts!

If you pick up the tug, hold on!

Have you challenged the gods themselves? —

Anyone beat rock!

On this stone of science there is a temple

Erected, work for future use.

Sisyphus drags a heavy stone,

And Sisyphean labor is eternal.

Although this ancient myth is wonderful,

But his route is difficult.