Expert: Michel Cahier - 11/17/2009

Question
Dear Mr Cahier

I am doing an historical inquiry on the persecution of the Jews. To what extent did the German people know of the persecution and mass murder  of the Jews? i would appreciate anything you could tell me.
thankyou very much.  

Answer
hello
this is a  very difficult  question
after the  war the German people pretended  they knew nothing  about the  holocaust
personally i do not believe a word of it
they have seen Jews loaded into trains and disappear  for  decades since 1933
they  have seen Jews employed in KZ concentration work camps located close to towns or
villages they lived in
they  have  heard  about the crematoria and  seen the smoke out of the huge  chimneys
not far  from their  home
they have learnt  about the racial  laws published as soon as 1933
they have seen the aryanization of jewish commerces and industries
and their owners vanishing from their offices not to be seen again
they have heard  about the wannsee  conference in 1943 where the  final solution
was decided and implemented  for  good
they have heard  from German soldiers  back home on a furlough telling  how the Jews in
Ukraine  were systematically shot by SS and  German soldiers
as soon as the 30s  there  was a huge literature denouncing the crimes of the  Nazis
and it was published all over the world even in Germany although the sale of it was
forbidden by the nazis
i think that there is no worse blind people that those who  do not want to see or hear.
furthermore most Germans in 1933 were anti-semitic and pro-nazis and it was not a big deal
for them if the regime was liquidating the Jews and their role in Germany.
i advise  you to read some chapters of my site that can help  you in your research

1- http://schikelgruber.net/hitler21.html
2- http://schikelgruber.net/wannsee.html
3- http://schikelgruber.net/holocaust2.html
4- http://schikelgruber.net/factsbis.html
5- http://schikelgruber.net/law.html

good luck
michel