`Author:` `Availability:` ## The social sources of National Socialist anti-Semitism, > [!info] > ### [Eva G. Reichmann](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2051286.Eva_G_Reichmann) ## Summary Hostages of [[Civilisation]]: The Social Sources of National Socialist Anti-Semitism by Herbert A. Strauss explores the historical, cultural, and social conditions that enabled the rise of National Socialist anti-Semitism in Germany. Strauss examines how a nation previously regarded as a pinnacle of [[Civilisation]]—with its contributions to [[Philosophy]], [[Science]], [[Art]], and [[Culture]]—could devolve into a regime defined by fascist [[violence]], authoritarianism, and systemic anti-Semitism. The book delves into Germany’s intellectual and cultural heritage, highlighting how its advancements in fields such as music, literature, and [[Philosophy]] created an image of a refined and progressive [[Society]]. However, Strauss reveals the underlying tensions within this civilised facade, including [[Nationalism]], ethnocentrism, and a fixation on racial purity that predated the Nazi era. These elements, coupled with political instability, economic crises, and resentment after World War I, created fertile ground for fascist [[Ideology]] to take root. Strauss also explores how anti-Semitism was not an aberration but a deeply embedded aspect of European societies, intensified in Germany by the [[Belief]] that Jews symbolised modernity, [[Capitalism]], and other forces seen as undermining traditional values. National [[Socialism]] exploited these prejudices, presenting Jews as scapegoats for Germany’s challenges while portraying [[Fascism]] as a return to order, unity, and strength. The contrast between Germany’s celebrated cultural achievements and its descent into fascist barbarity is a central theme of the book. Strauss argues that the same structures that fostered intellectual and artistic brilliance also harboured exclusionary and [[hierarchical]] tendencies, which, when manipulated by the [[Nazis]], led to the atrocities of [[The Holocaust]]. ## Key Takeaways ## Quotes - ## Notes `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:` [[Books index]]