Hitler and the Jews : The genesis of a genocide

Philippe Burrin, a distinguished Swiss historian of fascism and director of the Graduate Institute in Geneva, gives a highly intelligent interpretation of the available evidence and opinion concerning how and when Nazi leaders reached the decision to exterminate the Jews. During the past twenty years historians have debated the circumstances in which the `Final Solution' became reality and the role of Hitler in the planning and execution of mass murder. Burrin argues that the decision to implement full-scale mass murder came from Hitler in mid-September, 1941. He highlights two central turning points: the first is that by August, the killing of Soviet Jews had reached genocidal proportions; the second is that the decision was made to deport Jews to the East was made in mid-September. It is at this point, according to Burrin, that the final decision was made. Hitler and the Jews offers bold new insight into the web of decisions and events that led eventually to a genocide unprecedented in character and unparalleled in scale. ''A masterpiece.'' - Eberhard Jaeckel, world-renowned historian ''A remarkable contribution to the history of the extermination of the Jews of Europe'' - Saul Friedlaender, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and distinguished expert on the Third Reich