Keynote speech: Prof. Dr. Michael Wildt

Panel discussion with Dr. Andrea Genest, PD Dr. Christian Gudehus and Prof. Dr. Michael Wildt

Moderation: Dr. Andrea Riedle

The social debate on Nazi crimes and their historiographical investigation in Germany essentially only began with the trial against Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem in 1960/61 and the Frankfurt Auschwitz trial against members of the SS camp staff from 1963. Whereas previously only a few people such as Hitler, Himmler or Heydrich had been classified as "perpetrators", the assessment of who should be considered a "perpetrator" now changed. With the question of how "normal" men and women could become perpetrators, everyday and social history increasingly came into focus. The view of a "perpetrator society" directs the perspective to politics and society.

The panel discussion will discuss the current state of research into Nazi perpetrators from a historical and socio-psychological perspective. It will also ask what perspectives there are for perpetrator research in general.