Por Que El Holocausto?: Historia de Una Psicosis Colectiva

During the 19th century, German nationalism and the early exaltations of German "identity" transformed the "Jew" into a disruptive element. Thanks to the biochemical discoveries of bacterial and viral infections that emerged during this period, antisemitic discourse shifted from a cultural basis to a biological one. The problem with the Jews was no longer their traditions, but their "nature." Hitler's paranoia was fueled by these ideas. His delusions led him to replace the policy of expulsion with that of extermination. Only a "final solution" could prevent the contamination of the entire world. These ideas, combined with the fascination Hitler exerted over the masses, led to a state of collective psychosis and mental paralysis that fostered the rise of Nazi antisemitism and made the Holocaust possible.