Zugl.: Hamburg, Univ., Diss., 1980 u.d.T.: Wegner, Bernd: Das Führerkorps der bewaffneten SS 1933 - 1945.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1971. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 736-754).

Univ., Diss u.d.T.: Wegner, Bernd: Das Führerkorps der bewaffneten SS 1933 - 1945--Hamburg, 1980.

Texte remanié de: Diss.--Universität Hamburg, 1980. Titre de soutenance : Das Führerkorps der bewaffneten SS 1933-1945. / Bibliogr. p. 363-393. Index.

Originally presented as the author's Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Stuttgart, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 438-455) and index.

This thesis is an exploration of the concept of evil. It attempts to define what we mean by this elusive concept and its relevance to human behaviour. The thesis then develops an operational definition of evil that is distilled from the writings of various social scientists. The thesis argues, however, that in addition to merely defining evil, there are three emotive elements that also go towards our preparedness to label an act as evil. The thesis then examines the causes of evil acts. The thesis argues that the interactive causation, of situation and disposition, is the most robust explanation of evil acts. The thesis rejects the notion of the evil person, instead arguing that it is ordinary people who commit evil acts. The thesis then examines the causes of genocide, the most evil of acts, and links this back to the previous discussion of causal factors of evil acts. Germany’s war against the Soviet Union in World War II, in particular the role of the Waffen-SS is then discussed. The death and destruction during this conflict would result not just from military operations, but also from the systematic killing and abuse that the Waffen-SS directed against Jews, Communists and ordinary citizens. The thesis then utilises the case study of the Waffen-SS to highlight the application of the interactive causation explanation in regards to evil acts. The conventional wisdom that the Waffen-SS in WWII fought a relatively clean fight, unsullied by the atrocities committed by the Nazis, is challenged—and largely demolished. Focusing on the Eastern Front, the thesis contends that the Nazi vision of a racial-ideological death struggle against Slavic hordes and their Jewish-Bolshevik commissars resonated with soldiers of the Waffen-SS, steeped in traditional anti-Semitic and racist dogmas. In doing so the thesis clearly shows that the Waffen-SS was an organisation that committed widespread atrocities. The thesis then applies the operational definition of evil to the case study and determines that the acts committed by the Waffen-SS were in fact evil. It also contends that the concept of evil is useful in explaining human atrocity. In conducting this examination the thesis provides some insight into the challenges facing society from preventing future broad-scale acts of evil.

This thesis is an exploration of the concept of evil. It attempts to define what we mean by this elusive concept and its relevance to human behaviour. The thesis then develops an operational definition of evil that is distilled from the writings of various social scientists. The thesis argues, however, that in addition to merely defining evil, there are three emotive elements that also go towards our preparedness to label an act as evil. The thesis then examines the causes of evil acts. The thesis argues that the interactive causation, of situation and disposition, is the most robust explanation of evil acts. The thesis rejects the notion of the evil person, instead arguing that it is ordinary people who commit evil acts. The thesis then examines the causes of genocide, the most evil of acts, and links this back to the previous discussion of causal factors of evil acts. Germany’s war against the Soviet Union in World War II, in particular the role of the Waffen-SS is then discussed. The death and destruction during this conflict would result not just from military operations, but also from the systematic killing and abuse that the Waffen-SS directed against Jews, Communists and ordinary citizens. The thesis then utilises the case study of the Waffen-SS to highlight the application of the interactive causation explanation in regards to evil acts. The conventional wisdom that the Waffen-SS in WWII fought a relatively clean fight, unsullied by the atrocities committed by the Nazis, is challenged—and largely demolished. Focusing on the Eastern Front, the thesis contends that the Nazi vision of a racial-ideological death struggle against Slavic hordes and their Jewish-Bolshevik commissars resonated with soldiers of the Waffen-SS, steeped in traditional anti-Semitic and racist dogmas. In doing so the thesis clearly shows that the Waffen-SS was an organisation that committed widespread atrocities. The thesis then applies the operational definition of evil to the case study and determines that the acts committed by the Waffen-SS were in fact evil. It also contends that the concept of evil is useful in explaining human atrocity. In conducting this examination the thesis provides some insight into the challenges facing society from preventing future broad-scale acts of evil.

Thesis (M.A.)--Wisconsin. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 221-225).

Since the 1960s the memory of the Finnish SS-volunteers has been seen as a special group which did not participate in the atrocities while serving in Waffen-SS. A new study about the Finnish SS-volunteers was published at the end of 2018 sparking an active discussion about the role of Finns in the Holocaust and atrocities in World War II. The debate about the painful past further invigorated when the National Archives of Finland carried out an archival survey concluding that volunteers most likely participated in atrocities against Jews, civilians and prisoners of war. This master thesis investigates the discussion that took place in the newspapers, tabloids and journals, and based on the arguments used, it analyses how the memory of Finnish SS-volunteers is dealt with in Finnish society. The discussion confirms that there are uncomfortable parts in Finland's past which are yet to be dealt with and the old interpretations of Finland having separate war and being a victim still has a meaningful place in the historical consciousness. There is also a need to further investigate the empty pages of Finnish history, the painful ones too.

This thesis deals with the involvement of the Austrians in the 2nd tank division SS "Das Reich." The introductory part analyzes personnel cast of the division and aims at finding the answer to the question, in which period the largest number of the Austrians served in the division and possibly how many. The main focus is put on the question, whether the Austrians in the division who owned the highest army decorations of the Third Reich were represented by below-average or above-average numbers in view of their total number. We can not omit to mention a social profile of these decorated men, which provides us with broader point of view of their personalities. Last but not least, the thesis deals with the question, whether the Austrians took part in war crimes committed by the division. Key words: division "Das Reich", Waffen-SS, Austrians, social profile, war crimes, high decorations