I want to learn about the Nazi death camps

Factual Questions
1

Sorry, I don’t know what the correct terminology is. I think “concentration camps” is a wider category than what I’m talking about. I want to learn about the practice of mass killing of jews and others that was enacted in Germany under the Nazi regime.

I want to know how the idea of doing this came to be introduced into people’s minds, what discussion or debate there was about it if any, what various segments of German society knew and said about what was going on, what kinds of interactions there were between the prisoners and their guards, and so on and so on. I want to know everything.

Recommend me some sober and articulate books on these topics, please.

-FrL-

2

Thanks for doing this. It is an important subject.

I’d highly recommend the following:

http://www.nizkor.org/ (a complete overview)

http://www.nizkor.org/faqs/reinhard/ (a particularly informative section on the so-called “Operation Reinhard” camps)

http://www.yadvashem.org/ (from the Israeli Holocaust museum)

The Holocaust Wing (the Jewsih Virtual Library’s sites regarding the Holocaust)

Obviously, this is just a fraction of what’s out there. I’ve read a lot, maybe most, from each of these sites and can assure you they’re deserving of your attention.

3

I suppose I should have included:

http://www.deathcamps.org/ (THIS is the one that is outstanding regarding the “Operation Reinhard” camps - sorry)

Holocaust Encyclopedia | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (The Holocaust Encyclopedia - but it’s somewhat more superficial than the others)

Holocaust Links (links, some excellent, some not)

4

This is a wide ranging question.

You may wish, at some point, to look at this Wiki link concerning the Wannsee conference. These proceedings describe a debate chaired by Reinhard Heydrich and concerned the fate of the Jewish people. Whereas you requested sober and articulate books, I strongly recommend you watch the movie Conspiracy which dramatises the conference using the minutes of the meeting and occupying the same timeframe.

5

This site will probably answer your questions, whether they be historical or for book recommendations. Search before you ask, because your questions have probably already been answered here in great length. [Edit:] Of course, “Holocaust & 20th Century War Crimes” is the area of interest for you.