A Fourth Reich? Essay, Research Paper

A Fourth Reich?

Is the idea of a recurrence of the Holocaust realistic, or is this just an empty threat? According to Roskin, the Holocaust, or A Fourth Reich, is possible, but most likely improbable. He says the Neo-Nazi groups being formed in Germany at this time are nothing to be concerned with because they will never re-establish the power that Hitler once possessed. As for me, I disagree with some of this. History is known to repeat itself, which invites the possibility of a recurrence of this massacre. If ten years before the Holocaust occurred, you would have told me that millions of Jews would be killed, I would have thought that you were crazy. When or if this does happen again, it would never reach the magnitude it once did in Germany, simply because today people all around the globe are aware of what happens in every country.

Roskin expels two excellent reasons as to why this would not occur in Germany. First, he notes that the Neo-Nazi groups causing this debate are no real threat. These groups, primarily located in Eastern Germany, are comprised of young uneducated citizens, who do not know how to gain power. These kids are simply playing with Hitler?s ideas, not necessarily trying to follow Hitler?s accomplishments, if you can call what he did an accomplishment! These kids like to go from neighborhood to neighborhood and threaten citizens, so that they feel powerful. The only threat posed upon German people is that which a bully presents to a smaller classmate, one of fear!

Another point offered by Roskin is that increasing German democratic values are stronger than ever. Germany is finally becoming respected throughout the world because of their efforts towards democracy, and the German people are beginning to become attached to there lives in a democratic world. They are content with their present government, therefore, they will never allow for a shift in power! The German people have contributed their lives to this new government, and are not about to allow a small political party, such as the Neo-Nazis to gain popular opinion. As long as the Germans remain economically stable, they will have no reason to look to the Neo-Nazi party for leadership.

There is one group in particular which not many people know about, and which people who do know about attempt to block out of their minds in hope that they will go away! This group is an older, well-educated, and well-organized Neo-Nazi party. These citizens are ex-political leaders and powerful figures in the eyes of the German public that are influential over the vote. While they have not acted just yet, this group has the potential to breakout. If any group can threaten to establish a Fourth Reich this group is the one to watch out for!

If in fact this group was able to establish power, the results would never amount to that of what happened in WWII. No one country could ever separate itself from the rest of the world long enough to gain the power needed to eliminate so many people. If anything, a small third world country could experience what happened in Germany during WWII. It would never last though because other countries, such as the United States, would interfere. This is reassuring that our world has been so affected by what happened in Germany years ago that countries are looking out for one another against such leaders.

In conclusion, one could say it is improbable that this could happen again in Germany or anywhere else for that matter. People of today have lived through the results of what happened in the Holocaust and so are safe from these radical groups because they would never allow for a power such as this to enter the wrong hands!