Question

Killing at the camps was different from the mass shootings perpetrated by the Einsatzgruppen. How did the new use of gas chambers change the distance between perpetrator and victim? What effect might this distance have had on the perpetrators?

Answer 1

The use of gas chambers in the Nazi concentration camps allowed the perpetrators to distance themselves even further from the act of killing. Unlike the Einsatzgruppen, who had to physically shoot their victims, the gas chambers allowed the perpetrators to operate the killing process from a safe distance. This distance may have had a psychological effect on the perpetrators, making it easier for them to dehumanize their victims and detach themselves from the act of killing. They may have been able to convince themselves that they were simply carrying out orders or performing a necessary task, rather than actively participating in the murder of innocent people. However, it's important to note that not all perpetrators were able to fully distance themselves from the horrific acts they were committing, and some experienced psychological trauma as a result.