The Effect of Dehumanization and Subhumanization in Nazi Germany

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Recommended: A thesis on dehumanization

Dr. Spencer, with a PhD in Social Science in International Conflicts said, “Dehumanization is the psychological process whereby opponents view each other as less than human and thus not deserving of moral consideration.” (“Dehumanization of the Enemy”). Dehumanization, or subhumanization, was a major contributor to the success of concentration camps. If people were not killed immediately upon arrival (after the collection of all possessions), they were put through various forms of mental and physical abuse that are categorized as acts of dehumanization. This lead to such deep feelings of fear and lack of self-worth/ identity, that almost always, prisoner would submit to their oppressors, with little rebellion.
At the most basic level, subhumanization is a means to turn people into groups or flocks, just like animals or vermin. It psychologically allows oppressors to see their captives as worthless groups, and strips individuals of their identities. Most believe that the Nazi’s were crazy, but this is far from true in most circumstances. Using rational, strategic thinking alongside logic, subversion of democracy, and idiology, the Nazi’s were able to gain power in a subtle way before the masses realized it (“Prisoner Numbers”). A part of this rational thinking and ideology was forcing names like “rats” or “vermin” upon its victims. Thus, allowing soldiers and enforcers to cope and act how they did because eventually that was how the masses saw the people groupings. Using subconscious ways of subhumanization, the general population saw it fit to kill rats(the minorities), because they were dangerous,disease carrying vermin. The elicit status of the oppressed being “subhuman”, allowed the Germans to rationalise and cope with...

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