The Historikerstreit

The Historikerstreit, or "Historians' Debate," was a scholarly controversy in Germany during the 1980s about how to interpret Nazism and the Holocaust. It began when some historians argued that the Holocaust was a unique event in history, deserving special attention, while others claimed that it should be viewed within the broader context of human violence and wartime atrocities. This debate reflected deeper issues of national identity, memory, and responsibility in post-war Germany, as scholars grappled with how to confront their country's Nazi past and its implications for contemporary society.