Analyzing Events in the History of Nazi Germany

Another very important component of Nazi system (Nazi history, to be more precise) are, obviously, events. Reichstag Fire, Night of Long Knives, Kristallnacht… even World War II (and World War I, too). Consequently, to produce a genuinely comprehensive and user-friendly guide to Nazi Germany, it is necessary to describe and analyze these events in a uniform way.

In other words, it is necessary to follow the same process for the description and analysis of every event in the history of the Third Reich. This process is presented in an easy-to-understand visual form in a Nazi Event Description Diagram (see Figure A2).

Obviously, every description of every object in the Nazi system (not just an organization), must have an executive summary (as not everyone will have the time to read the whole million-word book).

Every event (not just in the history of Nazi Germany) is influenced (and often triggered) by a set of key external factors. Which, obviously, must be properly identified, structured and analyzed (in sufficient detail).

Every event is implemented by one or (usually) more actors, who make certain decisions and perform certain actions to accomplish certain objectives (intended outcomes). And, like an organization, every event has its stakeholders. Consequently, “all of the above” must also be properly identified, structured and analyzed.

As well as the event timeline – the sequence (or system, if some of them happen in parallel) of sub-events.

All events (like all organizations) have ultimately one and the same mission – to create the maximum possible amount of aggregate value (financial, functional, emotional and spiritual) for its stakeholders. Aggregate value (created and/or destroyed in the event in question) that must be measured and analyzed.

Therefore I will perform the “performance evaluation” of the event in question. Functional, of course (how efficient it was in achieving its objectives and whether the objectives themselves were good from the aggregate value perspective), but also legal (whether the event or some of its sub-events constituted a crime).