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The banality of evil: from Auschwitz to Mariupol

insidethegatesThe YouTube channel "10 Questions to a Historian" featured an interview about the history of the Auschwitz death camp, which has become an undisputed symbol of Nazi crimes in World War II. This is the story of how some people (including educated and seemingly mentally healthy people) killed other people on a scale and systematic basis that had never been seen before. The "banality of evil" was that the virtue of loyalty turned bureaucrats into committed genocide performers.

A striking example of such a functionary was the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Göss. His image appears in many artworks. Recently, he became the main character in the film The Zone of Interest, which won two Academy Awards (for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound). Auschwitz is also part of Ukraine's history. We talked to the head of the Ukrainian Centre for Holocaust Studies, Anatolii Podolskyi.

10 Questions to a Historian by the History Without Myths team is an interview with the best experts about historically important and controversial issues.

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