How Could This Happen? Germany 1933 to 1945

Götz Aly, one of the most renowned historians of Nazism and the Holocaust, poses the fundamental question: How could this happen?

During a severe crisis, the NSDAP was elected as the strongest party in 1932, quickly seized power, and built upon growing public consent. Hitler needed war - the people feared it. Yet ultimately, 18 million German soldiers terrorized Europe. Why did hundreds of thousands participate in unprecedented mass murders?

The answer is complex: the NSDAP promised advancement and prosperity while keeping people in constant motion - no respite, no time for reflection. As faith in victory waned, the national community transformed into a criminal community. Fear of what would happen after defeat was deliberately stoked. Aly describes the methods of rule by which Nazi authorities turned millions of Germans into obedient perpetrators or numbed accomplices - and many of these methods remain disturbingly relevant today.

The event takes place in cooperation with the alliance "Gemeinsam für Vielfalt", the specialist office NRWeltoffen in the Herford district, the organization Arbeit und Leben in the Herford district DGB/VHS e.V., and the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. in Westphalia-Lippe. The stated end time is approximate and may vary depending on the course of the reading and discussion.

Tickets are available online at www.reservix.de, at the evening box office, and in advance sales at vhs Löhne and authorized ticket vendors.