Robert jay lifton born may 16, 1926 is an american psychiatrist and author, chiefly known for his studies of the psychological causes and effects of wars and political violence, and for his theory of thought reform. How this monstrous endeavor could be conceived and accomplished is the subject of robert jay liftons the nazi doctors. Lifton believes that most of what nazi doctors did would be within the potential capabilityat least under certain conditionsof most doctors and most people. Thoughts after reading robert jay liftons the nazi doctors. A hedged statement that in part may account for the motivation of this study of horrorbut even in nazi germany it was only a small group who committed these atrocities. Reportedly more than 7% of all german physicians became members of the nazi party during world war ii, a far higher percentage than the general population. Nazi doctors superficially, this minimalist docu about the role of doctors as prime executors of nazi ideology would appear redundant. Now updated with a new preface, the nazi doctors remains the definitive work on the nazi medical atrocities, a chilling expose of the banality of evil at its epitome, and a sobering reminder of the darkest side of. Thus, the author wants to know how these doctors became killers, how educated, ordinary people allowed themselves to commit barbaric. Robert jay lifton is an american psychiatrist and author, chiefly known for his studies of the psychological causes and effects of war and political violence and for his theory of thought reform. Robert jay lifton, the nazi doctors medical killing and the. Medical killing and the psychology of genocide opinions customers have not but left their particular article on the experience, or you cannot see clearly however. Just click the edit page button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the plot summary submission guide. Robert jay liftons remarkable book the nazi doctors and its tragic subject matter provided an opportunity to try and place the complicity of doctors in such.
In the late 70s, lifton, who is jewish, visited 80 auschwitz survivors and 40 holocaust perpetrators, most of whom were former nazi physicians. It looks like we dont have any plot summaries for this title yet. Lifton starts from the premise that understanding how physicians could embrace nazisms racist ideology and murderous behavior is the most difficult aspect of nazism to comprehend. Physicians, lifton notes, played a crucial role in the nazi drive toward genocide. Survivors of hiroshima winner of a national book award, and destroying the world to save it. Robert jay lifton, the prominent psychiatrist famous for his study of the doctors who aided nazi war crimes, speaks out on the role. He was an early proponent of the techniques of psychohistory.
The nazi doctors revised edition robert jay lifton. Robert jay lifton 1986 abstract this article has no associated abstract. Lifton does a wonderful job of dispelling the nazi doctors mythical reputation while dutifully and accurately recording the horrors they committed. The nazi doctors, by robert jay lifton daniel jonah. Robert jay lifton the nazi doctors free ebook download as pdf file. Medical killing and the psychology of genocide robert j. National socialism is nothing more than applied biology, said deputy party leader rudolf hess at a 1934 meeting.
The nazi doctors robert jay lifton pdf medical killing and. Nazi doctors puzzles out the oxymoron of the second half. Find the nazi doctors by lifton, robert jay at biblio. Sep 18, 2014 among lifton s more than twenty books are two major contributions to holocaust literature. Dr lifton, a renowned psychiatrist and author, spent a decade interviewing nazi doctors and concentration camp survivors to piece together the horrifying process by which german physicians aided for the most part willingly in the destruction of 6 million innocent men, women, and children. Lifton is distinguished professor of psychiatry at john jay college and the graduate center of the city university of new york. May 07, 2015 robert jay lifton, the prominent psychiatrist famous for his study of the doctors who aided nazi war crimes, speaks out on the role. In his most powerful and important book, renowned psychiatrist robert jay lifton presents a brilliant analysis of the crucial role that german doctors played in the nazi genocide.
An extended, wellpaced, mostly onesided private audience with the first half of its title, robert jay lifton. Robert jay lifton, professor of psychiatry and psychology, examines the role medical doctors played in the nazi genocidal project. Lifton, a prolific author, founding member of the international physicians for the prevention of nuclear war awarded the nobel peace prize in 1985 and a pioneer in the field of psychohistory, interviewed dozens of holocaust perpetrators, including 40 former nazi physicians. The nazi doctors robert jay lifton pdf medical killing and the. Lifton, doctors and torture, new england journal of medicine, vol.
Exhaustingly researched and full of eyewitness interviews from both patients and doctors. He is the director of the center on violence and human survival at john jay college and also teaches at the graduate center of the city university of new york. How did it come about that members of one of the most advanced medical professions in. He is the author of other widely acclaimed works, death in life 1968, home from the war 1973, the life of the self 1976, the broken connection 1979, and with richard falk, indefensible weapons 1982. The international physicians for the prevention of nuclear war establishes another firm step in the right direction. Medical killing and the psychology of genocide by robert jay lifton and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The nazi doctors revised edition by robert jay lifton, 9780465093397, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. The nazi doctors by robert jay lifton, 9780465049059, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Robert jay lifton suggested that the reports of us physicians involvement in. The mazal library and the holocaust history project are extremely grateful to dr. Robert jay lifton s books include the nazi doctors, death in life. Medical killing and the psychology of genocide, basic books, inc. Robert jay lifton has written an exceptional work, thoroughly and painstakingly researched, and above all, he presents an analysis of the psychopathology of the nazi doctors that is so wellthought out and wellpresented that i recommend this book above all others for my students of criminal profiling.
Medical killing and the psychology of genocide pdf book description. Lifton for permission to present his extraordinary. Medical killing and the psychology of genocide to date regarding the publication we now have the nazi doctors. The nazi doctors medical killing and the psychology of genocide. Nazi doctors, he describes his approach and charts the way in which ordinary doctors changed from healers to killers.
In the introduction to that book you tell of a rabbi who came up to you at a lecture and said, hiroshima is your path as a jew to the holocaust. In nazi doctors we meet lifton at his home on cape cod, where he. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. Medical killing and the psychology of genocide lifton, robert jay on. Now updated with a new preface, the nazi doctors remains the definitive work on the nazi medical atrocities, a chilling expose of the banality of evil at its epitome. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In his most powerful and important book, renowned psychiatrist robert jay lifton presents a brilliant analysis of the crucial role that german doctors played in. The narrative form, absent of the usual visual cues, complements, even enhances, that difficulty.