This Dialogue brings together Dr Alex Kay and Dr David Stahel to explore the significance of Operation Barbarossa on its 85th anniversary. Focusing on the summer and autumn of 1941, the discussion examines how the invasion of the Soviet Union reshaped Nazi policy and practice.
It highlights the escalation from persecution to mass violence, and the central role of the eastern front in radicalising the Holocaust. The conversation also considers the relationship between military objectives, ideological warfare, and genocide. Together, the speakers offer a nuanced account of Barbarossa as a crucial moment in the evolution of the Holocaust that we need to consider when teaching the topic.
