8. Adolf Hitler's "final solution to the Jewish problem" (1940's)
The scheme proposed in 1941
by Hitler's lieutenant Reinhard Heydrich
for the incarceration and elimination of the minority populations
of Eastern Europe evolved into the Holocaust by the later years
of World War II (1939-1945). The Holocaust is regarded as the most systemic
concentration of evil intent the world has ever known. For the last
half century, it has haunted the imaginations of survivors, of many
of the world's finest writers, and of entire nations.
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Michael Seidel
is a Professor in the
Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. His Top
10 list reflects a broad historical approach. He also discusses the impact of
the great events on writers, artists, and humanity in general.
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