Abstract

Over the past few decades historians have carefully reconstructed the complex process which led the Nazi regime to the genocide of the Jews, and have identified its 'engine' in the conflict between several structures of the Nazi bureaucratic apparatus. Such a conclusion, however, seems to be questioned by recent studies on the ideology and mentality of those who promoted and implemented genocide. The present bibliographic review provides an overview of the main results achieved by this emerging interpretative line, and shows its possible developments.