| Hitler stated that the capacity for civilization arose out of the individual’s willingness to renounce personal interest to “sacrifice in favor of the large group.” To be an Aryan meant to “sacrifice the life of the individual, always and forever, at all times and places.”
Hitler was convinced that “blood sacrifice preserves the nation.” His primary project was to wage war—in order to generates blood sacrifice. Hitler believed that in the absence of blood sacrifice, Germany would cease to exist.
Goebbels, similarly, theorized that only willingness to sacrifice “transforms a collection of individuals into a people, and in higher sense, a nation.” The duty of the individual was to “sacrificing his life for the life of his nation.” By dying at the front, the soldier “fulfilled his duty” (Goebbels, June 5, 1943): “The laws of war are harsh. Millions of German soldiers have to be ready to die on the battlefield.”
Carolyn Marvin stated (1999) that “society depends on the death of its own members at the hands of the group.” Hitler and Goebbels put forth an identical theory. They waged war with the purpose of sacrificing the lives of Germans—in order preserve Germany.
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