Eugen Kogon

Historian

Eugen Kogon was a German historian known for his groundbreaking research into the history of Nazism and the Holocaust. He was born in 1902 in Berchtesgaden, Germany, and educated at the universities of Munich and Heidelberg before taking a position at the University of Bonn in 1942. Kogon is best known for his work on Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. His two most celebrated books are Der SS-Staat (The SS-State, 1946) and Der Auschwitz-Mythos (The Auschwitz Myth, 1950). In these works, Kogon examined the political, social and ideological foundations of Nazi rule and its impact on the victims of the Holocaust. His research into the Holocaust not only enriched our historical knowledge of the period, but has since become essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the experience of the victims of the Holocaust. Kogon wrote extensively on other aspects of German history, including the Weimar Republic, the concentration camps, and the German occupation of Eastern Europe. He also wrote about his own life experiences, including his time as a prisoner of war during World War II. Kogon's writing has been praised for its scholarly rigor, insightful commentary, and humanistic approach to history. Kogon's life was marked by tragedy; his wife and son both died during the war, and he himself was diagnosed with cancer in 1965 and died in 1987. Despite this, his legacy remains, and his works continue to be studied today. Kogon's research not only provided us with a better understanding of the Holocaust, but also illuminated the conditions that gave rise to the Nazi rule. His works are a part of our collective memory and remind us of the gravity of the events that shaped our present.