Who is considered the primary architect behind the Holocaust?

The designation of Adolf Eichmann as the primary architect behind the Holocaust is based on his pivotal role in organizing and coordinating the logistics of the mass extermination program. Eichmann, who worked within the Nazi regime primarily in the SS (Schutzstaffel), was instrumental in implementing the policies that resulted in the genocide of six million Jews and millions of others deemed undesirable by the Nazis.

His responsibilities included the planning and management of the deportation of Jews to concentration and extermination camps, as well as overseeing the transportation logistics. Eichmann's bureaucratic efficiency made him a key figure in the execution of the Holocaust, which is why he has often been labeled as one of its main architects.

In contrast, figures such as Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Göring, and Rudolf Hess had significant roles within the Nazi party and government, but their contributions were more related to propaganda, military strategies, or other areas of governance rather than the direct orchestration of the Holocaust itself. While Goebbels was responsible for shaping public opinion through propaganda, Göring was involved in military and economic strategies, and Hess focused on party administration. None had the specific focus or responsibility in the logistical planning of the Holocaust that Eichmann did.