Dans l'intimité du nazisme : faire l'histoire de la violence

Dans l'intimité du nazisme : faire l'histoire de la violence

🎙 Sciences Po 👥 68K 📅 July 16, 2026 ⏱ 29 min 👁 201 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-15
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

violencegendereveryday historyMajdanekphotography

Summary

In this podcast episode, historian Elissa Mailänder discusses her research on female SS guards at the Majdanek concentration camp, focusing on how violence became embedded in everyday life. She explains her methodological approach, using court testimonies from the Majdanek trials as a rich source, and highlights the challenges of studying perpetrators. She also recounts a personal story about a photograph of a young bride at Auschwitz that deeply affected her and influenced her work on the intimate history of Nazism. The episode explores themes of gender, violence, and the ethics of historical research, emphasizing the importance of empathy and analytical distance. Mailänder also discusses her current project on amateur soldier photographs during WWII, which aims to provide a transnational perspective on the conflict.

123 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The value of the information is high, as it provides unique insights into the methods and challenges of researching Nazi perpetrators, particularly female guards. The argumentation is solid, grounded in the historian’s own archival work and the use of specific testimonies. The discussion of the photograph adds a personal and reflective dimension, illustrating the emotional impact of historical research. The podcast effectively conveys the complexity of studying violence and the importance of a nuanced approach.

84 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on the intimate history of Nazism through the lens of violence, gender, and everyday life.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

The content is presented by an established historian (Elissa Mailänder) affiliated with Sciences Po, discussing her own research based on archival sources and court testimonies. The information is consistent with known historical scholarship, though the format is an interview/podcast, not a peer-reviewed publication.

Key Moments

Cited Sources

  • Sciences Po Podcasts — Link to the podcast series 'Dans l'atelier des historiens'.
  • Sciences Po Sources — Link to the Sciences Po research portal.
  • Podcast Ausha — Link to the podcast episode on Ausha.

Concurring Sources

External References

Contribution & Novelties

The podcast offers a unique perspective on the history of Nazi violence by focusing on female perpetrators and the everyday aspects of violence. It highlights the use of court testimonies as a valuable source and the importance of gender analysis in understanding the Holocaust. The personal narrative about the photograph adds a reflective dimension, illustrating the emotional engagement of historians.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • Everyday History (Alltagsgeschichte) — This concept is central to Mailänder’s approach, focusing on the everyday lives of ordinary people under Nazism.
  • Majdanek concentration camp — Provides background on the camp where the guards studied by Mailänder worked.
  • Gender and the Holocaust — Explores the role of gender in Holocaust studies, relevant to Mailänder’s analysis.

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Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in quality and reliability, with moderate scores in quantity and technical level, reflecting a focused and expert discussion rather than a broad overview.

Reliability 8/10

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