The Individual and Personal Responsibility in Yad Vashem Studies, Volume V

The Individual and Personal Responsibility

This deeply philosophical article advances many suppositions and finds few answers. An individual, or a group of individuals, must have principles of behavior related to the society he lives in. Some believe that in a situation of iron discipline the individual has no choice and cannot be held responsible for carrying out orders. Furthermore, if the end result of the committed crimes is beneficial, his sentence should be mitigated, e.g., the birth of Israel referred to in Eichmann’s trial. The ideas of the Historical School are rather confused concerning this. Hegel’s philosophizing is widely quoted but the conclusions are indefinite. Yet, man must not give up his ability to analyze circumstances and must maintain his humanity.