New Books in History Alex Alvarez and Richard R. Fernandez, "Lethal Elites: The Institutions and Professionals That Made the Holocaust Possible" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Feb 15, 2026
Alex Alvarez, criminology professor and genocide scholar, discusses Lethal Elites, a study of how professionals and institutions enabled the Holocaust. He explores definitions of lethal elites and how bureaucracies channeled ordinary people into roles of harm. He also covers motivations, the roles of educators, clergy, military elites, and how cultural prestige normalized persecution.
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Elites Drove Planning And Legitimization
- The Holocaust was not only carried out by uneducated thugs but involved highly educated elites across professions.
- Professionals used expertise and authority to envision, plan, and legitimize genocidal policies.
Bureaucracy Makes Atrocities Procedural
- Institutions and bureaucracies shape participation by breaking mass crimes into limited tasks.
- Bureaucratic roles let people claim they were "just doing their job," which facilitates large-scale violence.
Careerism Fueled Professional Participation
- Motivations among elites matched ordinary human mixes: belief, careerism, and opportunism.
- Career incentives and material benefits often drew professionals into facilitating genocidal systems.
