At what point does self-interest become more important than the safety of others? During the Holocaust, the Nazis were not the only group promoting the Holocaust and then the Final Solution. Bystanders, witnesses, bystanders, and many other groups indirectly affected the victims of the Holocaust. The silence of these groups put Jews in greater danger than their Nazi captors. Hitler's slow implementation of Holocaust-related measures, mixed with public fear, gave the public time to adjust and accept his actions, which would ultimately only result in a weak German resistance during Hitler's Final Solution. BackgroundWhen classifying the types of people involved in an event such as the Holocaust, three categorical groups can be distinguished. First, and easiest to assess, there are the authors. This category includes people directly linked to the horrors of the Holocaust. The second category includes victims; all people who have been killed, discriminated against or otherwise harmed by the perpetrators. The final category defines those who watched, witnessed, or were indirectly involved in the Holocaust, without being harmed by the perpetrators. By definition, bystanders may include entire countries or other groups that ignored or neglected the Holocaust (Vollhardt). A fourth category could be mentioned and would include those who actively helped the victims (Monroe). Regarding nomenclature, rescuer or anti-aggressor would define this group well. “I would like to suggest that there is generally no bystander as such – as a trait or personality type, just as there is generally no aggressor or rescuer personality. types” (Bar-On). Bar-On states that personality types are irrelevant in categorizing a person as o...... middle of paper ...... Courage. Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim, 2006. Print. Monroe, Kristen Renwick. “Cracking the Code of Genocide: The Moral Psychology of Rescuers, Bystanders, and Nazis During the Holocaust.” Political Psychology 29.5 (2008): 699-736. Premier Business Source. Internet. January 27, 2014. Priemel, Kim C. “Into the Gray Zone: Wehrmacht Bystanders, German Labor Market Policy, and the Holocaust.” » Journal Of Genocide Research 10.3 (2008): 389-411. Premier Academic Research. Internet. January 27, 2014. Vollhardt, J.R. and Bilewicz, M. (2013), After Genocide: Psychological Perspectives on Victim, Bystander, and Perpetrator Groups. Journal of Social Issues, 69: 1–15. doi: 10.1111/josi.12000 "Der Giftpilz." The Giftpilz. Calvin College, nd Web. February 25, 2014. “The Holocaust: An Introductory History.” » An introductory history of the Holocaust. Jewish Virtual Library, nd Web. March 7. 2014.