Who was responsible and when? Some well-known documents revisited

This is a re-examination of a number of well-known documents from the Nazi era, most of them used during the Nuremberg Trial. When put into the context of recent historiography, it is argued that they provide answers to the central questions asked by histonans regarding the development of Nazi policy towards the decision to annihilate the Jewish people. The hierarchy of decision-making led from Hitler to Göring, and from Göring to Himmler and Heydrich. This can be seen clearly from late 1938 onwards. Hitler was personally and directly involved at all stages. The authorization letter of Göring to Heydrich, 31 July 1941, to make the necessary preparations for effectuating the 'Final Solution', is in fact a derivative form of Hitler's oral order to murder all the Jews.