In casual retrospection, we caricature Nazis, misunderstand evil.
But of course most Nazis were not ugly, devilish-looking monsters.
We must remember too many of them were handsome, young, virile,
charming good men whose nationalism – a prejudice or two – got
them into the most horrible plot in human history. Too many of them
were cultured, religious, rational, beautiful young men – loyal
and honorable – the kind a young lady would present to her family.
Bring one home for dinner, and all would be grace and wit – abiding
charm so long as the right kind were seated around the table, sipping
brandy in the parlor.

Two lessons: 1) A sinsiter trick of evil is that it often appears
beautiful. Beauty, order, grace, charm – all can be props for evil.
2) These attributes, in addition to loyalty, can be manipulated for
outcomes unimaginable.

Much is made of the Jewish conformity – resignation – herded like
sheep to slaughter – “perfect victims” Elie Wiesel describes them.
But not enough is made of the conformity of young German (and
Hungarian) men, who also perfectly resigned themselves to follow
the voices of destruction: 1) the strong threatening voice or
2) the sweet, seductive voice (as Erich Fromm expertly analyzes
in The Heart of Man).