German Citizens' Role in the Holocaust During the German promotion tour for his new book, Hitler’s Willing Executioners, Mr. Goldhagen participated in a panel discussion with German historians, a Holocaust survivor and a German World War II veteran sponsored by German television in Aschaffenburg, Germany. The debate focused on his arguments about the role of ordinary Germans from virtually all backgrounds in the murder of Jews and the character and intensity of German anti-Semitism. He also took a few questions and comments from the audience. Translation of all remarks but Goldhagen’s from German to English was by voiceover. close