The Nazi Regime: What It Teaches Us About Self Defence and Responsibility - By Sensei Liam Musiak

The Nazi regime was the dictatorship that ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945 under Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP).

It began as a political movement built on fear, nationalism, and control, and it evolved into one of the most brutal systems in history. During those twelve years, the regime created a state that legalised persecution, normalised violence, and orchestrated the deaths of millions of innocent people through war and genocide.

It was not just a tragedy of leadership — it was a tragedy of obedience.

Ordinary people enforced extraordinary cruelty because authority told them to. That reality makes the Nazi regime one of the clearest warnings about what happens when law, morality, and personal responsibility separate.

For anyone who values justice or studies self-defence, this period is more than history — it’s a lesson about power, conscience, and courage.

When Law Becomes the Criminal

Under the Nazi regime, the law itself became a weapon.

Every arrest, deportation, and execution was technically “legal.” The system disguised atrocity behind official documents and uniforms. Once obedience replaced conscience, the state — not the criminal — decided what was right and wrong.

Modern self defence law exists for the exact opposite reason. In the United Kingdom, the Criminal Law Act 1967 allows “reasonable force” in protecting oneself or others. Section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 clarifies that principle, while the Crime and Courts Act 2013 extends extra protection to householders facing intruders.

Those laws remind us that force must always serve justice, not authority. It must protect life, never power.

The Psychology of Obedience

A haunting question remains: how could so many ordinary people commit such evil?

The answer lies in obedience and moral disengagement.

Psychologist Stanley Milgram’s research decades later showed that most people will obey orders, even when those orders harm others, if the command comes from an authority figure. That same mindset allowed thousands of Nazi soldiers, police, and citizens to participate in crimes while believing they were “just doing their duty.”

That defence fails every test of morality. True self defence is not only physical — it’s moral. Whether you’re a martial artist, a police officer, or an ordinary person, you must always ask not just “Can I?” but “Should I?”

Training the Body and the Conscience

Physical ability means little without mental control.

The same obedience that once drove soldiers to carry out horrific acts can cause a modern person to overreact in conflict.

That’s why self defence training must go beyond technique. Train your mind as much as your body. Every strike or takedown should come from clarity, never anger or pride. Understanding the why behind your actions is as vital as mastering the how.

Scenario training should test decision-making as much as reflexes — knowing when to fight, when to de-escalate, and when to protect others. Real self defence isn’t about domination; it’s about restraint, protection, and moral strength.

From History to Responsibility

The Holocaust and the Nazi system were not caused by a single dictator alone. They happened because millions of people complied, stayed silent, or convinced themselves it wasn’t their concern.

That truth gives self defence a deeper meaning. It isn’t only about personal survival — it’s about responsibility. If the law ever fails, will you still stand for what’s right? If someone is in danger, will you act or turn away?

Real self defence means defending life, truth, and integrity — not just your own safety, but the principles that make life worth defending.

Lessons We Can Learn

The Nazi regime is not just a history lesson. It is a mirror reflecting how quickly morality can vanish when people stop thinking for themselves. From a self-defence perspective, these lessons must never be forgotten:

1. Know the law.

   
   

   Many citizens of Nazi Germany believed their violence was lawful. Learn today’s limits of reasonable force — ignorance can destroy lives.

2. Think for yourself.

   
   

   Blind obedience turns people into weapons. Always question orders, motives, and instructions. Conscience must guide your actions.

3. Train the mind, not just the body.

   
   

   Strength without restraint becomes destruction. True mastery lies in control and judgement.

4. Protect others when you can.

   
   

   Evil thrives in silence. The heart of self defence is courage — stepping forward when others freeze or flee.

5. Never assume it can’t happen again.

   
   

   Fear, division, and blind loyalty still exist. Awareness, education, and moral courage are humanity’s greatest defences.