Events Shape People More than People Shape Events

Major events have the power to mobilise large numbers of people and create significant impacts on their lives in a wide variety of ways. Events not only change an individual’s perspective of how they view life, but also life itself. An individual’s attitudes and perceptions is influenced by the socioeconomic, sociocultural and environmental determinants in which they are born. As an individual matures, they begin to discover themselves through several encounters with the outside world and begin to take into consideration the thoughts and values that society A part of our identity consists of understanding how we fit into the external world and its’ values and ideologies that perpetuate hierarchical structures and limit the freedom and opportunities of subordinate groups. This is exemplified through the event People undoubtedly shape events, but to a greater extent it is events who shape people.

Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the life of Albert Speer. Albert Speer is a prime example of who was corrupted by an event. The event of Nazism transformed Speer from an architect destined to a future in a family business to holding the title of Minister of Armaments and War Production. Stating “For the commission to do a great building I would have sold my soul”, Speer openly let Nazism into his life for greater architectural opportunities. Sharing similar preferences of design, Speer developed an ongoing association with Hitler and was appointed to significantly influential positions. Taking advantage of the opportunities he received as Hitler’s favourite Architect, he propelled himself forward.

In association with Nazi Germany, Speer’s architectural style was shaped to be dramatically grand, changing his outlook to suit Nazi ideologies. During this time, Speer actively partook in evicting over 75,000 Berlin Jews. Nazi Germany had shaped Speer into a character who had adopted anti-semitism values and used them for his own selfish gain. In 1942, he was appointed responsibility for all construction work in Germany and conquered territories. Speer’s use of forced labourers ensured an increase in production, though they were treated inadequately and over half of the population in one camp died from the poor conditions in which they lived. Without Speer, Hitler would not have had the ability or power to stage in his fight to his finish.

Nazi Germany had shaped Speer from being an architect to being one of the most powerful Nazi members and thus, Speer had shaped Nazi Germany to a certain extent. However, Albert Speer was only able to have this influence after Nazi Germany had shaped him. Though partially responsible for Nazi Germany, he was not the sole creator of it, but rather a small architect who was swept along with the movement of Nazi Germany.