Some holocaust scholars have argued that the Germans tortured and murdered Jews with zeal because they were subjected to virulent anti-Semitism for generations before Hitler became leader of Germany. These scholars do not claim that Germans practiced genocide because of fanatic nationalism, or due to overwhelming psychological and social pressure. These scholars point to historical precedents for anti-Semitism. This theory asserts that Germans enthusiastically embraced Nazi philosophy because that actually believed genocide of the Jews was a necessity.