Introduction
A few men in history, for the good or the bad have been so pivotal that their names are either associated with excellence and good, or pure evil. Adolph Hitler, born near Linz, Austria, was one of those men. Over the past 60 years, the name Hitler has become synonymous with 'devil' or satan, he is seen by the Western World, except for a few, as the man responsible for the 65 million deaths world wide of WWII, including 2/3 of the Jews of Europe and close to 2 million children, apart from war deaths.Biography
Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 near Linz, Austria in Braunau Am Inn just outside of Bavaria, where one day the Nazi movement would take root and grow. His mother, Klara, and his father, Alois [Schiklgruber]Hitler were 24 years apart; Klara being his second or possibly third wife. The actual parentage of Hitler is under some debate, some argued that Hitler's actual father was the son of Klara' employer. While some contend that Hitler was partially Jewish, even this is under some question: one of his Grandparents is held to have been. Klara suffered several miscarriages before Hitler was born, and died when Adolf was in his teens, in 1907, a few days before Christmas. His older brother and sister from Alois' former marriage were Alois Jr. and Edmund and Paula, younger than him, born to Klara and Alois.
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While many contend that he was a spoiled child, he was also raised strictly: his austere father retired when Hitler was young and was daily involved in the children's upbringing. A youth with a penchant for art, he failed his first major Art exam, which excluded him from Art School. Determined to pursue a career in Art, in Vienna, he withdrew personal funds and pursued his dream, although he remained throughout his life an unacclaimed artist. One of the hallmarks of Hitler's art was that he almost never included human beings in his art, prefering the drawing and painting of buildings, streets and non-living and inanimate objects. Some who have profiled the psychology of Hitler declare this to have been indicative of later aberrations: he was self-obsessed, self-directed, but wooden in affect, except for his ferverent beliefs: he had difficulty relating to people in normal ways.
Mein Kampf & Hitler's World View
Sitting in a jail cell after his arrest for the Beerhall Putsch, the young Hitler in 1923 began to to collate his ideas and ideologies: he wrote copiously in prison, eventually publishing what would become the manifesto for the National Socialists. The Name of the premiere book of Nazi Philosophy which would set the stage both for the Nazis rise to power and subsequent reign, was called, "Mein Kampf", or "My Struggle". To understand why it was called a 'struggle' one must go back in German-Prussian history to understand the concept of struggle: it has to do with a vying for power among religious-political 'states' or small 'kingdoms'. As Luther emerged in the reformation standing against Catholic control and the reign of the papacy, the policy of "cuis regio, eius religio" was set in place, meaning that the prince or governing agent in a regent could determine the 'state' religion in the area: the expression meant, "whose region, his religion". toThe Rise to Power
Hitler's rise to power began in the decade before rising to the highest office(s) of Germany and showed a steady, rapidly increasing popularity of the young radical Austrian-born leader. In 1923, the well known Beer-Hall Putsch catapulted the young Hitler to a place of reknown. Leading what he thought would be a violent overthrow of the the weak Weimar Government, he jumped to a table in a Beerhall in Bavaria, a place where the Nazis were gaining power, and in fiery rhetoric called the gathered officials to support him in the march on Munich. Arrested and put in jail, he wrote the above-mentioned manifesto of the Nazi Movement: "Mein Kampf". While he had expressed it in other writings, the new manifesto vehemently decried the Jewish people and called for an end to their citizenship. He also expressed his extreme bigotry against the Jews, in the tedious manual for genocide. The Nazi movement gained power from 1923 to 1933 rapidly, beginning with large support in the more conservative Southern regions of Germany and Bavaria. Though their tactics wre often admonished and their violence and censorship criticized, the movement begin to grow under the young Hitler. Hitler and his followers began with slim in Germany, and they were originally seen as 'fringe' and even lunatic. Over time, however as unemployment increased, discontentment grew and the Protestant Church tired of a Catholic -controlled government, and as the infant communism (Bolshevism) began to encroach on Germany, Hitler gained popularity with his cries for a return to traditional German values and 'folklore'/religion, and a return to the land. (See Blut und Boden). His cries for law and order and better living condition for Germans, coupled with a steady call for a National hubris following the defeat of WWI, met with growing support. The Churches wanted a return to the pre-Weimar political atmosphere in which the State had in whole or part funded Parochial and private schools, and in which Protestant Germany had a great say in government. Additionally, while the Nazis in the twenties held only a few seats in parliament (the Reichstag); over the years, multiple political deals were made, even with the enemies of the Nazis. Labor was courted, although they did not know that one of Hitler's first acts would be to take over the Labor Unions, whom he knew to be one of the few groups who could organize active support against the Nazi agenda. Further, Churches were courted as deals were made: the government would pay the pensions of retiring Pastors4 and there would be a return to the 'old ways'.After regaining the head of the Nazi Party in 1924 from Rosenberg who took over while Hitler was in prison, Hitler began a reorganization. By 1925, Hitler built up Party and re-organizes SA . Among the policies developed during this time were: The Nationalization of business in cartels , the outlawing of profiteering from the war effort, the outlawing of income that is not earned , the declaration of a need for a land policy (Blut und Boden or blood and soil) , the central value or doctrine of 'Work' to the German citizen, which was turn into essential values demanded of Germans in the 'war effort' during the years to follow.
By 1927, the ban on Nazi speech by the Weimar had been lifted and Hitler began spreading his message of racial superiority and imperialism around Germany. Bloody confrontations between Nazis and Communists take place in Berlin, although the Nazis gain in power as they express their outrage and exposure of the bitter poverty which they claim Bolshevism has brought to Russia. This would later include an exposition in which the drab, desolate desparate soviet life was portrayed in exhibition style. By May Day in 1927: the Nazis held their first open major meeting in Berlin following the lifting of the ban. The rise of Hitler during this time was paralleled by the rise of Stalin in Russia via bloody purges.
By 1928, the Nazis had made a 3% showing in votes, but by 1933, merely 5 years later, they would win a majority of seats, with over 70% of the vote. By 1929, Germany sees the removal of foreign 'overseers' of the terms of the end of the war and the Versaille treaty, and Germany gains autonomy again: this aids the Nazi Party in laying the groundwork for more tolitarian control, for if the foreign governance had stayed in place, the political control that Hitler hoped for might have at least been weighed down by international interference. During this time as well, Hitler receives funding from a prominent source to take the message of National Socialism all over Germany, at a time ten years following the end of WWI when the Nazis were afforded greater liberty and growing power. It is paradoxically also only 6 years beyond the Putsch and the imprisonment of Hitler and the introduction of Mein Kampf.
By 1930, the Weimar government fell, and Hindenberg appoints a new
Chancellor, or Priminister in the person of Heinrich Brüning. As the Weimar
failed to keep their seats in the legislature, an emergency order was issued to
dissolve the legislature, a measure which had happened 
several times before, and the government was run under emergency
order. This same 'exigent' governoring would later give Hitler and the Nazis the
chance to take over the Reichstag after the arson of 1933. (See The Burning of the
Reichstag.) By September of 1930, the Nazis gain greater control in the
legislature, as their seats increase from 12 to 107.
It is interesting to note that not until 1931, does Hitler gain German citizenry: he had for many years both resided in Germany and attempted to take control of the government, but he did not actually release his Austrian citizenship until '31. With the newly elected seats in the Reichstag (pronounced 'rausch-stog'}, Hitler ran for president over the legislature and by the end of the year was featured on the cover of the U.S. magazine, Time. (See note 5) In 1932 Germany arrived at some degree of economic recovery, and the Prototype of VW Beetle, designed by Hitler was introduced. Many of his ideas which were realized during his reign had been developed as part of his plan for a renewed nationalism: the VW was so that every German could have an affordable car, and the autobahn, built later, was to revolutionize travel in Germany. Hitler pressured Hindenburg as he was dying to make him Chancellor. The Nazis had increased their seats in the Reichstag; Hindenburg did not cower to pressure at first, but later, allowed the consolidation. Franz von Papen was made Chancellor, then Scheleicher. ( Von Papen had been involved in the negotiations with the Vatican which brought about the Concordat of 1933.) Von Papen initially a close ally of Hitler, joined Hitler Enemies in their attempt to suppress his growing power. By 1933 Hitler, following one of the many provisional governments in Gemany, took office and immediately began work towards civil rights restrictions. In January, while the legislature was on break and due to come back to again to decide the 'face' of the legislature, an explosion occurred followed by a fire in the Reichstag It was blamed on the communists, but the fellow who was scapegoated for the setting of the explosives was of marginal intelligence. The explosion further was suspect as the Reichstag was consumed rapidly due to a strategic placement of the 'bomb'. The burning of the Reichstag immediately allowed an emergency suspension of normal civil liberties and the painting of the communists (bolsheviks) as dangerous. The Enabling Act gave almost complete power into Hitler's hands over the law of the land. Additionally, the Concordat with the Vatican and 'deals' with Labor Unions and the Protestant Churches erased what would have been opponents in an effort to mutually fight the vilified communists, whom Hitler equated with the Jews of Europe. Hitler consolidated the Chancellorship & Presidency and has communists arrested allowing more control for the National Socialist and himself. Since many of the major Communist leaders were under investigation or in jail when the legislature convened, Hitler and the Nazis were able to take most of the seats and regulate policy and rules for future sessions. This began the despotical control which the Reich developed over Germany. Among his first acts were the removal of Jewish artists and musicians from public offices and universities in Germany, and the development of a registry to keep track of these and other Jewish citizens. Religious groups considered odd or political were under close scrutiny and there was an effort to reorganize the police department structure so that the Reich would be ultimately in authority.
Hitler and the New Germany
Hitler also envisioned a great new Germany in technology and architecture. The beginning of his administration saw a call for a new look: a refurbishing and rebuilding in traditional, neo-baroque architecture expressing strong nationalistic themes. "Fuhrer buildings" were called for, which necessitated the D.E.S.T. or German Earthworks Company which would supply materials to the the Reich and imprison and enslave the Jews (see Slavery). Additionally, keeping a firm eye on carrying out his 'vision', work on the Autobahn is begun. Funding of research in 'Racial Science' and Eugenics begins, and in line with his wishes, schools begin segregation and a system of detecting racial features is instituted. Not only were 'deal's made with the Labor Unions, but not long after taking office, Nazi officials walked into Labor meetings under the direction of Goebbels and replaced the leaders, imprisoning some and replacing them with Nazis. The first mass rallies and demonstrations of Nazi pride and strength begin, and Hitler begins to institute rewards for Aryan families willing to have more children. Even from the beginning, Hitler institutes the building of Dachau as one of the first 4 major Concentration Camps: Dachau, Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald and Flössenberg along with lesser camps. These camps were built near Quarries for the purpose of using prisoners as slaves to mine materials for the Reich building plan.W ithin 10 years, there were over 1000 camps. In 1934 Ernst Rohm, one time friend and supporter of Hitler, builder of SA, killed on Hitler's orders : he considered him a threat. Rumors have abounded regarding their relationship, many feeling it was homosexual during a time when the Reich was counting homosexuals as political prisoners. Arrests were also made of persons the Reich considered 'unworthy' including 'derelicts' , alcoholics, and the 'chronically unemployed'. Experiments were already under way to euthanize the 'mentally defective'. For the next several years, Germany would change so dramatically under the leadership of Adolph Hitler, that its citizen's would be 'mesmerized' into supporting him in whatever he asked. Few resisted, partly under the penalty of death, and partly because in the beginning he was seen as 'good' for Germany. By the middle of the war, far fewer were certain, and by the end of the war, even the military came to see his delusional and impractical qualities and goals.Fuhrer as Lord
While some may joke about the word 'fuhrer' with a raised hand and a German epithet, the term meant more than
what is often translated 'leader'. The word is more akin to our word, 'Lord'. Our word 'lord' has two meanings:
one meaning someone who is the head of something or someone and the other means the Lord in heaven, or God. The word
"fuhrer' carried the principle of an ultimate leader, and the whole system of the Nazis was based upon a hierarchy in
which there were 'under-fuhrers' (unterfuhrer) and 'over-fuhrers' (oberfuhrers)(Nazi Officer Rank). As time went on, the Nazis nutured a
sense of divine power equated with Hitler: in the beginning, propaganda pictured Hitler AND God, and by the end, Hitler/
"der fuhrer" AS God. This distinction is critical to understand why so many followed Hitler in
blind obedience.. Ley, in an early speech to Germans noted the divine inspiration of the Fuhrer and that following Hitler
was equated with following the divine. It is also clear from the notes of Eichmann and Goebbels, that complete obedience,
unquestioning in nature was to be given to "Der Fuhrer". Like some mythological deities, Hitler's half Birthday was celebrated,
and his birthday became a national holiday. Both were aligned with occultic holidays.
(See Nazi Beliefs.) The 'deification' of the role of fuhrer was in line also with the idea of
the "Third Reich" {Dritten Reich} as a grusome parody of a 'messianic age' in which a German Messiah would lead Germanyin
to a utopian era. The idea of this 'divine leader' arising was also in line with German mythology and folklore. The Nazis
played on this theme by keeping Hitler in separated fashion, occasionally addressing mass rallies, or even shaking hands in a
crowd, but 'exalted'. Many speeches were directed at the exalted role of fuhrer, for example:
The Führer is always right!" They may ask: "How do you know that?" You will answer: "I believe it." "And who tells you that?" "The Führer is always right. I sense it. I can prove it from the successes of the past, the things this man has done. He rose from a lowly worker and soldier to the Führer of Germany." If you persuade the people of this, that the Führer is always right, then our people's sacrifices will never be fatal, but will only make it harder, stronger and greater. If cowardice and unreasonableness have been defeated, if the people are confident, and if true popular leadership is present, the Führer will be able to do whatever he wants with the nation. He will be able to make important political decisions. The people will obey him blindly and follow him blindly. The Führer is always right. Every last citizen must say this.
and should it be thought that it was the office only, Ley continues later in the same speech:
It was all due to the faith of one man! Yes, you who called us godless, we found our faith in Adolf Hitler, and through him found God once again. That is the greatness of our day, that is our good fortune!
Did Hitler Plan Genocide?
Did Hitler really plan the genocide? Some Historical Revisionists argue that Adolf Hitler did not plan the genocide, and that the great number of deaths occurred only because it was war time. The "Nazi Machine" however worked almost entirely on well planned precision and as little as possible was left to chance. While at first there was some debate about whether Hitler planned the genocide, it is now fairly well established that it was planned from before the time the Nazis took power. The evidence for this comes from
Evidence of a Planned Genocide
1)Hitler's Early Writings and Speeches 2)The Immediate Actions of the Reich after taking office
3)The immediate institution of The T-4 Euthanasia Program in which mass killing methods, procedure, and training for genocide were established, and 4)Other historical evidence including documents, letters, and patterns of Nazi maneuvers
Hitler's Early Writings
Hitler wrote a great deal as a young man, but most are familiar only with "Mein Kampf", his manifesto of National Socialism and all that he saw wrong with the world and Germany and what he proposed as solutions. His early writings though contain many references to certain themes, the most prevalent of which was a hatred of the Jews, and his goal of ridding Germany of them. An example of this view is found in the following passage:
the personification of the devil as the symbol of all evil assumes the living shape of the Jew. -Adolf Hitler (Mein Kampf)cited at http://www.nobeliefs.com/hitler.htm
"The internal expurgation of the Jewish spirit is not possible in any platonic way. For the Jewish spirit as the product of the Jewish person. Unless we expel the Jewish people. Unless we expel the Jewish people soon, they will have judaized our people within a very short time." - Jackel, Hitler's Worldview, p. 52; from a speech at Nuremberg, January 13, 19237
These are just two examples among thousands of remarks which show that Hitler 1) hated the Jewish people, and 2)believed that they must be terminated. The reason for this is that he felt that there were no nor could be redeeming Jewish qualities, and that being Jewish was somehow so intrinsic that if one took the Jew completely out of Judaism he or she would still grow in to their "jewishness". Believing that and believing he was on a holy mission from God [although his definitions and doctrines were far from traditional Christiandom], he could have reached no other conclusion than a permanant ridding, or 'final solution' which was the extermination of the Jews of Europe.
The Beliefs of Adolf Hitler
What did Adolf Hitler believe? The question has somewhat plagued scholars since the time of the Third Reich. Some scholars adamantly declare him a Christian, or a Catholic, pointing to his church attendance and oft mentioned Christian terms, referring to God, The Lord and Savior. Others declare he was more the '20th century' man: a politician's politician. A story is told of a fighter from the Warsaw ghetto who when asked if he thought Hitler was a dog, he replied, no that dogs make no plans and are often kind companions, but that he considered Hitler to be the consumate 20th century man, although it was not meant kindly. Others consider Hitler a secretive Occultist, and they also bare facts and figures such as his liaison and training by Dietrich Eckart, the famed occultist as well as his consulting of astrological charts, pursuits after magic and paganism, his fascination with Volkische mysticism and his early rearing in German Volk groups which always had strains of occultism. He was also fascinated with runes, ancient languages and peoples, ancient bloodlines, Tibetan religions and peoples, and a myriad of other pursuits clearly under the rubric of the dark arts.The truth actually lies in a synthesis of the three: he was at the same time and at different times in his life, all three. One could not say however that Hitler was ever a true Christian in a Biblical sense, and during the Shoah and the reign of the Reich, Christian believers who adhered to Biblical doctrines were also the target of wrath, persecution and imprisonment and death . Hitler's early upbringing was rather traditional as far as religion goes, although into his pre-teen and teen years he is noted by some to have attended the Arman Society, a society which taught 'blood and soil' concepts, Aryan superiority, and even aspects of magic. It was not an unknown German society at the time and many of the top Nazi officials had passed through its membership ranks in youth. In his early years, youth groups in Germany with an occultic or pagan flare proliferated because of the renaissance of German culture, lore and religion from about the mid 1880s through the 1930s. These groups influenced Hitler on such topics as 'blut und boden', The Volk, the concept of an Aryan Superman or Master Race, and even magic and battle themes, using Nordic mythology.
In his years as a young man, pursuing an art career in Vienna, it was his political ideas and not his religious ideas which were eminently forming.
The Delusions of the End
OUTSIDE LINKS
REFERENCES
1WWII History Project: http://freewebz.com/worldwariiproject/theearlyyearsofhitler.htm
2Psychological Profile of Adolf Hitler: US Government; Doc.
3Interoggation of Paula Hitler: http://www.shoah.dk/Paula/Default.htm;
4Colson,C. Kingdoms in Conflict
note5It is important to note that while in the US a 'President' is the upper most leader in the nation, in many nations, and in this case, Germany, a President 'presides' over the legislature (in the US it is the Vice-President), while another office is more akin to our office of President which is that usually of Chancellor or Priminister. Additionally, some countries such as England have both a Priminister who runs the government and a Monarch, such as the Queen of England. 6Ley, Robert. "Fate: I Believe!" in Calvin College German Propaganda Archives
7Cited in SimpletoRemember.com: Judaism Online; Quotes from Adolf Hitler
© 2002 Elizabeth Kirkley Best PhD; www.shoaheducation.com