The New York Times' first article about Hitler's rise is absolutely stunning

[Janelle2002 3,865]

The New York Times' first article about Hitler's rise is absolutely stunning

Updated by Zack Beauchamp on March 3, 2016, 10:44 a.m. ET @zackbeauchamp zack@vox.com

Adolf Hitler, circa 1922. (Imagno/Getty Images)

On November 21, 1922, the New York Times published its very first article about Adolf Hitler. It's an incredible read especially its assertion that "Hitler's anti-Semitism was not so violent or genuine as it sounded." This attitude was, apparently, widespread among Germans at the time; many of them saw Hitler's anti-Semitism as a ploy for votes among the German masses.

Times correspondent Cyril Brown spends most of the piece documenting the factors behind Hitler's early rise in Bavaria, Germany, including his oratorical skills, for example: "he exerts an uncanny control over audiences, possessing the remarkable ability to not only rouse his hearers to a fighting pitch of fury, but at will turn right around and reduce the same audience to docile coolness."

But the really extraordinary part of the article is the three paragraphs on anti-Semitism. Brown acknowledges Hitler's vicious anti-Semitism as the core of Hitler's appeal and notes the terrified Jewish community was fleeing from him but goes on to dismiss it as a play to satiate the rubes (bolding mine):

He is credibly credited with being actuated by lofty, unselfish patriotism. He probably does not know himself just what he wants to accomplish. The keynote of his propaganda in speaking and writing is violent anti-Semitism. His followers are nicknamed the "Hakenkreuzler." So violent are Hitler's fulminations against the Jews that a number of prominent Jewish citizens are reported to have sought safe asylums in the Bavarian highlands, easily reached by fast motor cars, whence they could hurry their women and children when forewarned of an anti-Semitic St. Bartholomew's night.

But several reliable, well-informed sources confirmed the idea that Hitler's anti-Semitism was not so genuine or violent as it sounded, and that he was merely using anti-Semitic propaganda as a bait to catch masses of followers and keep them aroused, enthusiastic, and in line for the time when his organization is perfected and sufficiently powerful to be employed effectively for political purposes.

A sophisticated politician credited Hitler with peculiar political cleverness for laying emphasis and over-emphasis on anti-Semitism, saying: "You can't expect the masses to understand or appreciate your finer real aims. You must feed the masses with cruder morsels and ideas like anti-Semitism. It would be politically all wrong to tell them the truth about where you really are leading them."

Now, Brown's sources in all likelihood did tell him that Hitler's anti-Semitism was for show. That was a popular opinion during Nazism's early days. But that speaks to how unprepared polite German society was for a movement as sincerely, radically violent as Hitler's to take power.

One other thing: if "violent anti-Semitism" was such a winning issue for Hitler, what does that tell us about the state of public opinion in Bavaria in 1922?

http://www.vox.com/2015/2/11/8016017/ny-times-hitler

https://youtu.be/drWh6vBa45k

Edited March 3, 2016 by Janelle2002

[smilesammich 10,727]

[ExPatty 502]

It's an interesting read, and comparing people to Hitler is a tried and true tactic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_Hitlerum The problem is it happens so much it's rarely taken seriously, even when sometimes it should be. Trump certainly has some characteristics of Hitler, but most great leaders do because, after all, Hitler was a very effective leader, with great skills of persuasion. He was also very intelligent, very capable, and competent. He took a beaten country still smarting from the first world war and made it a global power that came within a hair's width of completely conquering Europe. He was also a mass murderer with no moral compass. Through his skills as a leader he took millions of people who probably didn't care much about jews one way or the other, and fashioned them into a mechanism that resulted in the death of millions of them.

To me the scariest thing about Hitler is that he evidences the malleability of the public. A single force can turn an entire nation upside down, caught in a personality cult. What could make the average German, born like most people and raised like most, find himself sending children into gas chambers? What if a similar leader had been in England? Or a similar one in America? Hitler merely took advantage of vulnerability that to this day all humans share.

To be fair though Trump is the most fascist-like guy who has probably ever run for president, certainly who received any real attention.

He:

• likes waterboarding
• wants to kill the family's of terrorists
• would explore the notion of Muslims registering (very Hitleresque)

[smilesammich 10,727]

man..there was a documentary that hbo did back in the day. it was more about evangelicals like benny hinn and the power of mass audience/crowds & herd hysterics but hitler's crowd control skills were discussed. wish i could remember what that was called.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

<p>It's an interesting read, and comparing people to Hitler is a tried and true tactic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_Hitlerum The problem is it happens so much it's rarely taken seriously, even when sometimes it should be. Trump certainly has some characteristics of Hitler, but most great leaders do because, after all, Hitler was a very effective leader, with great skills of persuasion. He was also very intelligent, very capable, and competent. He took a beaten country still smarting from the first world war and made it a global power that came within a hair's width of completely conquering Europe. He was also a mass murderer with no moral compass. Through his skills as a leader he took millions of people who probably didn't care much about jews one way or the other, and fashioned them into a mechanism that resulted in the death of millions of them. To me the scariest thing about Hitler is that he evidences the malleability of the public. A single force can turn an entire nation upside down, caught in a personality cult. What could make the average German, born like most people and raised like most, find himself sending children into gas chambers? What if a similar leader had been in England? Or a similar one in America? Hitler merely took advantage of vulnerability that to this day all humans share. To be fair though Trump is the most fascist-like guy who has probably ever run for president, certainly who received any real attention. He:

• likes waterboarding
• wants to kill the family's of terrorists
• would explore the notion of Muslims registering (very Hitleresque)

Trump learned from the worst in history

[ExPatty 502]

man..there was a documentary that hbo did back in the day. it was more about evangelicals like benny hinn and the power of mass audience/crowds & herd hysterics but hitler's crowd control skills were discussed. wish i could remember what that was called.

It has always worked a treat. Convince the crowd that things are incredibly bad, give them a target to hold responsible, and convince them you are the gun that takes it down.

[smilesammich 10,727]

It has always worked a treat. Convince the crowd that things are incredibly bad, give them a target to hold responsible, and convince them you are the gun that takes it down.

there's a science to it, the documentary tied in with the history of revivals/faith healers and how paralyzed people can sometimes be momentarily healed during a large spiritual events. people's brains are affected when listening to one speaker in a large crowd but obviously certain speakers have more of a gift to manipulate that affect than others..

[OriZ 3,157]

I said it several times before and I'll repeat it again - comparing pretty much anyone(even putin), including trump - to hitler - shows a complete lack of understanding of history.

[Póg mo 1,749]

Hitler, fundamentalist Christians, nationalists,fundementalist muslims and Zionists, insert religion of your choice here, all share a similar characteristics. I.e. the belief that what they do, is right and just and nobody will ever convince them otherwise. They will use their enemies actions to excuse anything that they do, and will claim that they are just defending themselves against barbarians or anyone who might fight back.

[Dakine10 5,452]

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

-- Herman Goering

[OriZ 3,157]

Having read Mein Kampf, I can tell you not alot of people today can be compared to Hitler.

Except for maybe a few Iranians.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Having read Mein Kampf, I can tell you not alot of people today can be compared to Hitler.

Except for maybe a few Iranians.

The hatred he is inciting is exactly the same hatred Hitler used to aspire hatred towards Jews. Trumps supporters hate Muslims, Mexicans and Asians.................he praises them saying they are "patriotic."

[OriZ 3,157]

The hatred he is inciting is exactly the same hatred Hitler used to aspire hatred towards Jews. Trumps supporters hate Muslims, Mexicans and Asians.................he praises them saying they are "patriotic."

Gee, you're not generalizing at all.

45% of Republicans apparently hate muslims, mexicans and asians. I had no clue. Thanks for enlightening me.

Did you read mein kampf?

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Gee, you're not generalizing at all.

45% of Republicans apparently hate muslims, mexicans and asians. I had no clue. Thanks for enlightening me.

Did you read mein kampf?

You realize 80% of people who went Republican on Tuesday sup ported banning Muslims.

Didn't read it. I know enough to know he convinced people to believe Jews were the crux of Germans problems, especially the poor, and this inspired them to support him.

It's a familiar rhetoric indeed.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Janelle2002

[OriZ 3,157]

You realize 80% of people who went Republican on Tuesday sup ported banning Muslims.

Didn't read it. I know enough to know he convinced people to believe Jews were the crux of Germans problems, especially the poor, and this inspired them to support him.

It's a familiar rhetoric indeed.

Read it. It's 17 bucks on amazon.

Edited March 4, 2016 by OriZ