Was Hitler Crazy

[lufttiger]

Nice post Jim, i would find it hard to believe that any country would allow
a nut case to become a leader of their country, but once a leader, it
would be hard to stop a nut case. IMO i think it was the 44 atempt on his
live that started it, thats when he became a drug addict and lost all sence
of reality.

[SRF]

He was always working from an unreal basic premise. He inhabited a private world of Jewish and Masonic conspiracies against Germany, in which destiny would be determined by racial "spirit". To some extent all these ideas were fairly common at the time, but not to the extent he took them.

As to whether a people would elect a crazy man, Germans were pretty desperate at the time and Hitler seemed to be the only one offering solutions. The Communists were already in control in Russia and people who cared to could see what that lead to and the other parties offered only more of the same old Weimar failure. Many figured that the Nazis couldn't be worse. (Of course, they were wrong.)

[razorboy]

I still think it was the various drugs coupled with a condition much like Col. Kurtz in Apocolypse Now, "His mind is clear but his soul's insane"... something like that. If Hitler had died in a plane crash prior to 1939, he'd be regarded as on of the greatest leaders of all time, I firmly believe that.

razorboy

[Aussie Dave]

Hitler wasn't insane by definition, he did what "he honestly believed" was right and was ruthless and he could be extremely irrational at times, but Hitler wasn't actually crazy.
(He was also grossly misled at times by his own staff on certain issues which led to some of his more terrible strategic decisions.)

As others here have said, Drugs also impaired his intellect to a great degree.
(Just as they did with Reichmarshall Hermann Goering.)

Now if the question was "Did Hitler turn into an Ego-Maniac?"
That answer would be a "YES"


Cheers,
Dave

[Commander Waffle]

Originally Posted by temujin77

We're talking about a leader who murdered his own people en masse. It likes a nut to accomplish that, and a nut isn't made overnight. He was crazy probably since his mother died.

Quoting Will Smoth: (don't screw this up)

He did what HE THAUGHT was right... not what he though everyone else thought was right."

[Commander Waffle]

Originally Posted by lufttiger

Nice post Jim, i would find it hard to believe that any country would allow
a nut case to become a leader of their country, but once a leader, it
would be hard to stop a nut case. IMO i think it was the 44 atempt on his
live that started it, thats when he became a drug addict and lost all sence
of reality.

Well...look at Cuba...Korea...Russia...not to bash those countires.but it seems that those that wish to rule or own more of the world than thedy should, do this.

I'm waiting for America's turn...so don't vote for Cliton eh?

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Commander Waffle

I'm waiting for America's turn...so don't vote for Cliton eh?

Not the place for politics, Waffle.

We have a rant forum for that.

[cyberia]

Was Hitler crazy? Depends I suppose on which Hitler. The perspective of the common German of that time varies greatly.

Growing up I had the unique opportunity to listen to this person be discussed by my parents, relatives and friends of the family. All of whom had survived both Hitler and the war.

As a fly on the wall to these conversations I could hear tones, and attitudes toward Hitler change as specific time frames were discussed.

There was the early Hitler, who ranted in the streets and beer halls. He acted crazy, but so did many at that time, and he seemed to viewed as little more than a character.

Then there was the Hitler who became chancellor. Based on what I heard even then he was not taken too serious. No more than another political figure who at the time were dashing in and out of the national scene like waiters in a restaurant with trays full of promises. Compared to Hindenburg, Hitler was thought of as odd, a cartoon or sorts, but not crazy.

Then there was Hitler the savior. In the great depression Germany was one of the countries hardest hit. Inflation, starvation and destitution was replaced by massive public works programs, jobs, relief measures. Hitler also cast aside to hated Treaty of Versailles, built up the Wehrmacht and re-occupied the Rhine breathing new life into national pride. At this time he was thought of as anything but crazy.

When war broke out in 1939, most Germans worried, but gave Hitler the benefit of the doubt. After the fall of France, Hitler was considered by almost all as a great leader. A brilliant tactician. Few Germans knew what was really going on in the planning sessions and deep within his mind.

Hitler's sanity did not come into question by many Germans until 1941, when he declared war on America. As the war turned against the Germans, as cities were bombed, shortages appeared and battle lines crept closer to Germany's borders, it seems that Hitler was minor concern. Survival was all that mattered. The nazi smoke screen of propaganda became transparent and the people fought on only because they had little other choice in the matter.

As for the post war assessment of their leader. Once the truth of the Holocaust was known, the stupid and stubborn decisions, the scorched earth policy against his own people, the throwing away of so many good fighting men on wishful thinking, Hitler was considered to have been stark raving mad.

As much of what Hitler did during and at the end of his power, were the result of plans set forth at his beginning, he had to have been insane.

A misdiagnoses in history that if not made, could have stopped the madness early, and saved so many innocent lives.

[Jim O]

Excellent response cyberia. You do indeed have a unique perspective among those who have answered. Hopefully Klaus can soon get back online and give his perspective, though I would be curious to hear from his father and grandfather as well.

[cyberia]

Thanks, Jim. I would also like to hear Klaus' family's take on it. A complex issue with no one answer fits all reply.