Hitler was great; I can't say more

[emad]

March 12, 2005
Times
By Roger Boyes
Udo Voigt, leader of the German far-right NPD, faces inquiry for 'glorification' of Nazism

“ADOLF HITLER was a great German statesman,” the bête noire of the German Establishment said as he sat in a room darkened by bombproof shutters.

“If you can call Churchill a great Briton, if you can make a hero out of Alexander the Great, then you have to give that status to Hitler, too,” Udo Voigt, the leader of the far-right National Party of Germany (NPD), said. “My lawyer has told me to say no more than that.”

This rising right-wing extremist is under investigation for allegedly glorifying the Nazis. “All part of a strategy to criminalise me and marginalise the party,” he said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1521248,00.html

[emad]

1. Downfall' gives new life to debate on Hitler, Nazis

By Stephen Schaefer
Saturday, March 12, 2005

Putting Hitler's Germany back on the world's front pages, ``Downfall'' prompts discussion and debate.

This Oscar-nominated German film is a re-creation of the final 12 days in Adolf Hitler's life and the collapse of his Nazi regime. It opened locallyyesterday.

``Downfall'' was a box-office hit in Germany and sold out its first American openings. And there is no shortage of praise for Bruno Ganz's definitive portrayal of Hitler as a frail, delusional leader. Given that Hitler was behind the genocide that instigated a costly and deadly world war, some critics wonder if ``Downfall'' has made a monster seem sympathetic.

``Millions of people loved this man. Why?'' Ganz asked. ``It's not enough to show some idiot, and we have some fun in the audience - that's not it. So I decided to go for it and make a serious thing.''

http://theedge.bostonherald.com/movieNews/view.bg?articleid=72886

[emad]

2. See also: Stalin's secret Hitler book to be published

March 12, 2005 - 12:29PM

A secret biography of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler commissioned by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin is to be published later this month, the book's British publisher said today.

The work, Hitler Book, was presented to the Soviet dictator in December 1949, in a limited edition of one, and was put in his personal archive before being discovered in 2004 by German historian Matthias Uhl.

"A second copy of the biography was made in 1965 and placed in a separate archive, which was used as corroborating evidence that the first book was authentic," a spokeswoman for publisher John Murray said.

A statement said the book would be published by Lubbe in Germany in March with its UK publication due in November.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Stalins-secret-Hitler-book-to-be-published/2005/03/12/1110567735507.html?oneclick=true

[Tansy_Gold]

4. You have to wonder, given the current state of politics

if "sympathetic" views of Hitler will either change the way some folks are looking at the fascisti in Washington or change the way they look at Hitler.

I've been saying since early 2000 that the booshies were the next Nazis. I'm not even sure now, five years later, how I knew that or what reasoning I used, because I'm really not that close a student of history. However, nothing I've learned since then has changed my mind, rather everything I've seen and heard and read has confirmed that initial appraisal.

I do not recall ever hearing about ordinary "Americans" expressing a strong desire to leave this country the way I have heard people doing so lately, and I wonder how similar these comments are to the conversations Jewish families must have had in Germany in the early 30s.

Much of my maternal ancestors were German and east European Jews who emigrated in the 19th century; they left behind relatives, some of whom survived the Holocaust and some who didn't. This has always been a part of my personal heritage, so perhaps I take it more seriously than the generally christian population I grew up with and married into and have lived among. So maybe I'm more sensitive to it than the other people I come in contact with. But it's a feeling I simply have not been able to shake.

It's not that I think the booooshie's will come after the American Jews, although they might. I just see very very very bad times ahead, for all of us. Hitler attempted to annihilate the Jews and other groups he saw as dangerous to his master race, but in the process he caused the slaughter of many of his beloved Aryans, too, including of course himself. So I don't think anyone can feel safe from the booooshies, and that ought to scare all of us.

Thanks for posting these.

[emad]

5. Gut instinct about the indefensible usually nails it on the line.

Most sane, rational beings on Planet Earth can't all be wrong...

[joeybee12]

6. Agreed...last time Repukes were in control of all 3 branches, McCarthyism

was our system of government.

We really do have fascists in power...and every time you try to bring it up, you get cut down by people who say Bush hasn't done anything nearly as bad as Hitler. No, of course he hasn't--but that's not a valid comparison at this point. Give him time. Hitler took control of his party in 1921--and in 1933 took over Germany, These things don't happen overnight--it takes a slow erosion of rights, and a slow, and often subtle turn to the right. We are really, really screwed.

[emad]

7. It's not that Bush hasn't done anything nearly as bad as Hitler, it's

just that Thatcher and Bush1 when he was Ronnie Raygun's Veep made sure that an arselicker acceptable to the Saudis - like Tony Blair -
would be in charge of erasing any security/intelligence files on US/UK cold war era dirty tricks that would exonerate Shrub's disgusting past in order to get him elected to the WH.

The symbiotic relationship between Poodle and his Master was the brainchild of Kissinger who knew the repukes were shit deep in trouble and needed a Saviour that they could market.

[reprobate]

8. And poor, misunderstood Adolph did it all legally.

Hmmmm, just like poor, misunderestimated Mad King George. They both did it by taking over their party, and changing the laws thru intimidation and 'national security'.

Hitler used the 'Enabling Act'.

Bush used the 'Patriot Act'.

Hitler was protecting Germany from Communists.

Bush is ptotecting us from Terrorists.

Sure there's a difference between them.

One was a master orator.

The other is a butcher of his native language.

[cascadiance]

9. Another difference...

One created the VW Beetle for generations to come...

The other got "bailed out" of every business venture he tried to get into.

[AndyTiedye]

24. It Became a Lot More Obvious after 9/11

One index I use has been how many *recent* hits I get when I
google "Reichstag Fire". Very few right after 9/11, but increasing
throughout 2002 and 2003 and exploding within the last year.
Googling for "Reichstag Fire" was also how I found Democratic Underground.

[TygrBright]

12. Not sympathetic at all...

...it's a chilling portrayal. Hitler was the embodiment of evil, but he didn't see himself that way. The evil ones don't. They have a whole range of other self-images they choose from-- "misunderstood," "visionary," "strong enough to do what has to be done," "savior," "of a higher order where the rules for others don't apply," "entitled because of what they did to me," etc.

The film shows Hitler's choice of self-images, kaleidoscoping through the whole range. The only people who might see it as a "sympathetic" portrayal are those who think any attempt to portray an evil man as other than knowingly, deliberately, consciously evil in his own estimation is "sympathy." Outside of Shakespeare (and even Richard III had his moments of ambiguity,) such villains are rare. Human consciousness militates against us seeing ourselves as evil, even when perpetrating truly monstrous acts.

In that respect, it's a realistic and terrifying portrait of evil.

But the truly chilling part (and the part that will whistle right over the heads of most redstaters,) is the portrayal of the ordinary Germans. They show genuinely admirable character traits-- courage, self-sacrifice, empathy, many heroic virtues. The scary thing is how ordinary people with plenty of good and noble character traits can be deluded into being the willing servants of evil.

But most Americans won't see the parallel, unfortunately.

sadly,
Bright

[joeybee12]

15. And Dumbo truly believes he's been appinted by God...

...and those around him encourage this so-called "belief."

I've even heard Tweety and Rudy say they believe this also. They have no shame.

[Tansy_Gold]

20. You're absolutely correct, Bright, and then the question becomes

apropos of my post #6, will the viewers change their opinion of "ordinary Germans" or change their opinion of themselves. It's too frightening a scenario for me to speculate on their choice.

Of course, most people of that persuasion won't see the film. They already know that their leader isn't at all like Hitler and they already know they aren't like "ordinary Germans."

And so it goes, as Linda Ellerbee says. . . . . .

[kevsand]

3. I'm sorry,

but I can't read this without thinking of the "Springtime for Hitler" production in Mel Brooks' "The Producers."

[Amfortas]

13. LOL!

[onehandle]

10. Oh. I expected this to be a new Ahnold quote.

This is no surprise coming from anyone described as "far-right".

None at all.

[Mika]

11. Arnold Schwarzenegger said so also

[Gregorian]

14. By that standard, so is Bush, and Vlad the Impaler

Leading isn't the standard of measurement. Not in my book, at least. It's what good they did. What bit of help they administered to the poor, the sick, and those who were unfortunate. In a word- love.

[kevsand]

17. I think that's unfair to Vlad...

;-)

[BiggJawn]

16. Well, the NPD *IS* catching on....

What, 9%? 12%?
Very disturbing. looks like the race is on to see who gets to be the next Fuhrer, Udo, or Dumbya.

Fuckers NEVER learn, do they?

[ausiedownunderground]

18. He did however DIE ! very young by modern standards!

[Chicago Democrat]

19. Wow, the nazis are back and they look like....

School of the America's
John Negroponte
Donald Rumsfelt

[Athame]

21. In fifty years, if the world survives

the headline will be, "W was great; I can't say more."

I am struck by the thought that the Germans, many of whom are doing everything possible to fight the US menace, are going to be paying the price for Hitler's legacy for generations yet to come.

And I am afraid the same will be true of our grandchildren's grandchildren if we don't find a way to completely destroy the BFEE.

[struggle4progress]

22. Faint whiffs of Zyklon B are causing Udo to hallucinate again. eom

[ausiedownunderground]

23. Didn't the "brainey" Nazi's find a home in America?

When the war in Europe was coming to a conclusion, the incredibly smart Nazi's went to America. Their skills were in Weapons!!! America needed them unless the "Communist" menace got its hand's on them!
However it didn't matter - The Russians are 10 years ahead of the American's in "Missile" technology.

[NNN0LHI]

25. They all work for NASA building buzz-bombs...er..ah...rockets n/t