ADOLFHITLER:BIOGRAPHYANDCHARACTER

AdolfHitlerlivedfromApril20,1889toApril30,1945almostexactlyfiftysix
years.Thedifferencebetweenhisfirstthirtyyearsandthefollowingtwentysixyears
seemstobeinexplicable.Forthirtyyearshewasanobscurefailurethenalmostovernight
alocalcelebrityandeventuallythemanaroundwhomthewholeofworldpolicy
revolved. (Haffner,p.1)ThebiographyofAdolfHitlerisuniqueamongthegreat
politicalleadersofhistory.Butasahumanbeing,hewasalwaysafailureoratleast
strangelyincomplete.AsSebastianHaffnerputit: "Hislifelackedeverythingthat
normallylendsweight,warmthanddignitytoahumanlife:education,occupation,love
andfriendship,marriage,parenthood.Apartfrompoliticshiswasanemptylifeand
henceone[that]wasstrangelylightweight,andlightlydiscarded. (Haffner,p.4)What
sortofpersonwasAdolfHitler?Hereisoneclue.
In1939HitlerorderedthecompletedestructionoftheAustrianvillageof
Dllersheim.Thetinyvillage,birthplaceofhisancestors,wasconvertedintoanartillery
rangeforthearmyandblastedbeyondrecognitionbygunsandmortars.Whydidthe
leaderoftheGreaterGermanReichordertheobliterationofhisfather'sbirthplaceand
destroythesiteofhisgrandmother'sgrave?PerhapsHitlerwasobsessedwiththe
possibilitythathewasonequarterJewishorjustaslikely,Hitlerdidnotwanttoreveal
toomuchaboutthetangledwebofinbreedinginhisfamily history.In1930,hebrought
hisnineteenyearoldnephewPatrick,whomhehadnevermetbeforetoMunichwherehe
toldhimnevertograntinterviewstothepress: Youidiots.Heshouted,youregoing
todomein.PeoplemustnotknowwhoIam.TheymustnotknowwhereIcomefrom
andwhomyfamilyis.NoteveninmybookdidIallowonewordtocomeoutaboutthese
things.Iamanentirelynonfamilialbeing.Ionlybelongtomyfolkishcommunity.
(Haman,p.51) AdolfHitlerwasasecretiveman.Hardlyanyprominentfigurein
historyhasevertriedsohardtocoverhistracks.

INTHEHOUSEOFMYPARENTS
Inthefirstchapterofhisautobiography MeinKampf,writteninprisonin1924at
theageof35,HitlerdescribedhisparentsasmodelsoftraditionalGermanvalues: "My
father[was]adutifulcivilservant,mymothergivingallherbeingtothehousehold,and
devotedabovealltouschildrenineternal,lovingcare." Likesomuchof MeinKampf,
theportraitofhisparentsisapartialfabrication.Helovedhismotherdeeplybuthe
fearedhisfather.Thereisabundantevidenceofhisfeelingstowardshisfather. Hetoldhis
secretaryChristiSchroeder,Ididntlovemyfather,butIwasallthemoreafraidofhim.
Hehadtantrumsandimmediatelybecamephysicallyviolent.Mypoormotherwould
alwaysbeveryscaredforme. (Haman,p.18)HetoldhislawyerHansFrankabouthis
fathersheavydrinking: Evenasatentotwelveyearold,Ihadtotakemyfatherhome
fromthebar.ThatwasthemosthorribleshameIhaveeverfelt.OhFrank,whatadevil
alcoholis!Itreallywasviamyfatherthemosthorribleenemyofmyyouth.
(Haman,p.12)

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TheirmothermorethancompensatedwhateveraffectiontheHitlerchildrenmissed
intheirfather.AccordingtothedescriptiongivenbyherJewishdoctor,EduardBloch,
afterheleftNaziGermany,KlaraHitlerwasasimple,modest,kindlywoman.Shewas
tall,hadbrownishhairwhichshekeptneatlyplaited,andalong,ovalfacewith
beautifullyexpressivegreyblueeyes. Shewasalsosubmissive,retiring,andapious
Catholic.Herfirstthreechildrenalldiedininfancywithinweeksofoneanotherin18878
andherfifthchildEdmunddiedatagesixin1900.Hersorrowscouldonly havebeen
compoundedbylifewithherirascible,unfeeling,andalcoholichusband.YoungAdolf
adoredher.Dr.Blochlaterwrote: Outwardly,hisloveforhismotherwashismost
strikingfeature.Whilehewasnotamothersboyintheusualsense,Ihavenever
witnessedacloserattachment. Hismothermayhavebeentheonlypersonhegenuinely
lovedinhisentirelife.IfwecanmanagetolookbeyondthemanthatHitlerwasto
become,inthewordsofIanKershaw,hisfamilycircumstancesinvokeforthemostpart
sympathyforthechildexposedtothem.(Kershaw,p.12)
Thetroubledadolescent,asyoungmenhavesincetimeimmemorial,tendedtofind
refugeinaworldoffantasy.Attimeshedreamedofwritingmusicatothertimes,hesaw
himselfasagreatpainter.Oneneighborofthefamilyrecalled: Whenthepostmaster
askedhimonedaywhathewantedtodoforalivingandwhetherhewouldntliketojoin
thepostoffice,herepliedthatitwasintentiontobecomeagreatartist. (Kershaw,p.
xxxi)Heclungtothisdreamwithamazingpersistence.Evenasdictator,hetoldhis
intimatesthathadhispoliticalmissionnotintervened,Iwouldhavebeenoneof
Germanysgreatestarchitects.

FantasyandFailure
ItisdifficulttodisputethejudgmentofSebastianHaffner:AdolfHitlersfather
madeasuccessoflife.Hissonbeganbymakingamessofhislife. (Haffner,p.1)He
wenttoanumberofschoolsandperformedpoorly.Atagefifteen,hismothersenthimto
anewschool severalmilesaway.Hismidtermreportcardshowedfailinggradesin
German,French,Math,andstenography.Hedislikedmostofhisteachersbecause"they
hadnosympathywithyouth:theironeobjectivewasstuffourbrainsandturnusinto
eruditeapeslikethemselves." HisFrenchteacher,Dr.Huemertestifiedathistrialin
1924:
Hewasdecidedlygifted,ifonesided,buthaddifficultycontrollinghis
temper.Hewasconsideredintractableandwillful,alwayshadtobe
rightandeasilyflewoff thehandle,andheclearlyfounditdifficultto
accommodatehimselftothelimitsofaschool.Hedemandedunconditional
subordinationfromhisschoolmates. (Haman,p.11)
Dr.HuemerseemstobeintheminorityinrememberingHitleratall.Otherteachersand
classmatesclaimedthathehadnotstoodoutatschoolinanyparticularfashion,either
negativelyorpositively. (Kershaw,p.17)Attheendofwhatwewouldcalltheninth
grade,Hitlertalkedhisdyingmotherintoallowinghimtodropoutofschool.
Hefantasizedaboutbecomingagreatpainterandarchitect.Hehadfewfriends
asidefromayoungupholsterer'ssonnamedAugustKubizek. Hehadtospeak,

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recalledKubizek,andneededsomeonetolistentohim. Thisfriendshipalsosetthe
toneforHitlerslaterrelationships.AntonKubizekwasaquiet,dreamyyouth.Hefelt
stronglyaboutlittleornothingAdolfhadstrongfeelingsabouteverything.Hefound
Hitlersselfassuranceattractive.WhetherAdolfwasharanguinghimaboutthemental
deficienciesofteachersorthegreatnessofRichardWagnersoperas,Kubizekwas
grippedasneverbefore.AntonwashighlyimpressionableAdolfwasonthelookoutfor
someonetoimpress.Itwasaperfectpartnership.Likethelatermassaudiencesthat
Hitlerwouldentrance,Kubizekremainedasubmissiveandpassivepartnerintheir
discussions.(Kershaw,p.21) AsthehistorianWernerMaserwrote,"Genuineinterest
inotherswastotallyalientohimthemanwhocouldinflamethemassesandidentify
himselfwiththeirlongingsasfewothers,neverbotheredtofindoutwhathisfriendslet
alonestrangersthoughtandfelt."Allofhislife,whenforcedtolistentoothers,Hitler
wouldimmediatelywithdrawintohisownworld.
Thehistorian ErnstNoltearguesthatthedominantfeatureinHitler'spersonality
wasinfantilismdefinedas "persistenceinremaininginthechild'sworldofbeing
awareonnoonebuthimselfandhismentalimages." Henevergrewupintotheadult
worldofcompromiseandmoderation.Hisfamousfitsofragewereeithercalculatedto
intimidatehisopponentsontheotherhand,perhapstheywerethegrotesqueangerofa
spoiledadultchild.InflexibilitywasthekeynoteofHitler'slife.Hecontinuedtomakethe
samespellingandgrammaticalerrorsinadulthoodthathemadeasachild.Hisdaily
routinewasmaintainedintactdowntothesmallestdetail.Anydeviationinroutinealways
ledtoanoutburstoftemper. (Spielvogel,p.126)AsFhreroftheGreaterGerman
Reich,Hitleraroselate,pursuedthelazyartist'slife,andenjoyedlatenightmonologues
withhiscroniesinmuchthesamewayhedidinVienna.HisboyhoodfriendAugust
KubizeksummedupHitler'spersonalityinthisway:
Themostoutstandingtraitinmyfriend'scharacterwastheunparalleled
consistencyineverythinghesaidanddid.Therewasinhisnaturesomethingfirm,
inflexible,immovable,obstinatelyrigid,whichmanifesteditselfinhisprofound
seriousnessandwasatthebottomofall hisothercharacteristics.AdolfHitler
simplycouldnotchangehismindorhisnature. (Spielvogel,p.126)
In1907hepersuadedhismothertofinancehisattempttostudyartinVienna.He
failedtheentranceexamfortheAcademyofFineArtsthecommitteenotedsimply:
"Sampledrawingunsatisfactory."In MeinKampf,Hitlerlaterdescribedthisexperienceas
an"abruptblow": [Iwas]soconvincedthatIwouldbesuccessfulthatwhenIreceived
myrejection,itstruckmeasaboltfromtheblue. Hesoughtanexplanationandwas
toldbytheRectoroftheAcademythattherewasnodoubtabouthisunsuitabilityforthe
schoolofpainting,butthathistalentplainlylayinarchitecture.Hitlerlefttheinterview,
asheputit,forthefirsttimeinmyyounglifeatoddswithmyself. Afterafewdaysof
thoughtheconcludedthattheRectorwasrightandthatIwantedtobecomeanarchitect
andobstaclesdonotexisttobesurrenderedto,butonlytobebroken. Inreality,his
rejectionwasabodyblowtohisprideandhedidnotbouncebackasquicklyasheashis
ownstorysuggests.Heappliedagainthenextyearandwasrejectedagain. (Kershaw,
pp.245)Allofhislifeheborethewoundofthatrejection.Heragedthattheartschools
werestaffedby"pipsqueaks"andaimedonly"atkillingeverygenius."

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Hitlersangerandembarrassmentatfailingtheentranceexaminationforthe
ViennaArtAcademywasallthemoreintensebecausehisfriendandroommateAnton
KubizekwasacceptedbytheVienneseAcademyofMusic.AtfirstAdolftriedtokeephis
rejectionasecret,butinthemidstofanargument,hefinallyadmitted,theyrejectedme,
theythrewmeout,theyturnedmedown. Forateenagertofailtopassadifficult
entranceexaminationisneitherunusualnorshameful.ButHitlercouldnotbeartotellhis
friendorhisfamily.Theblowtohisselfesteemwasprofoundandhisbitternessshowed.
Hewouldflyoffthehandleattheslightestprovocation: Chokingwithhiscatalogof
hates,hewouldpourhisfuryovereverything,againstmankindingeneralwhodidnot
understandhim,whodidnotappreciatehimandbywhomhewaspersecuted.Ihadthe
impressionthatAdolfhadbecomeunbalanced,hisroommaterecalled. (Kershaw,p.
39)
In1938,whenHitlerwasatthepeakofhispowerandfame,thenovelistThomas
Mannwroteaperceptiveessay BrotherHitler,inwhichheanalyzedtheartistic
elementsinAdolfHitlerspersonality.Mannwrote:
Thewholepatternisthere: therecalcitrance,sluggishnessandmiserable
indefinitenessofyouththedimnessofpurpose,thewhatdoyoureally
wanttobe,thevegetatinglikeasemiidiotinthelowestsocialand
psychologicalbohemianism,thearrogantrejectionofanysensibleand
honorableoccupationbecauseofthebasicfeelingthatheistoogoodfor
thatsortofthing.Onwhatisthisfeelingbased?Onavaguesenseof
beingreservedforsomethingentirelyindefinable.Tonameit,ifitcould
benamed,wouldmakepeopleburstoutlaughing. (Fest,p.51)

TheHardestSchoolofMyLife
In MeinKampf,hewrotetheoftquotedsentencesabouthisyearsinVienna:
IoweittothatperiodthatIgrewhard.Inthisperiodtheretookshapewithinmea
wordpictureandaphilosophy,whichbecamethegranitefoundationofallmyacts.
InadditiontowhatIthencreated,Ihavehadtolearnlittle,andIhavehadtoalter
nothing.Viennawasandremainedformethehardest,butalsothemostthorough,
schoolofmy life.(Spielvogel,p.22)
HitlerdidnotrecallhisVienneseyearswithanyfondness: TomeVienna,the
citywhich,tosomany,istheepitomeofinnocentpleasure,afestiveplaygroundfor
merrymakers,represents,Iamsorrytosay,merelythelingeringmemoryofthesaddest
periodofmylife.(Spielvogel,p.22) Hesaidthathungerwashisconstantcompanion.
Thattoowasalie.Hisfamilyinheritancewasequaltotheyearlyincomeofalawyer.But
hesquanderedhismoneyinanaimlessattempttoliveaculturedlife.Hevisitedtheopera
andtouredVienna'smuseums.Insteadofmakingaseriousattempttofindwork,he
preferredtofantasizeaboutagreatfutureasanarchitect,painter,orwriter.Hitlers
strangerelationshipwithhisfriendKubizekcontinueduntil1908.Finally,Kubizek
returnedtotheirapartmentthatsummerafterabrieftripandfoundthatHitlerhadmoved

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outwithoutleavingaforwardingaddress.Whennexttheymet,AdolfHitlerwas
ChancellorandFhrerofGermany.
Hesankintotheunderclassofthegreatcity.Hitlermademuchofhispovertyin
MeinKampf. Themothersdarlinghadlosthissoftdownybedandthecarefree
existencehehadenjoyedinLinz.Insteadofthehollownessofcomfortablelife,hewas
nowthrownintoaworldofmiseryandpoverty,withDameCareashisnewmother.
(Kershaw,p.29)Hisonlysourceofmoneywasasmallorphan'spension.Heworkedat
afewconstructionjobs.Inthesummerhewouldsometimessleepintheopenonapark
benchinwinterwhentheweatherturnedcold,hesoughtshelterinahostelforthe
homeless.Foralmostthreeyears,from1910until1913,Hitler'saddresswasthehostel
forthehomelesson27Meldenmannstrasse.Heremarkedlater,Inmyimagination,I
livedinpalaces. Forawhilehestruckupanarrangementwithashadycharacternamed
ReinholdHanischwhosoldhispaintingsandpostcardscenesonthestreet.This
relationshipsoonturnedsour.HitlerfiledacomplaintaboutHanischthatresultedina
shortjailsentence.In1938,whenhehadthepowertodoso,HitlerhadHanischtracked
downandmurderedtoeraseanotherembarrassingreminderofhispast. (Fest,p.47)
Theunhappyyoungmancravedrespectabilityandacceptancebythebourgeois
worldinsteadhefeltrejected.AdolfHitlermovedthroughtheexcitementandglitterof
prewarViennalikeashadow,unlovedandunattached.Hitler,theselfstyledartist,
seemedutterlyunawareevenoftheartisticcurrents.HeknewnothingofSchonberg,
RichardStrauss,ortheSecessionmovement.Hewasignorantoftheexpressionist
paintingsofGustavKlimtorOskarKokoscka."InsteadtheyoungmanfromLinz,"writes
JoachimFest,"relivedinWagnerandBruckner,therapturesofhisparent'sgeneration."
Atheartacountryhick,HitlerstoodoutsidethelockedgatesofViennesesocietyhewas
notarevolutionary.Hewasjustlonely. (Fest,pp.3436)Itishardtoescapethe
conclusionthatAdolfHitlerwasacompletefailureatage24:Unemployed,uneducated
withnofriends,nohintofalovelife,andfewprospects.Hewasanembitteredloner,
similarinmanywaystothepsychologicalprofileofU.S.politicalassassins. (Loader)

THEESSENTIALJEW
Thepsychologicalconsequencesoffailureareeitherdirectedinwardintheformof
criticalselfreproachoroutwardintheformofprojectedanger.Logically,Hitlershould
haveembracedtheMarxistcause,buthepreferredtoidentifyhimselfwiththe
establishment.Heclungdesperatelytothepretenseofrefinementandsocialpolish,
wearingadecentsuit,adarkovercoat,andcarryingawalkingstickwithanivoryhandle.
Hebridledatthesuggestionthatheshouldaccepta"merebreadandbutterjob."Inhis
memoirs,heclaimedthatViennawascrucialtointellectualdevelopment: Inthisperiod
myeyeswereopenedtotwomenacesofwhichIhadpreviouslyscarcelyknownthe
names:MarxismandJewry. (Kershaw,p.29)Hefoundanideologythatallowedhim
toexplainhisfailureandatargetforhisresentments.Itisimpossibletoexplainthe
precisecauseortheexactbeginningofHitler'shatredoftheJewsbutitisalsoclearthat
antiSemitismwastheoxygenofhismentallife.Itwasalltooeasytotransferhis
impotentangerandfrustrationintoracehatred.Onceithadcrystallized,itremaineda
permanentandgrowingfeatureofhischaracter.

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ViennawasperhapsthemostantiSemiticcityinCentralEuropeandHitlerwas
exposedtoendlesspamphletsonthethemeinhiswanderingsthroughthecoffeehouses.
AntiSemitismwasalsoapowerfulpoliticaltoolusedbytheMayorKarlLuegertowin
electionafterelection(HitlercalledLueger"themightiestmayorofalltimes").In1910,
theyearhearrivedinthecity,theJewishpopulationstoodat8.6percent.Inthe
Leopoldstrasse,Hitlerhadhisfirst,fatalencounterwithalienlookingOrthodoxJews.He
describedthatencounterinthesewords:
OnedaywhenIwaswalkingthroughtheinnercity,Isuddenly cameuponabeing
cladinalongcaftan,withblackcurls.IsthisalsoaJew?AtLinztheycertainly
didnotlooklikethat.SecretlyandcautiouslyIwatchedtheman,butthelongerI
staredatthisstrangefacethemoremindreshapedthefirstquestionintoanother
form:isthisaGerman? (Kershaw,p.61)
ForHitler,theanswertothisquestionwasaresoundingno!Hecontinuedhis
observations:
Themoralandphysicalcleanlinessofthisracewasapointinitself.Itwas
apparentthatthesewerenotwaterlovingpeople,andunfortunatelyonecouldtell
thatevenwitheyesclosed.Laterthesmellofthesecaftanwearersoftenmademe
ill.Itwasrepellingsuddenlytodiscoverthemoralblemishesofthechosenpeople.
In MeinKampf,Hitlerdescribedthisasthemomentwhenthescalesfellfromhis
eyes.Vienna'sfoulsmellingJewswerejustthetipoftheiceberg,themostvisiblesignof
adeepermalaise.TheJewswerelikeleecheswhofastenthemselvestosocietyandinfect
everyone.Thus,wheneverwecutopenasocialsorelikeprostitutionordruguse,Hitler
commented,"wealwaysfindalittleJew,blindedbythesuddenlight,likeamaggotina
rottencorpseanicyshudderrandownmyspinewhenseeingforthefirsttimetheJew
asacool,shamelessandcalculatingmanagerofthisshockingvice."
BytheendofhisViennayears,thebasicpatternofAdolfHitler'scharacterwasin
place:
1.AparanoidhatredofJews.
2.Lazinessandahabitualneedtoprojectpersonalfailureontoscapegoats.
3.Aninabilitytoformlovingtieswithanyone,especiallywomen,andacorresponding
tendencytowardsmanipulationinrelationships.
4.Extremeselfabsorptioninunrealisticfantasies.

REDEMPTIONBYWAR
InAugust1914,theFirstWorldWarbrokeoutaneventthetwentysixyearold
Hitlerrememberedas"abeautifulsacredmoment"andmorepersonally,as"adeliverance
fromtheemptinessofmyyouth." Inapsychologicalsense,warwasredemptionofsorts.
HefoundahomeintheListregimentandasenseofbeingapartofafearedmilitary

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machinetheGermanArmy.HehadleftViennaforMunichtoavoidserviceinthe
Austrianarmy.HepetitionedtheKingofBavariarequestingpermissiontoserve.The
answerarrived: "WithtremblinghandsIopenedthedocument,[thusbegan]thegreatest
andmostunforgettabletimeofmyearthlyexistence."
Hewasbyallaccountsazealoussoldier.Hespentmostofthewarservingas
courierdeliveringmessagesbackandforthbetweenthefrontlinetrenchesandregimental
headquarters.Thejobfittedhispersonalityandallowedhimtoremainaloner,sofaras
possible,withinamilitarysetting.Someofhiscomradesrememberedhimasabrown
noserbecauseofhisoverlyzealousattitude.Whenhisfellowsoldiersrelaxed,hewould
oftenignoretheirtalesofsexualexploitsandothersoldiertalk,andtakeextratimeto
cleanhisrifleorpolishhisbayonet.OnemanwhoservedwithhimsaidthatHitlernever
relaxedandalwaysacted"asifwe'dlosethewarifheweren'tonthejobeveryminute."
Althoughhisregimentsufferedappallinglosses,Hitleravoidedseriouswounds.
ButgivenhismoodinessandaloofbehaviorHitlerneverrosebeyondtherankofcorporal.
Accordingtooneofhisofficers,hisbearingwasexceedinglyunmilitaryhisuniformwas
oftenslovenly,heslouchedandgenerallyremainedtaciturnunlesssomeremarkwouldstir
himintodeliveringaharangue.FranzWiedemann,adjutantoftheListregiment,later
testifiedattheNurembergtrialsthatHitler'spromotiontoNCOwasdeniedbecause
"wecoulddiscovernoleadershipqualitiesinhim."
StillHitlerwasabravesoldier.Hisluckinavoidingwoundsconvincedsome
comradesthathehadsomespecialfeelingofinvulnerability.HereceivedboththeIron
CrossFirstandSecondclasses.Justwhathedidtoreceivetheseawardshasbeenlostto
history.ANazischoolbookclaimedhecaptured15Frenchsoldiersandmarchedthem
backtocaptivity.Hitlernevermentionedthespecificsoftheaward.TheIronCrossFirst
Classwasaverysignificantstepinhislifebecausetheawardwasseldomgivenanenlisted
man.Fromthatpointforward,noonecouldquestionhispatrioticcredentialsanymore
thananAmericancouldquestionthepatriotismofaCongressionalMedalofHonor
recipient.ThemedalgaveHitlerinstantcredibilityandlegitimacy.

THEVISIONISBORN:(RUDOLFBINION&R.G.
WAITE)
DefeatleftHitlerdespondent.Tomakemattersworse,hewaswounded
lessthanamonthbeforetheendofthewar.ABritishmustardgasattackat
Ypreslefthimblindedandafflictedwithahoarseandpainfulthroatitalsogave
hisspeakingvoicethatdistinctivetimbre.Wewillneverknowwhatwentonin
Hitler'smindashelayinhospitalrecoveringfromthemustardgas.Rudolf
Binionhasusedthetoolsofpsychohistorytopresentthefollowingargument.
ThesmellofthemustardgasremindedHitleroftheiodoformadministeredtohis
dyingmotherin1907.Bothmustardgasandiodoformaresharpscentedliquids
thatburnthroughtheskinandleaveafoulodorbehindthem.
BinionarguesthatHitler,lyinginhishospitalbed,relivedhismother's
martyrdom,exceptthatthistimeGermany,hissurrogatemother,wasbeing
defiled.OncehemadetheconnectionthatinbothcasestheJewshadbeen
responsible,Hitlerhadfoundthesolutiontobothhispersonalandpolitical

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problems.InBinion'sjudgment,"Dr.Blochhadbeenrightintreatingonepoison
withanotherthetimehadcometoapplythesametreatmenttoGermany's
diseasetopoisonthepoisoners,orJews."LucyDawidowiczcommentedthat
thehistoryoftheHolocaustbeginsinHitler'shospitalbed.Inthelastchapterof
MeinKampf,writtenin1924,Hitlermadestatementsthatcertainly
psychologicallyforeshadowAuschwitz:
IfatthebeginningoftheWarandduringtheWartwelveorfifteen
thousandoftheseHebrewcorruptersofthepeoplehadbeenheldunder
poisongas,ashappenedtohundredsofthousandsofourverybest
Germanworkersinthefield,thesacrificeofmillionsatthefrontwouldnot
havebeeninvain. (Spielvogel,p.270)
ThereisonealternatetheorytoexplainHitler'spathologicalhatredof
Jews.Let'slookattheargumentpresentedbyR.G.Waite.Waiteperhaps
cameclosesttoexplainingtherealrootsofHitler'santiSemitismwhenhe
observedthatHitlerfelt"Jewishnesstobeanevilwithhimself,apoisontobe
purged,ademontobeexorcised."PerhapsitsimplywasthatHitlercouldnot
convincehimselfthathisownfamilytreewascompletelyAryan.Hecertainly
tookpainstocoverhistracksandobscurehisorigins.Eveninhisbody
language,gesturessuchascoveringhismouthandnostrils,repeatedlywhile
speaking,toobscurefacialfeatureshefelttobe"Jewish"lendsomecredenceto
Waite'stheory.Thefamousmustachewasdesignedtodrawattentionaway
fromhis"Jewish"nostrils.
WaiteconcludesthatHitler'santiSemitismwastheproductofa
"borderlinepersonality."Hitler'sdisorderbeganinchildhood,solidifiedinhis
adolescenceinViennaandearlyadulthoodintheGreatWar,andwas
powerfullyreinforcedandnormalizedinasocietyHitlerultimatelyshapedtohis
ownpersonalitytraits.Borderlinepersonalitiesalsotendtoembraceadmired
qualities(Aryantoughness,will,masculinity,creativity)whileprojectingdespised
characteristics(degeneracy,softness,femininity)ontootherscapegoats.
Ultimately,itisimpossibletoproveordisprovesuchtheories,butitisalsoclear
thatbytheageofthirty,AdolfHitlerwasconsumedbyhishatredofJews.Ina
letterdatedSeptember16,1919,calledthefirstpoliticalstatementofhiscareer,
Hitlerstatedhismotivesquiteclearly: "ArationalantiSemitism...mustleadto
thesystematiclegalfight....Itsultimategoalmustunalterablybetheelimination
oftheJewsaltogether."