'Travellers in the Third Reich' by Julia Boyd.

 

World of Books

 

This is an interesting book.  I must say I read this on 'Kindle,' as it was cheaper that way!  Actual books however, are easier to read as maps and notes can be turned to much easier.  

Kindle however, is ideal for lying on your side in bed while reading.

During the 1930's a wide variety of people passed through Germany.  The country had been a popular holiday resort from long before the Great War, you will remember Jerome K Jerome's second book 'Three Men on the Bummel,' was based on a cycling holiday in Germany.  Even after the conflict many continued to visit a nation they enjoyed.  Some were ex-servicemen seeking reconciliation, some religious feeding hungry children during the 1920's, and there were plenty of them at that time, and others seeking peace during the 30's.  

Once Hitler took control many continued to visit, either because they admired the obvious improvements such as the building of houses for workers, improved work to eradicate unemployment, and the purpose and stability which grew during the 1930's throughout the country.  Those who admired such things tended to downplay or ignore the other side of National Socialism.  Jews, some claimed, got what they deserved, others took a different view and risked all to save Jews and their children, an act which cost them money and could have cost them their lives.

From our perspective it was obvious what was happening, however, for those on the ground, including worldly wise and intelligent people, recognising what was happening around them was not easy.  The devil disguises himself in light and confusion when he operates!  Clearly many did not realise, until 1938, the depth of darkness around them.   

W.E.B. Du Bois, a black American in his 60's loved the country and found himself welcomed across Germany.  An intelligent and wise man yet he found it difficult to understand what was actually happening around him.  Such was the difficulty under the Nazis.  

English women married to Germans had a great deal of freedom, once they proved their Aryan background, and it is surprising how many were found, often working together, in Germany during the war.  A great many foreigners were in the country, usually from Scandanavian or European nations and with a great deal of belief in National Socialism.  Many died in action.  Women suffered the loss of their husbands in action, one decapitated when he was found to be sheltering a refugee (Jew?).  While the men were away they had to rear children, the German woman's job under Nazi rule, and eventually work in factories and fields.    

The impression left is a nation totally under the control of one man.  The belief in him was strong, even after 1943 when it became clear the war was lost.  During Hitler's rise the nation put their trust in him, and those who didn't kept their mouths shut.  Obedience was all, and all obeyed.  This was the situation in the UK also under the war cabinet, however, in the UK complaints were loud and clear, obedience was for the good of the many and all knew it, while a huge number did not obey and rebelled when the stress was too much.  A very different kind of repression to that in Germany.  Belief in Hitler was strong, not always forced, and this allowed him to pacify the nation while building arms and planning to finish the Great War.  

This book aids an understanding of how such control can happen without anyone noticing, and gaining support from the many, in spite of awful things occurring.   I found it entrancing, with the one problem that the author jumps from one person to another making it difficult to keep up with who is who!  Maybe that is just me?

I recommend this book.    

 

Signs of the Times

So many things about Boris Johnson remind me of Hitler.

Both had broken families, both had bad fathers, both Hitler and Boris put themselves before anything else.  Neither were as they appeared, both were actors for the crowd.  They both put themselves first, all else can be manipulated to their desire.

Add to this the influence of political shicanary from both the well known Dominic Cummings and the less well known Steve Bannon.  Dominic's approach has been one of both arrogance and efficiency, he got Boris elected.  Steve Bannon while unknown to many is far more dangerous.  His influence has aided Donald Trump to get into the White House, an influence which appeared to end when he disagreed with the bumbling president.  Who knows whether an influence remains.  Bannon however, has influence behind the scenes in many places, all following the Far-Right approach to life.  He attempted to establish a centre in Italy to propagate his opinions, this was refused, and now an appeal through the courts is under way.  The last thing Italians require is another Far-Right organisation.  Bannon has influenced Boris greatly.  Look at how Boris has used his power.

Boris used the queen to stop parliament debating his bills.  Boris, like Adolf, has the media on hs side, the BBC now controlled by his placements, other influential positions are being given to his donors, friends, supporters and those using him for their advancement, just like in 1930's Germany.  The media not asking questions in print or on TV means the vast majority do not understand what is being done to the nation.  One Bill going through parliament could lead to investigative reporters being jailed as spies for treason if they question government policy!  How fascist is this?  The courts which have ruled against many of his, or his cabals Bills, are threatened with losing the right to question.  Another Far-Right move, suggested by Bannon perhaps? 

The public, like the Germans in the 30's, supports moves to halt immigration and get out of the EU because they have been told lies about both for 30 years.  The constant repeat of the lies, blatant in places, leads to many more than willing to support Boris and his government.  A complaint majority, however slight, a 'culture war' that neither Boris or his followers understand, can easily go wrong.  There are many forces at work in the UK today, none of them pretty, and few comprehend how near to a fascist state we are becoming.

Nothing Blog

It has been that sort of a week.
Nothing in the news bar election, which means Brexit.
No interesting items to read therein, just lies and more lies.
The football pages, the Edinburgh ones anyway, are full of lies re the new managers for Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian.  Names are plucked out of a hat, any unemployed manager is given a ring and asked if he is interested, a full declaration of his love for the club is then published.  Neither of the two clubs have any interest in these men, but anything is used to sell these days.  A Celtic coach has spent much time in the media, Hibernian did not contact him, they did not want him, most fans had never heard of him, but he was 'linked' to Hibs.  The Celtic fans, possibly Hibs ones also, clicked on the online story, wasting their time they read nothing but bull.  Story worked, nothing happened but such is the media today.

I have of course made use of Twitter, much better than facebook, to put right those who are wrong.  This does bring back various answers, educated ones from people in the know, far from educated ones from Rangers fans and gay boys.  Political ones are a dream, although so many comments appear to be 'bots' rather than real people.  
The disadvantage of Twitter is when someone posts a news item, say a football story, then everyone re-tweets this and soon the whole thing is dominated by one story, real or imagined, that never appears to end!  Nothing can stop this. 
At the moment Farage is dominating the page.  Quite why I know not, but there he is, constantly appearing again and again.  You would begin to imagine he has friends pushing this for him, surely not...?

  
This is nice.  
Press baron Lord Rothermere meets world leader.
Nice to see two men working for peace together.  How things have changed.  Today the 'Daily Mail,' the Lords publication, would be aghast at meeting such a man.  I suspect Adolf may feel similarly if he read the rag today...

On the genealogy trail I discovered one great granddad had a marvellous way in which to stop his wife nagging him.  He always had a way with women, however he did not reveal it to the wider public, well, not until the trial at any roads...

Bank Holiday Baloney

It was warm enough when I went to Tesco at ten this morning and the sun has reached 31/87% at the moment.  
I am inside!
Today is a rest day, not that I intended that, I have just done nothing but shop and eat or sleep since. 
Suits me.
Being a Bank Holiday there is of course no news just pictures of people burning in the sun or getting ready to travel slowly along 'A' roads back from the seaside.  Boris however finds a space by declaring Pork Pies are sold to Thailand but cannot be sold to the USA because of trade restrictions.  Immediately he is proved wrong by the Pie makers who have never sold pies to Thailand and don't bother with the US as it aint not worth it.  Good old Boris getting his facts wrong.  The fake news offered continues when he claims foreign observers ought not to talk to those opposing Brexit because it cannot be stopped, just like all his other promises this is incorrect also.  The more time he spends with Trump, the saviour of the world, the more time he becomes a little Trump.  Maybe it's an Eton thing?

   Amazon

Meanwhile I have been finishing some books.  This one was a bit slow, the author tended to spend to much time on detail better omitted and stick to the flow of the story, though I suspect he was attempting to establish Bonhoeffer's 'Christology by doing so.  He is also American speaking to a generation that emerged long after the war and therefore has to explain thing most people came to know in the 50's and 60's.  
Bonhoeffer grew up in a  wealthy family with legal leanings and for some reason chose early to read theology.  He, like his family, was not a church going type so the reasons for his choice are unclear.
He was then educated at a liberal type theology college and was to spend his life in study rather than normal pastoral roles.  These did come later during the 1930's when Adolf Hitler was making his mark and it is remarkable that this man's learning gave him the desire to oppose the rise of the Nazi Party.
The church in Germany had a close connection to the state and many Christians happily went along with a Nazi ruled church, the minority opposed this and many were not to survive the war, and mostly not from enemy action.  
Bonhoeffer did his best to prepare men for leadership in the church, especially after the war,all the time becoming more and more evangelical in this thought as he did so.  However this was not clear enough and he fell into the trap of associating with men who wished to remove Hitler and spent much time in jail as a reward.  Killing Adolph was not a Christians job, something he failed to appreciate, terrible though such men are they have to wait in God's time not ours.  By 1944 unknown to Bonhoeffer the allies did not wish Adolph killed as he was seen as their best general!  His tactical knowledge, or lack of it, his insistence on standing strong by 'the power of his will' did not reinforce the men at the front as he had hoped.  
Bonhoeffer, like most of the conspirators died before the war ended, Bonhoeffer on the 9th of April 1945 one month before the ceasefire.   His call had been clear for a long time, if you follow Jesus you must do so even if it leads to death.  Death to self is a Christian calling, on occasions it must be taken literally.  It is to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's credit that he took that line seriously.  We are left wondering what would have he produced had he lived?

While fire engulfs the Amazonian forests creating profit for cattle farmers and a variety of national presidents Dunfermline proved they too could manufacture fire for no good reason.  Here a 14 year old proved this by setting for to his school and destroying at least the 'Additional Support Needs Department which I suspect he knows well, and damaged at least a fifth of the school buildings.  There are now 1400 happy pupils (sorry, students) wandering around upsetting locals by not being locked in their classrooms.  Anything right wing South American dictators can do Scotland can do better!

Tired & Weary Day.

Tired & weary I plodded home from the museum, my bones less pained than my muscles.  Weariness began last night when a knock came on the door around ten o'clock. Two friendly members of the constabulary were enquiring about my neighbour, who has not been seen since, he and her have been up to something somewhere.  Half dressed, I was watching football in bed, and a I explained to them I was on a football planet not one concerning neighbours.  I missed the last two minutes of the game because of them!
I also failed to sleep for ages and woke at eight this morning with a sponge for a brain, at work they said this was not unusual.  Not only was I kept busy I had to buy my lunch rather than eat at home because of staff shortages.  However the day was profitable and we took a decent amount of cash and the girls have been preparing for tomorrows 'John Ray Day.'

This ought to be a good day as many are interested in this nature lover however the wee pony seen above, used as therapy for injured kids and others will not make it, some thieving rat stole their truck and trailer!  I suspect however the stall holders who arrive and those who drop in will have a decent time.  I will be even more weary by the finish.

 
What a interesting little book this is.
Usually books about Adolf concern his rantings and world domination plans but here we see another side of the man who would have ruled Europe.  
Christa Schroeder began work for the early Nazi Party years before the war, this for work as it was hard to find and not for ideological reasons she claims.  In this she might be right as it appears she comprehended or cared little for what was happening outside of the Leadership bubble in which she operated.  Once she had climbed the heights to be one of Hitlers favourite secretary's she was then unable to leave even if she wished.  Hitler and he alone decided who came or went.
Her shorthand skills were important during the early years as she took dictation, typed out his speeches ad retyped as he amended them time and again.  Surely during this period she grasped something of the intentions of the man?  Surely she realised where Germany was headed?  At the end of the war she was interrogated by the allies and one suggested that she could be regarded as 'dumb!'  It is possible she really did not comprehend what was going on even though she saw the control of Ukraine and in the end the devastation of Berlin.  It is possible her life was too close to Hitler himself and under his spell as many were to be objective about what she saw around her, maybe she shared a mental outlook that ran through Germany at the time, one that is difficult to explain.

This is not a straight forward book more a collection of typed notes that were published some years ago, later translated into English.  These notes she put together to put some stories right and others to explain her position.  Many in Germany were doing that after the war.  These contain stories about the various campaigns where the backroom staff followed the chief to his headquarters even though he rarely made use of them.  Hitler kept his office staff separate from the real business at hand and used them as a way of escape from the trials of taking others land ans killing the population.  These girls were a sort of middle class escape where he met them daily for tea and cake and talk far removed from war.  Politics and military matters were never discussed here, art, plans, architecture (Adolf saw himself as an architect not a painter), history and all sorts of subjects were given his views, views he studied by voracious reading and by memorising large amounts of detail so he could spew it back as his own.
Hitler was the centre of the life in this 'Bubble,' many wished to be there so they could stake a claim for position, few were true friends to others.  The people of the circle are mentioned by Christa with particular care for the women, is she bitchy or were the men of little interest to her?  None wanted her even though a few were kind towards her.  
This book could be seen to glamorise a man who caused millions of deaths however it fails to do so by revealing his selfish obsessions at all times.  His personality shines through in spite of the tea and cake, the kissing of ladies hands (he was Austrian after all not Prussian) and generous gifts to one and all.  Those who offended him especially by disagreeing were not invited back, even Christa was  
'blackballed' for a year for talking back, Adolfs inabilities and weaknesses and limited outlook are always on show in these pages.  His brutal attitude to opposition, his reliance on his own 'will' and his lack of real deep care are clear to see.  It is a wonder people stuck close to him, a wonder he had so many followers.  That is the thing people believed in him, his ability to convince and carry an entire nation led them to destruction.  Christa working alongside him does not appear to carry any insight into faults re his agenda, as indeed did many others.

A lesson here for us all.  The world follows all too easily the leaders it chooses, deep thought and conscience are not always brought into place.  Right and wrong are concepts that can easily be amended to suit our purposes and concern for others fades when our advantage appears.

Hitler : Nemesis

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Amazon UK

After I broke my leg (Thanks Charlotte!) I recuperated by reading William Shirer's 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.' This started me on a trek through many books in an attempt to understand the reasons behind Mr Hitler's actions. Having grown up during the 50's I was always aware of the Second World War (we ran around the playground in 1956 chanting 'We won the war, in 1944). All adults had been involved in some way, reference was constantly made on the wireless, some BBC programmes linked soldiers in occupied Germany with home, and comics and films were naturally dominated with warfare. While Britain slowly recovered, all Britain got from the was was a moral victory for 'standing alone' and bankruptcy, the NHS created, main industries nationalised, and vast numbers of houses built, the war nevertheless weighed heavily on many people. How heavy it must have weighed with the single woman next door and her two year old daughter was seen in the routine visit of the milkman to 'comfort her.' Not far from us stood a rusting anti aircraft base, bus conductors were often 'Poles,' who had remained after the conflict, although they may well have been from the Baltic States, and our main games often involved guns of one sort or another.

Since reading Shirer's book I have read many others, far too many my brain tells me, and recently I acquired (free) the second of Henshaw's great work on the man. 'Hitler' Hubris' was the first and details his early life and rise to power.  I confess I struggled to finish this excellent tome and I strongly suspect that the author was feeling similar thoughts as he ended his years of study. The writing as the book draws near the end gives the impression he wanted to lie down in a dark room for a year! I know how he feels.  Three men stand out when in comes to such study, Ian Kershaw, Alan Bullock and Lawrence Rees. All three have studied diligently and produced works that aim to explain the Nazi era in both a scholarly and readable manner.  The facts are presented without hysteria or embellishment, nothing is hidden or glorified. All are worth reading and also Rees has produced a great many TV programmes that are available on many aspects of the Hitler years.

The Nazi Party took power in 1933, it crashed into oblivion a mere twelve years later. During this time a well educated, highly sophisticated nation gave itself over to one man. One man who in his short reign occupied Austria and Czechoslovakia by sleight of hand, and Poland by force and trickery. His incredible failure to understand the British mentality, he wished Britain to keep her Empire while Germany ruled Europe, and his belief that if he defeated the easier option (Soviet Russia) Great Britain would offer peace terms! With great encouragement from the army and people who disliked Poles Hitler was allowed to introduce the vicious policies that were to lead to such suffering in Russia and eventually the Gas Chambers. Indeed at this point while most wanted an end to the war, the RAF were dropping bombs on all main cities by now, the idea of defeating the Bolsheviks was very popular throughout Germany.  Of course it failed, nobody can defeat the Russian winter, and the land he sought to conquer ended up as Stalin's property. An all or nothing policy that failed completely.  

Germany had for a very long time a belief in its superiority, and after the end of the Great War many chose to believe they had indeed been 'stabbed in the back' by Communists and others and not defeated at all. The short lived democratic government failed after the 'Wall Street Crash' and the Nazi's took advantage of many attitudes at that time to take power. Hitler had great support from his people and had he died in 1940 he would be seen by them as a political hero who made Germany great again. The war had to be fought to a bitter end to finish once and for all the 'master race' attitude that lay in the psyche of the nation. Only such total devastation could end this for ever. the ruin of the country millions dead, Twenty million on the Eastern Front alone, and the majority of the leading men committing suicide or being hanged after war's end.  A sad end to a sad story. 

And as to finding out what motivated Adolf? I still don't know! So many things affected him. His nature, his bullying father, his protective mother (he kept her picture with him all the time, even in the bunker. She died when he was in his teens) his laziness, his failure to get into the academy as his art, while picturesque, was not of a high enough standard, and the Great War in which he found himself a purpose.So many things added to his 'Germanic Consciousness' and unstable personality to produce the man. The state of the nation, the somewhat twisted heart of Germany, added to this and circumstances arose, and were manufactured, to ensure one day Adolf Hitler had millions of Germans at his feet in adulation!  It shows once again how easy it is for unstable and dangerous people to rise to the top in any society, none are free from this danger.

Read this book, although beginning with the first one, 'Hubris' is the best idea. Very thick books which give the definitive tale of Hitler and the Nazi Party during these years. There are other good books already mentioned but this is the place to begin.

 

Waterstones

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Hitler, Fascist or Inadequate?

Adolf Hitler, the man who led Germany to war with the world, the most renowned fascist in history, or was he? Most accept without question his political stance, but the more I read about him the less I am impressed with his fascism. Adolf Hitler cared little for the right wing in my view. His concern was always for his view! The rightist leanings in Germany fitted quite well into these views but not from an ideological point, instead it was merely personal hate!
Adolf decided the Slavs in Austria were bad, and Adolf decided a lot of things when bumming around Vienna in his teens, and once Adolf made a decision then in his mind it was the right one and all opposition was irrelevant. Opposition which had an intellectual basis was especially unwelcome, more so if he understood it was a correct basis, he then just shouted it down.

Hitler turned down the opportunity to lead the Nazi party, work was never his strongpoint, but in the course of time he accepted the views of his people that he was the leader, and once he accepted this, he ensured it was to stay that way, by fair means or foul. For our Adolf had no political dream except his pathological hatred of the Slavs, soon to be the Bolsheviks, and his intention to attack them, on the basis of freedom for the German people.
But it was all nothing more than his inadequacy as a man that lay behind all he did. His shyness, his inability to relate to women, his weakness, his laziness, all forced him deep into his 'self.' From there he viewed the world in weakness, and in defence of this showed himself strong.
An opportunist who was quick to grab the half chance, but with no real agenda, political or otherwise, but defend his empty weak 'self.'

It is the 'Self,' the core of our being in which we live. Hitler shows us the full extent of the 'self' when it is given over to it's own way. Christians in particular ought to read about this man and see just how awful selfishness can be! We excuse ourselves when we go wrong, but in doing so the depth of our own depravity is hidden.
Adolf Hitler shows us a glimpse of the sin within us, the damage done when 'self' rules. It relfects the size of the task facing God in Christ Jesus when he died on the cross. 'He took my sin' they cry. But have little understanding of how deep and hurtful this was for the Messiah.
Jesus dies for me, how then can I live indulging so many aspects of my 'self?'

Muslim Cartoons

We seem stuck in a Muslim wonderland these days. Lots of words and little thinking.
The cartoons which seem to upset so many Muslims were in my view of no real offence. By showing Mohammed with a bomb in his turban merely reflected the view given to the West by Muslims worldwide, that they are a violent people. If Islam dislikes the depiction of, what they call, the prophet, then that is up to them to change. It is not for them to riot worldwide and expect the West to accept their demand for an apology.
Having said that, it is strange how we accept the constant insulting of Christianity daily in the media, but worry about upsetting Islam. To me, the Messiah being ridiculed by those ignorant, or afraid, of his message is much more important than the imagined insult suffered by followers of Islam. It is important to remember that most of this outcry has been hijacked, indeed begun by extremists in the Islamic world who want confrontation, who desire a war with the West.
It is therefore important to stand up to these people, because reason and dialogue will never have an effect on them. Appeasement of Adolf Hitler was doomed from the beginning, it will not work here!
What to do?
It is best not to do that which will deliberately annoy another. So don't go out of your way to upset them. But satire of the other man is normal in this country, and in any free land. It must continue. This can be done while respecting his opinion, even if wrong.
The point here is that like it or not, Islam MUST accept the Wests view that freedom of expression, not license, is perfectly acceptable. In the end, if they do not like the cartoons they are free to say so, but this does not mean the cartoons should be banned, or that more ought not to be produced!
It is time for Islam and it's followers to change, not the West to comply with their wishes.