It’s amazing how nearly all historical documentaries on that period from the ‘20s to ‘42 omit the original cooperation between the National Socialist Workers Party and the Communists.
During my years in Berlin in the 80s I met many former SS and Wermacht soldiers, who would vehemently deny the existence of that initial treaty between Stalin and Hitler.
The Polish people from that era have another view, as do Ukranians.
If you go to 1920....lot of worry by the standing gov’t over Communism and the threat of a take-over. It’s enough of a worry that they are already working on gun-control measures by 1922 (a decade ahead of the Nazis).
Any relationship between the Nationalist Socialist Party and the Communists....is because the basic platform of the Nazi party half-way fits into the same platform of the Communists. Look up the Nov 1932 Nazi platform....roughly 30 items, and probably half of the items are appealing for the Communists.
You make a good point. There was substantial cooperation with Russia at the highest levels. My recent reading, as an amateur historian, suggests that was the back story. On the streets during the 30's and 40's where many of the SS and Wermacht soldiers you spoke happened to be, the chief rival apart from the Jews, of course, were the local communists.
Hitler is given very high marks by many for his astute manipulation.