[ChurtleDawg]

maybe in his youth he was a “strict roman catholic”. As an adult he privately despised the Catholic Church (not in public, as that would alienate many Germans and indeed most of Christianity, which he considered “weak” and, ironically, “Jewish”.)

as far as considering the priesthood, I think you have him mixed up with Stalin, who considered becoming a priest in his youth and went to a seminary.

[britt reed]

...

as far as considering the priesthood, I think you have him mixed up with Stalin, who considered becoming a priest in his youth and went to a seminary.

I do remember Stalin considered the priesthood. I may be confusing Hitler's childhood impersonations of Mass. I will have to reread some of my sources (real books, not wiki) and update.

Thanks

[Verloona Ti]

According to Toland, Hitler DID consider the priesthood-when he was about 9 years old! He said he was going to be a priest when he grew up, and he 'practiced' by wrapping towels and sheets around himself like priestly vestments, and repeating as much as he could remember of the most recent service. His congregation consisted of his adoring mother , the maid of all work, maybe a younger sibling now and then. But by the time of his first communion, he was irreligious, to the point that he had to be scolded for trying to disrupt the ceremonies by persuading the other children to go play cowboys and indians with him . (He was a big reader of Karl May's "western" novels.)

I've always thought that would be a fascinating scene to recreate in a Hitler biopic : Him as a young boy, giving his "sermon"...But with intimations of the famous hand gestures and postures of the later dictator.