The Nazis were genuine freaks.
I have never met a more dislikeable bunch of idiots. Everytime I think that the Nazis were equivalent to Commies or Islamic terrorists, something new pops up to show that they were levels of evilness higher.
Considering how intelligent they were, how european they were in culture and how christian they were in background, it is astounding to see how evil they became.
One “understands” Islamic terrorism on the basis of an illiterate culture raised in a vicious religion.
One “understands” Russian Communism on the basis of illiterate serfs raised in a vicious 1000 year old economic basket case
One just does not understand the evil that is Naziism. One of the most cultured countries of Europe, with a strong tradition of Christianity, rich, smart, forward thinking. How did they fall so low?
Never underestimate the power of a snazzy uniform.
Never forget that Soros suckled at the Nazi teat. His DNA is swastika-shaped.
with a strong tradition of Christianity, rich, smart, forward thinking. How did they fall so low?
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Reminds me of certain people who voted in 08’.
Simple explanation: Sociopaths tend to gravitate to strong governments. People tend to follow orders and rationalize away things which conflicts with their beliefs and values. The mass killing of the Jewish people began almost ten years after the Nazis took power. I guess it took that long to make it "alright" to commit genocide.
“One just does not understand the evil that is Naziism. One of the most cultured countries of Europe, with a strong tradition of Christianity, rich, smart, forward thinking. How did they fall so low?”
Before November 2008, I occasionally attended parties in my “university town” with people who considered themselves the intellectual elite. These were always in VERY nice houses. On more than on occasion one of university types would pontificate that it was time to lock up all the crazy conservatives in reeducation camps.
My final ever party was just after Obama got elected. Several effete, gay professors where laughing it up about how the time had come to lock up all the conservatives. They were quite jovial. As I recall somebody threw out, “Hell, gas ‘em all. Hitler had the right idea.” I nodded at the host and slipped out the door. He called me on the way to my car and asked why I was leaving. I told him. He said, “They can’t hurt you!” I said, “They voted.”
Treaty of Versailles, Weimar Republic with literal hyperinflation and widespread destitution. They were ripe for a demagogue and man, did they ever get one.
Charismatic leader (why I've never been able to decipher but it's apparently true), socialism on crack combined with nationalism on meth, with old "folkish" beliefs elevated and combined with occultism intent on co-opting hated Christianity in an effort to control those same "folk." Throw in a scapegoat for an "external" object of rage, and there you go.
We shouldn't feel too smug and superior, something similar could happen here. All the ingredients are already present on the left. Guess who'll be scapegoated if and when it hits the fan?
It was based on pagan-idolatry and was thusly laid low by the one true God.
‘I will slay the swift and strong....’
Yes, they were freaks. I do think, however, the communists and the moslems can come very close to them in term of evil intent and viciousness.
I can give you dozens of examples of communist and islamic actions that rival those of the nazis. One interesting similarity is that all three philosophies share a singular hatred of the Jews.
How did they fall so low? We in the anglosphere have the advantage of literally centuries of enlightened thought and government. Democracy and freedom have been practiced and refined in the English speaking world for a long time, they are virtually taken for granted now. Add the fact that the nations of the anglosphere have been on the winning side of every major conflict since they last fought each other in 1814.
This is not the case in other countries. Germany in 1919 was a defeated country. Cultured, perhaps. Modern, yes. But until 1919, it was a monarchy. The end of the first war forced a type of democracy on the country that it clearly was not ready for. It did not have a centuries long or even a decades long tradition of democracy.
The resulting depression and inflation sucked all the wealth and life out of the country. The people didn't believe in "democracy" any more. They craved a new leader, a new strong man to take care of things. They didn't care how it happened, they just wanted somebody to make things better.
We all know what did happen, the "strong" man arose. He was a man who could rouse a crowd or a nation with his stirring speeches. Does that sound familiar? In the end, of course, all he gave Germany was disaster and empty words. Does that sound familiar?
Not making excuses, just offering an explanation. And a parallel.
An evil seed appealed to their fears and hopes and it grew inside until it bloomed black.
“One just does not understand the evil that is Naziism. One of the most cultured countries of Europe, with a strong tradition of Christianity, rich, smart, forward thinking. How did they fall so low?”
Just look at us. We elected Obama and he is very similar to Hitler. The difference is there is enough of us to stop him and we have the history of the Nazi to guide us in doing so.